Well as the title suggests, it wasn’t exactly favourable; a measly 141/300. I kept waking up sporadically during the night, but at 3:40, I got the email. Even in a state of grogginess, I knew immediately I’d no hope. I’ll admit I was seriously disappointed, more so in myself than anything. It was the first test I’d ever scored below average on, but in fairness, that’s below average in comparasion to the cream of the crop. I really did think the test went well on the day, especially Section 3. I mean I actually drew out what I imagined the next box to look like, and most times they were there! I thought it was the one section where you could be sure you had the right answer, but I guess not. I was convinced I got more than half correct, but not according to ACER, as I only got 49. I guess whatever marking scheme they used really messed me over!

Anyway, I’m lucky in a way that I wasn’t hell-bent on doing Medicine. Althought it has forced me to change the ole CAO. I’ve put down BESS and Maths/Economics, so I wouldn’t mind doing them either. Actuary is still the goal however, I’ll be laughing if I get offered a place there. I hope the results went well for everyone else anyway, enjoy the rest of the summer!!

Hello everyone =D

Firstly, I’m sorry it’s been so long since you’ve heard from me….. I haven’t even got a proper excuse…

I hope you all had a good Christmas, and that Santie was good to you! My Christmases are usually filled with racing around from one horsey competition to the next, trying to get as much in as possible. The weather put a stop to that this time! Believe it or not I’ve only been able to get out on the horse once in my three weeks off. The ground is just too hard! So you’d think that I would have had lots of time to complete all my set revision and more – not a chance!!!
Ok well since it’s been so long since I’ve blogged this is probably a distant memory to most! I found the evening focus group in Dublin on the Friday very interesting and the different tips I picked up from different people were very helpful =D It was interesting to sit and talk about different study methods and tools. You guys are all so organised! And will definitely get whatever results you need in June. Anyway it was great to get a chance to put a face to some of the blogs and meet some really sound people at the same time =D

That Sunday I did possibly the stupidest thing I have ever done, and that’s saying something! I tripped over my feet, fell down the stairs, and split my ear off the pool table….. Please laugh… it will make me feel a little less special!! One incentive not to do it again (aside from the mess to be cleaned up) is that I never ever want to have to spend a Sunday night (or any night for that matter) sitting in A&E in James’ street….. Not a pretty sight. I arrived in at about 10.30 that night wasn’t seen by a doctor until 8.30 the next morning, left at about 9 with the addition of nine stitches in my right ear. Lovely!!

One good thing came out of it though. I am afraid of injections, and I want to be a doctor. I needed lots of local anaesthetics for my ear. This terrified me. But it worried me even more to think that the one thing that I was letting stand between me and the career I wanted was a tiny piece of metal! Crazy, I know… Well, I managed to get over that fear. It was all in my head!! Since that I’ve had blood taken without a single flinch. Result. Mind over matter.

That was basically the drama of my holidays! Naturally I spent the next week lounging around feeling sorry for myself… Santie came and brought lovely red hunter wellies (I’m a culchie at heart!) and lots of other nice things and I began to face up to the reality that yes, I had chosen to cut my holiday short for this Leaving Cert malarkey, and head up to Leeson street for 5 days. I now realise how lucky I was to have had that choice to make!! I took Biology (both halves), English and Maths. The latter was probably a foolish choice since I’ve just dropped from honours, but hey, I was intent on “getting the course done in a week!!” My own naivety surprises me! Of course I was useful revision but my time (and money) could have been spent on something else.

As for the biology and english… Mr. Burke and Mr. Kelly, I bow down before you… you are proper teachers. You know your subjects and, more importantly, you know how to teach it. To anyone who says that in Leeson Street they just “throw the notes at you,” “they’re hardly teachers,” I challenge you to sit in one of the afore mentioned teachers classes and not be inspired. Mr. Burke, as old as the hills he may be, but I have never seen anyone explain photosynthesis in one single diagram – no words, just labels…. wow!! It was definitely time well spent. Trying to negotiate the buses on New Year’s day would have been fun but I got a lift home =) Only in Ireland would a little dusting of snow equate to a national emergency!! Crazy…

Over the last few days it has been such a chore to actually sit down and study while I could hear the snowball fights going on outside! I made a compromise; study for three hours in the morning and then I could whizz down the Hill of Tara on fertiliser bags to my heart’s content! Exercise combined in with fun! Perfect =DThose are days that will be remembered.

Delighted and all as I was to get those two extra days off, now I’m kind of worried about the amount of catch-up work that is going to have to be done when we eventually get back to school… Oh well the teachers can worry about that one and ill just get as much revision done as I can =D Anyway, we’ve enough to be thinking about with the CAO closing date and the HPAT all coming up.

I completed my levels eight choices on the CAO for what I hope will be the last time, but that’s doubtful! Medicine in Trinity is sitting at the top, but sure we’ll see how it goes! As for the HPAT, I’ve registered and am trying to do as much practice as possible from the sample booklet. I find the timing really difficult to stick to but I suppose it all takes practice. My Mum insisted that I enrol in a prep course so I’ll be back up in Leeson Street next weekend. I suppose doing it is better than regretting not doing it.

I hope everything is going according to plan for everyone, and if it’s not, well don’t worry. “Brick by brick my citizens, brick by brick.” (I watched seabiscuit last night!! Red Pollard you legend)
Remember its all mind over matter!
For now, there is a slippery slope on Tara with my name on it =D
Toodles
xxx