Leaving Cert Panic Again!!

HouseHippo

Hey guys was gonna post in the LC forum but I want advice from ppl who have been through it.

Basically, I spent the 1st half of 6th year doing nothing but my portfolio for art college,now that its over and done with...I'm fecked!
I just did my mocks and they weren't great. Failed History and Maths.Only got one A.
Now that I have started panicing my ADD has gotten much worse,I can't afford to go back to Cognative Behavioural therapy and my doctor refuses to give me medication says it's not bad enough....?
My grandparents are trying to help but they don't really understand and I can tell I am letting them down by getting bad grades.

I am trying to think positively but alot of my teachers are giving me hassle and I am getting worried and fed up.
i do study by the way 4 hours a day but am easily distracted.

Has anyone any tips on dealing with this panic,upping my grades and helping myslef concentrate,all help is appreciated.

amacachi

Are you doing any kind of exercise? Even half an hour a day (and not walking slowly) can help regulate your energy levels a lot. Make sure your diet is good, that can help a lot. Cut out white bread and pasta if you eat a lot of it.

What way have you the 4 hours of studying broken up? One of my teachers insister half hour blocks was the way to go, but I thought that would be too short.

Most of all, ya got an A, you failed two subjects, pass those two and improve one or two subjects and you'll get your points. You got those results doing no work, you still have plenty of time to improve them.

HouseHippo

Thanks that was very reassuring.
I was breaking them up into 25min blocks as advised but moved on to 5 mins every hour as I started to panic.

****! I'm eating pasta right now lol :P I would love to exercise but feel so drained from studying.I walk to and from school tho, 25 mins each way

RossFixxxed

HH you gotta get out, or go to a NEW GP, you are having VERY regular panic attacks and break downs. You can measure the seasons by your PI history. I've been very harsh before but I'm trying to tell you go go get help and change your lifestyle!

More excercise, better food, new interests, etc... I know docs, meds etc are very costly but you have to think big picture: it's your life. Don't flush it away for a few hundred bucks.

Also: how often/much do you drink. DO you take any drugs?

In terms of study, do 40 minute sessions and take 10 minutes in between each one. Write out a timetable, look up some study guides, but mostly keep at it.

The mocks are a joke, and do not represent your results, you have some time left and you can do a lot in it. It's worth it in the long run. I got lazy after good mocks and wish I had of done better, but even if not things go on and you'll find your space!

amacachi

Try cutting down on the pasta, get some whole fresh foods into ya. Most important is to eat breakfast, but I'm sure you're doing that.

Don't base your studying around panic, try a few different things and see which works best. I know it takes me 5-10 minutes to get concentrating properly so that was half of each block wasted :P

I know it's easier said than done, but exercise will give you energy and make ya feel better.

All that's just the ideal though, once you're concentrating in school you can probably add 10-15% to most subjects. Along with the fact you were doin nothing before Christmas it could go up even more.

Make sure ya treat yourself well too, too much studying and you'll go mad :P

HouseHippo

RossFixxxed wrote: »

HH you gotta get out, or go to a NEW GP, you are having VERY regular panic attacks and break downs. You can measure the seasons by your PI history. I've been very harsh before but I'm trying to tell you go go get help and change your lifestyle!

More excercise, better food, new interests, etc... I know docs, meds etc are very costly but you have to think big picture: it's your life. Don't flush it away for a few hundred bucks.

Also: how often/much do you drink. DO you take any drugs?

In terms of study, do 40 minute sessions and take 10 minutes in between each one. Write out a timetable, look up some study guides, but mostly keep at it.

The mocks are a joke, and do not represent your results, you have some time left and you can do a lot in it. It's worth it in the long run. I got lazy after good mocks and wish I had of done better, but even if not things go on and you'll find your space!

lol I've never had a breakdown, I'm close now mind.I have tried to get a new GP but nowhere in the area will take me as of yet cause he is in fact a ****e doctor lol.

