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Archive for the ‘TY’ tag

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CillianHello everybody again!

Mocks have come and gone, and not quite as bad as I thought. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best I suppose. It was crazy to see the amount of people trying to find out what was coming up. And I’m not talking about the typical no hopers. Some of the cleverest people I know had seen the papers before hand. What, could they not contain their excitement to see what was coming up? That’s probably not the answer but even still, they ruined the whole point of the mocks in doing so.

For me, it was getting the timing right. I’d never sat down to do a full paper in one go before so it was great to see what timing is going to be like with the LC. I managed to time everything pretty ok, and got everything answered and usually an extra question or two (or even all eleven in Chemistry!). English paper 2 was the only exam that I was writing until the very end, I never thought it was humanly possible for me to 21 a4 pages, but with only two or three words per line, I suppose it wasn’t too difficult! The only exam that went bad as such was Maths paper 2. I started a Biology paper at 7:30 that morning and ran a cross country race in between, so by the time Maths came around I was mentally exhausted! As far as I know I had all DEB papers, how did everyone else find them?

It’s less than a week to go to the HPAT and usually I’d start getting a little apprehensive about such an event by now, but I don’t think I will be. I’m doing it in Trinity which is handy ,seen as it’s closest, but everyone else I know got UCD. As for strategies for the test, I’ve got a few worked out, so hopefully they‘ll happen! I’ve been contemplating lately the thought of if I actually was offered a place in Med school (even though there‘s ridiculously little hope!). I don’t know if it’s something that would suit me. Don’t get me wrong, I love science and the idea of helping people, but the workload I’d be taking on, it’d be like re-sitting the LC another 5 times! If I was to get in though my dream would to end up in the army, that’d be my route in!
So now for the dramatic irony, because I’m not too pushed about doing well in the exam (well of course I still want to do my best!), I’ll end up doing better in the exam than if I was hell bent on getting a place in Med school! (Nerves do get the better of me sometimes!)
So if I do get in, I’ll owe it to the fact I didn’t really mind, I kind of like that!!
It annoys the hell out of me though when you hear ‘Oh well you really have to want Medicine to get it’ comments. Absolute BS! If that was the case there would be a bloody attitude test and interviews, not an aptitude test!

That then got me thinking about my other choices on my CAO, like Pharmacy and Actuary. Frankly, all the have in common is a y of their names. Pharmacy is third and fourth, while Actuary is fifth and sixth. Being pragmatic(I hope!), I’ll end up doing one of these. I’m having serious problems deciding which one however. I went on work experience back in the good old days of TY in the local Pharmacy and really enjoyed it. I mean the guy who owns it is the nicest you’d ever meet, an inspiration of sorts. But then I sat in on two Actuary lectures in UCD and DCU during the week on economics and absolutely loved them. I met up with a guy who got 600 in his LC and he claims to love it. So I’ve been thinking, maths and economics or chemistry for the next four or five years? Hmmmm….

I have my French oral left to do later this week, and to be honest, I can wait for it. I said I’d practice for it over the midterm, but I thought I deserved the week off! I started reading Wuthering Heights again for my English comparative. And when I say again, I mean for about the 6th time, I just can’t read the bloody thing! I’ve lived off chapter summaries from the internet to find out what actually happens because I could never follow. Finally I’ve started to start comprehending what’s going on for myself! I used to love reading but ever since I’ve started secondary, sport has just taken over and I’ve never really had the time to indulge in a good book!

I’ve decided to give up Facebook for Lent, forty days I thought I could handle it. And then I discovered Lent is actually forty-seven days long, never have I felt so cheated! But it’s probably a good thing, there’s nothing worse than spending copious amounts of time on stuff like that and the feeling after. Although I’ll probably just replace it with MLIA!

I reckon it’ll be a while before any results come back, but fingers crossed by Paddy’s Day I’ll have everything back! Best of luck to all of ye doing mocks this week, and the HPAT too!!!!
Slánners!

Written by Cillian

February 21st, 2010 at 7:50 pm

Mocks

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CillianAs the title suggests, the mocks season is quickly approaching! Judging by the amount of mock related questions on this site, you’d swear it was the end of the world! It really annoys me that everyone is looking to find out what’s coming up on the different papers. Like seriously, what’s the point doing them if you know what’s coming up? The whole point is that they’re a run through of what’s coming up in June. And if you know what’s coming up in June, we can talk more ;)

I start mine this Wednesday. My timetable isn’t too bad, I suppose, three full days and four half ones. There’s none I’m really dreading, usually it would be Irish and French but I feel I’ve done enough for them this time. I probably should feel a little bit more worried about the exams, but any fellow sixth year I’ve talked to has proclaimed they’re screwed, so I suppose I can take some comfort in that.

I had my mock Irish oral during the week. After spending 3 weeks in the Gaeltacht over the summer, I didn’t think too much preparation was necessary, so much so that I lost my sliochtanna the weekend before and read it for the first time in the exam! Needless to say it didn’t go half as well as I thought, I most certainly won’t be trying to wing it come the real one. I still managed to get 99/150 for ten minutes of awkward conversation so I guess it wasn’t all bad! French orals are the week we come back after mid-term however; they are one thing I am not looking forward to! Speaking French has never been a strong point of mine, and never do I regret not going on a French-exchange back in TY more so than now!

I was fortunate enough to attend an Open Evening in UCD a few weeks ago for people interested in Actuarial and Financial Studies. It seemed pretty good, I got to chat to one of the lectures about the course and it seemed pretty interesting, the only think is they expect the points to rise this year so that’s a bit of a bummer seen as they were 530 last year.

Sport seems to be one thing that’s going right this year. Tomorrow our schools in the Dublin Colleges football final, so with a bit of luck, we’ll bring home some silverware. This is my fourth final with the school, and yet to win anything, so fingers crossed, it would be nice to leave the school with something! Cross-country season is back in full swing. We were up in DCU last Wednesday for the annual invitational, and our Senior team came 3rd so all in all, a good day out. The West-Leinster event is on this Thursday however, so that means I’m in school at 8 in the morning for Biology, off to the race, and then back to start Maths paper two in the evening, fun or what!

Thursday week I finish with Economics and then off for a week. No plans as of yet but looking forward to it immensely!

Best of luck to all doing exams, remember, come August they count for nothing! Bon courage!

Written by Cillian

January 31st, 2010 at 10:08 pm

Wanted: Junior Cert , TY, and Leaving Cert students

2 comments

focus-group-300x270Hi all,

Just a short post to spread the word about an upcoming focus group taking place next week.  I need as many Leaving Cert, Junior Cert, and Transition Year students as possible.  The focus group will simply involve a relaxed chat between 10 or so students, led by myself and a colleague. We plan to discuss your usage of the internet in general, specifically focusing on how you use the internet for study and school.  We will of course pay any student who attends €50 (€25 per hour)!  Now who couldn’t do with that coming up to Christmas?!

Some more details:

Junior Cert/Transition Year Focus Group: Thursday 17th Dec after school at 6pm, Drumcondra Road, North Dublin (Held in a hotel conference room, hotel to be confirmed). 2 hours in total.

Leaving Cert Focus Group: Friday 18th Dec after school at 6pm, City Centre location near Grafton Street, hotel to be confirmed.  2 hours in total.

Please email info [at] allhonours.ie if you are interested or need more details.  Spread the word, ask your brothers, sisters, friends, whoever!

Cheers,

Patrick.

Written by Patrick Barry

December 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pm

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