The first day is complete. I have never been so grateful to see the rain. And the good news continues as Storm Alex is expected to be a hit over the next few days. I’ve heard someone explain it this week and hope this marks the end of the Leaving Cert’s weather curse.
I can’t explain how easy it is to concentrate when the sun isn’t in the test room. We apologize to the whole country, but we are crossing our fingers due to rain until the end of June. Then roll the heat wave.
To be honest, I’ve never been so restless in taking the exam. After finding a seat, meeting my friends, and laughing a little nervous, I was calm for days.
Everyone seemed to be on the edge. I didn’t know what was ahead, so I think it was the scariest thing. English Paper 1 is never ready. It is today’s exam, English Paper 2, that requires stressful study. But that is today’s challenge.
The theme of this year’s higher level English Paper 1 was “Strong Voice”. I believed this was very suitable for increasing the number of inspirational youths that emerged in the last few years.
Luck seemed to be on my side when I opened the paper to see the question to write a “podcast text”. I’m hosting my podcast, so I had to laugh. After the exam, even some of my friends approached me saying how perfect the question was.
Overall, everyone seemed happy with the first exam of the season. Rest assured that this is a step in the right direction for the rest of the exam.
The afternoon exam was Home Economics, but I didn’t study that subject, so I went home and blew away good music and took a deep breath before dawn on the next exam day.
If you don’t like the first paper, or if you feel you’re not doing your best, don’t hit yourself. The main thing is that you went there and did it. It is a result in itself.
So take a deep breath, give yourself some credit, and then let it go. You can’t do more than that. The important thing now is to look at the previous exams and do everything you can.
This is also a reminder to keep those candles on for everyone entering the second day of the exam.
Leaving the 2022 Cert students, we have begun the beginning of the end. Now it’s all about staying sane and continuing.
Amelhyne O’Regan-Farineau is a student at St Mary’s Secondary School in Ballina, Mayo. She hosts her own podcast. Talk about itFor teens and young adults
