Study, stress and sadness.

electric applause

Hi guys,
I was just wondering if anyone's feeling the same as me about the whole leaving cert madness.

I'm getting so much homework throughout the week that I start when I get home at around 5, have around half an hour break to eat dinner and I'm back at it again until around half 11 by which time I'm absolutely warped.
Some nights I have to say up longer aswell just to fit in time to shower. I never get any revision done due to the mountains of homework that always seems to be due the next day.

When I finally get to bed I can't sleep because I'm thinking about the homework that I didn't get the chance to do or I'm stressing about the studying that I haven't even touched on yet.

As for using the weekends for catching up on sleep, I have grinds early on a Saturday and we normally have family over Sunday mornings. I never get to stay in bed and it's really wearing me down.

My two first CAO choices are up at the 450-500 mark and I'm so scared that I won't get the points I need for them. Repeating isnt an option for me as I've already done TY and I don't really have any friends in the year below me. The whole situation and lack of motivation to study in my little spare time on the weekends is really getting me down.

Sometimes all I want is a day off. Anyone else feel the same?

viperockz

yh same here..amount of HW i get is ****ing unbelievable..there is no way i have time to study with the amount of HW i get everyday..some times i feel like saying **** this..i will be a pornstar :P

need just over 400

yoho139

Some teachers expect you to do your own study, others give you study work in the form of homework. Seems you pulled the short straw and all your teachers subscribe to the latter school of thinking.

What I'm saying is that you don't need to worry about doing extra study, especially if you're already spending 6+ hours on homework. There's literally not enough time in the day, and wearing yourself out by forcing more work is a horrible idea - you don't want to have a nervous breakdown come the exams.

Try logging how long it's taking you to do each part of your homework (by subject and day) for two weeks, then either post it back here (so you can compare with others first) or take it straight to your teachers and see if they'll lighten it up a bit.

peekachoo

electric applause wrote: »

Hi guys,
I was just wondering if anyone's feeling the same as me about the whole leaving cert madness.

I'm getting so much homework throughout the week that I start when I get home at around 5, have around half an hour break to eat dinner and I'm back at it again until around half 11 by which time I'm absolutely warped.
Some nights I have to say up longer aswell just to fit in time to shower. I never get any revision done due to the mountains of homework that always seems to be due the next day.

When I finally get to bed I can't sleep because I'm thinking about the homework that I didn't get the chance to do or I'm stressing about the studying that I haven't even touched on yet.

As for using the weekends for catching up on sleep, I have grinds early on a Saturday and we normally have family over Sunday mornings. I never get to stay in bed and it's really wearing me down.

My two first CAO choices are up at the 450-500 mark and I'm so scared that I won't get the points I need for them. Repeating isnt an option for me as I've already done TY and I don't really have any friends in the year below me. The whole situation and lack of motivation to study in my little spare time on the weekends is really getting me down.

Sometimes all I want is a day off. Anyone else feel the same?

Hopefully you won't need this advice but I was in the same boat as you but I went back anyway and at first it was daunting but I've loads of new friends now!

electric applause

I spent all day yesterday studying for my Spanish Christmas Oral and an Irish prós test, I didn't get anything else done. It's really taking its toll on me, and after days like that, I struggle to motivate myself to do any sort of homework or study the following day. Its a brutal cycle

How have people managed to get through the leaving cert at all before??

Mr. G

Don't spare your sleep for homework. Your health is always more important.

I also note that there is no mention of getting out for some sort of exercise. You may find going for a run (or walk) will help you study. Personally, I would find that when I come back from a walk, even a short one, definitely find it easier to study.

Staying up until 11.30 is a joke. Do not do this. You will absolutely be worn out the next day and your sleep will charge you for it.

Speak to your teachers if you feel homework is affecting other subjects. For example, if you do Ordinary Level Irish, and that is taking you an hour a day, and you are not counting it, leave it until last and don't spend much time on it. Use your time wisely- that's my advice.

robman60

I'm in LC too, and kind of struggling to see how you're getting five hours homework per night. Perhaps your teachers are giving you study homework too, so I wouldn't say you're not studying. Perhaps take some breaks during your evening sessions as you may become more efficient after a break. I find I do.

Secondly, take a day off. We're not even half way through our school year. The LC is a marathon rather than a sprint and you need to maintain some balance in your life. It's not all about spending endless hours studying. It's about working consistently through the year.