I eat great,I'm a veggie and eat chickpeas,tofu,rice,cous,cous,loads of vegetables,potatoes,Fruit,Quorn,soya mince etc..... And drink 6 glassesof water today. I have interests lots of em especially music art reading,computer games Tv,my boyfriend etc..... I don't need to get out in fact I need to do the opposite and buckle down.

I drink socially once every two weekends.Smoke the odd joint not during exam time tho,don't ever take anything else.

That was very resassuring,my teaches make a huge deal of the mocks! I was told by one particualr teacher that she has absolutely no confidence in my ability to pass my leaving which really upset me

HouseHippo

amacachi wrote: »

Try cutting down on the pasta, get some whole fresh foods into ya. Most important is to eat breakfast, but I'm sure you're doing that.

Don't base your studying around panic, try a few different things and see which works best. I know it takes me 5-10 minutes to get concentrating properly so that was half of each block wasted :P

I know it's easier said than done, but exercise will give you energy and make ya feel better.

All that's just the ideal though, once you're concentrating in school you can probably add 10-15% to most subjects. Along with the fact you were doin nothing before Christmas it could go up even more.

Make sure ya treat yourself well too, too much studying and you'll go mad :P

Thanks,sounds good. And I do skip breakfast sometimes but mostly only on Mondays.

RossFixxxed

"I was told by one particualr teacher that she has absolutely no confidence in my ability to pass my leaving which really upset me "

Some people are just ... well I can't use the word here.

There IS time, but it's down to you really. Just focus on it and get going is all I can say, there's a lot of sutdy aids out there, but you can waste a lot of time on the planning study!

Good luck HH, there is a light, and some of the happier people I know didn't get the course they wanted! (me included!)

DancingDaisy

I wouldn't worry about what that teacher said, it's possible they may have been having a bad day. They may also have been trying to shock you into reaching your full potential.

All I can say is that the more pressure you put on yourself, the more likely you are going to find study difficult. You need to go into it with a clear and calm mind. I would advise against studying as soon as you get in from school, as your body and mind may need to wind down slightly. Give yourself an hour or so, take a walk, then sit down and work at one subject at a time, put all others out of your mind.

Keep taking regular breaks and try not to get disheartened. The only other piece of advice I have is to take one day a week and not study. Keep it as you time, where you can unwind and relax.

Overheal

You just gotta chill and get stuck into it until its a habit. after pissing away 5th my 6th went much better - I took a 45 min walk home everyday did some chores and went right into a good couple hours of notes before dinner. Obviously though with ADD I guess you have to adapt to that circumstance, but I chose to study in a quiet space void of distractions - just a plain white desk and some daylight.

Some teachers just use Shock tactics to get people that arent trying to try. Dont take everything so personally, you just cant. Well, I had a big row with my maths teacher, but that was different - thats when it got personal but he helped me totally ace that test. Loathe as I am to admit that.

Don't panic that you dailed the mocks - thats actually a good thing, kinda. Imagine if I go for a driving lesson and tells me I did everything right - that basically means I don't know what there is I could be doing wrong or imperfectly, and dont know where to apply myself. Better off to make mistakes, identify them, and correct them. A failed paper offers a lot of opportunity to do that.

af_thefragile

Dude, the mocks mean nothing!
When i was doing my leaving cert, i did miserably in most of the mocks. I also failed a couple.
And then also i didn't really do any proper study till quite literally the week before the exam.

But then i totally killed myself studying during the exam week. I was doing 12hrs of study per day and i managed to get into med school!!
Though i did pay attention during most of the classes in school so it wasn't like i had no clue what was going on. But still i had to really kill myself to make sure i got the grades to get into med school.

So i'll tell you its never too late. You've still got tons of time to study for the leaving cert. A lot more than what i had when i started seriously studying for the LC (which was like a weeks before the exams). So if i could study a week before and during the LC and get into med school, you should surely be able to get into art school as you've got tons for time compared to what i had.

