WHEN 53,789 Leaving Cert students signed off on their last exam in June, many took their minds off the results by partaking in summer jobs and taking time out to do some travelling. NIALL BYRNE, one of the local students who sat the exam, tells Northside People readers what it feels like to be waiting on the results, which are due to be released on August 13.
When I finished my last exam on June 18, which was Economics, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. It was the freest I’ve ever felt and I decided not to look back. I’ve had an enjoyable summer so far, filled with lots of activities and the odd night out. I realised if I was to survive the summer I needed to get a job, which is easier said than done!
As summer continues and each day flies by I am becoming more aware of the fast approaching
‘D-Day’ (August 13) when the country’s Leaving Cert students, including myself, will learn our fate.
I am beginning to feel nervous and have almost a trapped feeling. There’s no escape from this day. It’s a debate whether to hide from it or tackle it head on. I suggest the latter. When doing my exams I didn’t feel nervous at all. I just went in and did my best!
I now feel that the worst day of the whole post-primary school experience is probably results day, but it’s not the end of the world! It’s just one day in your whole life. The five years I have spent in secondary school have been the best years of my life, no doubt about it. I’ve made a lot of friends and have many great (and not so great) memories, and I will be sure to miss that school every day.
August 13 will be the last hurdle I come across before I venture out into the
‘big scary world’. It’s a summer of transition for students my age. Some like myself will go straight into third level education while others will look to travel and take a break from studying.
I did forget about results day for a good bit of the summer but again it’s easier said than done. My aim is to study Journalism in college. I was given a taste of what it is like in a newsroom when I spent a few days at the Dublin People Group of Newspapers, based in Santry. I loved it and it made me look forward to getting into college.
Getting a summer job or work experience is a great way to take your mind off the results. You are on the go for the majority of the day and have no time to think about it.
Some students like to go abroad on a
‘6th year holiday’ and go to the usual hotspots such as Santa Ponsa in Spain or Kavos on the island of Corfu in Greece.
I also find doing some exercising or even just going out to your friends and relaxing is great to clear the mind. I feel that having your friends around you is vital at a time like this as they can give you a boost and some confidence. My friends have done that for me a few times when I began to get nervous about my results.
My advice to anyone bracing themselves for results day on August 13, or even in the coming years, is to occupy yourself with something you enjoy or something new you want to experience, to take your mind off results day. Also ENJOY your summer holidays – don’t let one day affect what you do and how you feel for your whole holiday!