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With the latest announcements from the Government regarding restrictions for the continued lockdown, Leaving Certificate students like myself are frustrated.
Not only are the details regarding the exams in June up in the air (to say the least), but the CAO applications deadline is drawing closer.
I’m sure anyone who has filled out the application knows how daunting this can be, even without the added worry of what exactly is going to happen over the coming weeks and months.
Stories quickly arose of students who felt they should’ve gotten a better result and missed college courses by a few points
Having watched last year’s Leaving Cert students be awarded predicted grades, I was extremely thankful that I wasn’t due to be sitting any exams, especially when there were so many problems surrounding the grades.
Stories quickly arose of students who felt they should’ve gotten a better result and missed college courses by a few points.
It was a scary story to hear when it could just as easily have been us. Unfortunately, this year it is us.
I have noticed a huge divide in student’s opinions. I have some classmates who say they’d love nothing more than predicted grades and others saying they know they have the ability to improve; that their work so far isn’t an accurate reflection of what they could achieve in an exam.
From what I gather, this is a feeling shared by students across the country
I’m on the fence about which I would prefer. Results from class tests have been up and down and I’m not sure I’d fair as well as I’d like to if we are given predicted grades.
From what I gather, this is a feeling shared by students across the country.
There’s also the added disadvantage that some of last year’s sixth years sat exams in November and others deferred their courses until this year. This will inevitably push up the points of courses across the board. More competition for the class of 2021, who already face serious challenges in our learning.
My CAO choices will be a stretch for me to achieve and I’m finding it hard to stay motivated to study
The CAO deadline may be looming, but there is time to change your mind later in the year, which is some consolation. My CAO choices will be a stretch for me to achieve and I’m finding it hard to stay motivated to study, when there’s a constant fear that we’ll have the rug pulled out from under us, like last year.
During the first lockdown, online school got more difficult as the weeks went on and students lost motivation.
Working from home is seriously stressful, as we deal with more distractions.
With so much commotion at the moment, it’s hard to study and keep our eyes on the ball
Not to take from last year’s Leaving Cert’s hardship, but one thing they had going for them was the fact that most schools had their subject courses more or less covered. Whereas we haven’t this year’s material finished and we’re still catching up on last year’s work.
With so much commotion at the moment, it’s hard to study and keep our eyes on the ball.
Once all of this is said and done, I just hope I’ll have a funny story to tell, because right now it’s not funny at all.
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