And to give you a study tip. You've gotta get efficient at studying. Set goals, little goals for the day. Like you'ld do 2-3 chapters of history or maths or whatever today. Make sure they're realistic and you can achieve them. I have problems with paying attention too. And i discovered i can't study for more than 3 hours in a stretch. And so i don't. I doubt you're any worse than me. You've gotta motivate yourself to get the start. Then study for those 3 hours (the way i study now in med school is i know i can finish 1 lecture in 1hr, so i set my goals to not move before i've completed 3 lectures). Now when i sit to study, i make sure i pay maximum concentration and attention to what i'm doing. I zone out everything else around me. I don't use music cuz music will take away a part of my concentration and so to maximise my efficiency i just sit there and not move till i'm finished with 1 lecture. Though even in that hour, i take a few 2min breaks after getting through little goals i keep setting for myself as i study, like i'll finish studying this bit, then check whats on the interent then after 2mins back to study. When i'm done with that lecture, i take a 5min break before moving onto the next one. Maximum attention + a proper study method and plan will make sure you get the stuff done fast, efficiently and in time.

When it comes to exams, usually in my case, as i haven't done any study all year, i freak out and although i have serious problems with attention myself, i force myself to study out of serious desperation. Even then i can only manage to do 3hrs of study in a stretch before i ware out but then i do like 3 sets of 3hrs of study a day and take breaks for lunch/dinner etc. All about being efficient!!
Oh and Red Bull does wonders too!

Well, hope that can help you a little. If you wanna know more about how i manage to study the day before the exam and pass them, feel free to contact me.
Though by this stage i'm sick of killing myself before the exams, and hence i've decided to study all throughout the year and then watch a movie the night before every exam!!

Overheal

and oh yes if you werent just messing in AH the other day: lay off the pot

illiop

just chill thats the best thing you can do.
Don't worry about the mocks. I didn't fail any but I only got about 130 points whereas in the real thing I got 435. Get you papers and write out the correct answers to what you got wrong.

I found writing was much more helpful than just reading and it also held my concebtration longer. For subjects like history and art history I would write out essays then highlight the most important bits and rewrite that and continue doing that till I only had a few words that woud fit on flash card and would make me recall the whole essay. Also for biology I would draw out the diagrams big and colourful and stick them on my wall. But don't waste to much time drawing.

I found it incredibly difficult to concentrate at first but once I got into a rutine it was ok and don't worry you have plenty of time left to cram. Another thing you could do to help concentrate is listen to music with out lyrics..like classical or something that helped me. Hope everything goes your way!

Poloman

Look it is hard we all went through it.

You just need to
1) stop going out
2) decide what you need to learn and in what time frame
3) DO IT

No other way around it. I know its tough but good luck you will be fine. I guarantee you will get some papers and you will laugh.

I used to get up at 6am before each exam and fly through notes. That way they were fresh in my head. Try getting up before school one morning and see how tired it makes you. If it wrecks you it might not be for you.

DO NOT DO ANY ALL NIGHTER STUDIES. This will onyl make you tired for exams and you will do poorly in my opinion. Anyway you have time left so good luck

candy19

Hi..
I went through a really tough time during my leaving cert two years ago and I'm telling you it wasn't easy but completely worth it...!!
I failed three of my mock and never got an 'A' in my life and I am now in second year in college...
The only reason the mocks are there are to give students a shock tatic to actually do some work comming up to the exams and not to leave it all to the last minute...
As regards the panic attacks is there any way you can see a school councellor?? It might help.. I was diagnosed with depression during my exams and hit the bottle pretty hard (which I don't recommend!) but i still got through it amazingly and passed...
I know everything might look bleek at the moment but just try and do a little bit of study an hour or two with breaks (don't head for the telly!) Mix your favourite and least favourite subjects and do a bit of each every evening!
I you need any futher help or anything just send me a PM.
All the best,
Candy19

ronbyrne2005

Have you tried caffeine or other freely available stimulants instead of the prescribed stimulants for your ADD? As above said exercise helps, go to gym 3 times a week. Get a loan to go to CBT.

HouseHippo

Overheal wrote: »

and oh yes if you werent just messing in AH the other day: lay off the pot

Haha..;)

Overheal

heh but to be perfectly honest thats how I failed the first time. Spent 6th year entirely off the stuff and went up 210 points. To be precise, from 190 to 400.

