My first blog post was inspired by Marcus Butler's video, ''Nobody's Prefect - Dealing With Pressure'', https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQVWz_qZnsc. This Video had a lot of things that I agreed with and I thought it would be good to write a blog about my story of School and exam pressure and maybe help someone going through the same.
The Secondary System in Ireland starts when you are about 12 or 13 in 1st year and you spend 3 years studying for your Junior Cert. then 4th year/Transition Year is a year where you learn new skills and get to really know your year and finally in 5th year you start studying for the Leaving Cert for 2 years. These 2 years, for some people, can be the hardest 2 years of your life.
5th year and 6th year are all about studying (remembering) all you can for your Leaving Cert.in June. The Leaving Cert. is really just a memory game and the people who remember the most are the people who get the most points, the more points you get the better college course you get and the better college course you get, in turn, gives you a better chance of getting a better job. However I believe if you have something you want to do, you will get it as long as you work hard to get it. Anything is possible if you work hard to get it. Which is why I think the outlook people have on points and college is unfair because people, including me, would rather be out there getting experience and working hard instead of spending 2 years studying for an exam they don't really need and is really not that important. Some people think that the Leaving Cert. is so important that if they don't do good they can not do anything with there lives.
But there is SO much more to life then exams.
When I was in 6th year I wasn't really pressured by my parents to pass exams, they just want me to do good. I did my Leaving Cert. June 2014, this year. So the pressures of school and exams are still quite fresh and living because I am still to get my results. I didn't really feel pressured when it came to studying for and doing exams because I went in there with what I had studied and what was in my head and I answered the questions as good as I could. I couldn't really do any better then that without burning myself out and putting myself under a lot of pressure.
In 6th year when it was time to apply for the CAO and pick colleges you wanted to go to, that was when the pressure started for me. The pressure was not from my parents but from my teachers. When I had eventually decided not to apply for any colleges, I had my teachers talking to me and wondering why I didn't want to go. This (even though my teachers probable didn't realise) put me under a lot of pressure ( I really don't like being pressured). After thinking I knew what I was doing, I was put right back at square one, deciding if college was for me. So after talks with my mam and teachers, sleepless nights, a big amount of daydreaming in class and some tears, I decided that college wasn't for me. But my decision was pushed right back by teachers and because of the pressure I was under by my teachers wanting me to apply for the CAO, I decided to do what was right for me, apply for the CAO to get rid of the pressure I was under but still in the end not go to college.
I love the idea of going out there and doing things for myself and really the sooner I can do that the better! I have always loved the idea of working somewhere that would give me experience, take the experience and build it up to eventually start my own business. That idea really makes me very happy. :)
There are so many other options out there then just College or University, if, of course, you don't think it is the place for you. Some people's dreams do involve having to go to College or University and I do understand that but other dreams don't require you to have a degree to do what you have dreamed of doing your whole life. For those kind of dreams, there are so many different avenues you can take to fulfil your dream.
My dream hasn't even started yet.
One month from now I will have my Leaving Cert. results and be rid of the pressure of school, exams and the results. I will finally be able to make my dream a reality. Choosing what is right for you is the best decision you can make. Even if things get hard and things don't go right I am never going to give up on my dream. I am just going to take the punches as they come and (in the words of Adam Sandler's movie) ''Just Go with It''. I know if I had chosen college I will not be 100% happy because I didn't make my own decisions but I have made my own decisions and I can not wait to see what the future holds for me.
Love,
Tara.
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