students.theleavingcert.com

Yesterday, I began Sixth Year officially. There’s no denying it anymore, I’m in Leaving Cert. When last year’s group graduated, I insisted they still had exams to do. After those, I claimed the Grads, then the results.. Now I have nothing left. On the 30th of August, 2010, myself and the raggle taggle group I attend school with became Leaving Certs. Let the running and screaming begin.

Well, not really. I’m a bit excited.

I should introduce myself, how rude. I’m Aisling as you may have noticed, pleased to make your acquaintance. A noted tea enthusiast, bona fide nerd, and aspiring primary school teacher. As I mentioned, I’m slightly excited at this whole Leaving Cert thing. I’ve coasted through my education so far on the back of amazing luck (seriously, if there were 10 possible topics, the one I studied would always come up) and a good memory, but for the last decade or so, I’ve constantly been told, “It won’t work for the Leaving Cert”. So, time to work. This could all go horribly wrong, but optimism is a good friend of mine. As such, I have total faith that the anti-laziness drug will be released onto the market any day now. Or maybe Facebook will close down til the end of June 2011. Either would be beneficial.

As I mentioned, I want to teach. Always have, since I was about seven years old. It’s kinda the family business, which turns me off slightly, but I really can’t think of any job that would suit me more, seeing as “Rock Star” is actually not an option on the CAO form to the best of my knowledge. Unless they decide to make that a degree, I’m hoping to head off to Mary I this time next year. I’m definitely favouring the Primary option, although the lure of teaching Maths in Secondary has it’s merits.. Oooh, imagine days filled with Maths. If that excites you as opposed to scaring you, call me, we should be friends.

Aside from the beautiful Mathematics, I’m doing Irish, English, German, History, Geography, Biology and Music, which I do after school. There’s a grand total of 2 other students in my Music class, and it’s great craic, but the extra time it consumes could jeopardise its future. My subject choices haven’t left me without a considerable workload, so time is something I can’t have enough of! That being said, I’ll doubtless find an extra hour or 3 here and there for general procrastination, feeling guilty about said procrastination, and assuaging this guilt by eating chocolate and watching Criminal Minds – an important part of any study routine.

In all honesty, I can’t wait to get cracking. While many of my peers are treating the ole LC like a death sentence (I’m no longer able to count the amount of “Ugh, school” related Facebook posts. I don’t know any numbers that high), I count myself among that little group quietly saying, “Well, actually.. I’m ready to try this..”. I didn’t work as much as I should have in 5th Year – for “as much as I should have” read “at all” – in fact, I think I went out after school most nights during the last few months of the year. My grades were good, but I know myself that a lot of that can be attributed to luck in having learnt the right stuff the night before. I’d prefer not to rely on that this year – considering the Boland fiasco – so the plan is to know the course inside out and back to front. Or even just the right way, but thoroughly. It won’t happen, but somewhere close to it would be great.

I also intend to enjoy this year. I actually like school (please don’t judge me) and seeing as this is my last year I’d like it to be a good one. I’ll be in the company of the world’s most chilled Junior Cert student, my brother, so really it’ll be embarrassing if I pull out all my hair or start talking to cats or something. Which, considering I don’t do stress and have no idea how I’ll react to this, are actual possibilities.

Let’s give it a go, shall we?