HouseHippo

Overheal wrote: »

heh but to be perfectly honest thats how I failed the first time. Spent 6th year entirely off the stuff and went up 210 points.

Na seriously my OH did that,I don't smoke during exam time. Can't afford it anyway lol

tbh

spend all your time between now and the exams doing past papers.

g5fd6ow0hseima

considering you decided to visit this forum, and get advice from those who have done it years ago, ill say this:

Its only the leaving cert, a ticket to college. Your doing an art portfolio, concentrate on that, courses in the likes of IADT and NCAD arent exactly 600 points (not counting portfolio). If you perhaps take a day or two to look at where your going, think what subjects you will get the best in through natural ability and concentrate on them. Thats what I did anyways, although I do accept most people doing the auld LC cant think for themselves and just end up studying stupid amounts for hours on end each day. Thats no good either!

So, see where your strengths lie, and put a great deal of time and effort into your portfolio. Youll be fine, let the other tools study 5 hours a day.

turbot

Hi,

I created this a few years ago - with some practical advice about studying and getting better results in exams.

The first email you will get will be about how to get into a good state of mind for learning. Many people have found this to be helpful.

http://www.examsecrets.com/

mickeydevine

Ah here. Take a couple of weeks off will ya. Dont go near a book unless your being forced. Think about why your taking these exams. Is it for yourself or your parents. The only person you can fail is yourself. More importantly your a grown woman now and in for some serious mad times at uni. Trust me. MAD. Up your alcohol intake, you need to build a resistance to that s**t.

tinkerbell

I haven't read this whole thread but I had a relatively easy-going Leaving Cert year. Now I did do a lot of study - a few hours in the evening on week days and usually 8 hours each day on Saturdays and Sundays. That said I went to bed every single night by 9pm because sleep is sooo important during your LC year!

I de-stressed a lot by moving away from the books for a while and playing the piano instead. That was a serious de-stress, I really think the piano was key to my success! I think you should take up a hobby which will get your mind off the study for a while. Play some music, go for a walk, or whatever.

LegacyUser

They ALWAYS make a huge deal out of the mocks to scare you. I know you have ADD and this might sound stupid but try and calm down. 2 weeks into college, no matter what course you're doing you'll have forgotten about the leaving cert. That doesn't mean do nothing and party by the way. Just relax, it's not the end of the world.

I know it seems like heaven and earth now but it really isn't. It's just an exam.
You're teacher is right about the half hour blocks, you don't wanna overdose, and lose concentration. The brain works better when concentratiing on one thing for a small amunt of time, and then rested for say 5 minutes. Also try selecting one particular thing to study per half hour block per subject.

So for instance for history; take a past essay title and plan it out, read the relevant chapter from your history book and then go over the plan and correct it as you see fit. Also try to avoid telly, apart from maybe the 2 or 3 shows you like the most. Do you take any Udos oil? It's a great source of omega 3 if you're a veggie. It comes from nut oils not fish oils and can really help concentration.

Hope that helps.

HouseHippo

Unregistered wrote: »

They ALWAYS make a huge deal out of the mocks to scare you. I know you have ADD and this might sound stupid but try and calm down. 2 weeks into college, no matter what course you're doing you'll have forgotten about the leaving cert. That doesn't mean do nothing and party by the way. Just relax, it's not the end of the world.

I know it seems like heaven and earth now but it really isn't. It's just an exam.
You're teacher is right about the half hour blocks, you don't wanna overdose, and lose concentration. The brain works better when concentratiing on one thing for a small amunt of time, and then rested for say 5 minutes. Also try selecting one particular thing to study per half hour block per subject.

So for instance for history; take a past essay title and plan it out, read the relevant chapter from your history book and then go over the plan and correct it as you see fit. Also try to avoid telly, apart from maybe the 2 or 3 shows you like the most. Do you take any Udos oil? It's a great source of omega 3 if you're a veggie. It comes from nut oils not fish oils and can really help concentration.

Hope that helps.

Udos oil cool cause I'm actually allergic to Fish oils
Great advice

mardybumbum

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