Perhaps fitting in some regular exercise would help boost your mood. I'm quite sporty and when hurling season ended in early October I found myself living a very sedentary lifestyle very suddenly. Going to a sports session now just once a week has improved my energy levels and I find I can concentrate better too. Maybe you should consider something similar?

Lastly, and most importantly, you need to rationalise. I, along with almost everyone else can get swept up with all the hype surrounding exam results and study, but when you're stressed, you need to take a step back. The LC is important but in the scheme of things your health and well being are infinitely more important. Could you speak to a teacher or your parents about how you've been feeling? If you're feeling stressed and sad you need to speak to someone. These people have your best interests at heart.

thelad95

Mr. G wrote: »

For example, if you do Ordinary Level Irish, and that is taking you an hour a day, and you are not counting it, leave it until last and don't spend much time on it. Use your time wisely- that's my advice.

I was in that situation last year with ordinary Irish. In the end, I realised I was wasting my time. I got a B3 in the mocks with minimal work and barring at least 3 catastrophes in other subject, I wouldn't have counted it. I stopped doing the homework, and although it ended up with me being in the principal's office once or twice , deep down I could see they understood where I was coming from when I explained the situation.

electric applause

But when I take time off from studying for things like going into town after grinds on a Saturday morning or even spending time playing guitar, I feel guilty for not using that time for studying instead of wasting it on playing an old song that I know better than I know my biology course. It's so difficult to break away and do "real life" things without feeling like its not helping me in the slightest.

I wish I skipped TY, then this would all be behind me.

Digital Society

Youll work till your 70. Few years pressure for a good life or be lazy now and suffer for the next 50 years.

Hang in there.

Vito Corleone

Digital Society wrote: »

Youll work till your 70. Few years pressure for a good life or be lazy now and suffer for the next 50 years.

Hang in there.

Man, this is such a depressing post.

robman60

Digital Society wrote: »

Youll work till your 70. Few years pressure for a good life or be lazy now and suffer for the next 50 years.

Hang in there.

I understand your sentiments, but in some ways that's somewhat unhelpful advice I feel.

You need to feel well mentally in order to be equipped to study. If you're feeling sadness and stress talking to someone who can give you some wider context to the situation might help you to realise the LC isn't everything, and not worth feeling unduly sad about.

spurious

robman60 wrote: »

the LC isn't everything, and not worth feeling unduly sad about.

This, times a thousand.

Your health is by far the most important thing.

Nobody of any worth would think less of you if you decided to have time off, repeat, whatever it takes to make sure you are well.

Alison55

Im finding it so stressful and project maths is just awful I dont know what I am going to do I need like 500 points

Dropping No Eaves

I'm not sure if you should take this advice because your school's atmosphere may not be the same as mine, but after Christmas and mocks I began disregarding any homework I didn't feel was necessary and doing my own thing. I know that teachers are very knowledgeable about what needs to be done for the LC, but I found that doing my own thing and giving it to them to correct was the most efficient method of study. Most teachers didn't really bug me about it and tbh, I didn't care about the ones that did. My parents too got a bit pissed when I started only going in for certain classes closer to the end, but again I was confident in what I was doing.

I ended up getting 570 which is higher than what anybody expected. I did do quite a but of study (mostly from the exam papers), but I also made sure to set aside time for socialising and blowing off steam and looking back, despite all the work, I really really enjoyed the LC experience (against all odds :P). I'll echo everybody else and stress that the LC is not worth enough to risk your mental health in any way. Teachers won't confer with one another on how much work the others are giving you. I'd suggest utilising them often and fully, but be confident in yourself and what you're capable of. Find a method that works for you, get enough sleep and make sure to find a way to wind down.

Alison55

wow how did you get that? what subjects did you do? and can I ask how did you study for english and maths if you did higher level in those?

Dropping No Eaves

Did English, Irish, Geo, History, Biology and Chemistry higher level.

Alas, no higher maths. I loved English though so that certainly helped with the study! Our teacher would give us notes on the poets and Macbeth, and I found these along with the key notes book (highly highly recommended) and my own opinions (which the LC does a very bad job and rewarding I'm afraid) had me covered for paper 2.

For paper 1, practising prior LC papers was absolutely essential. Start off just doing them well, work on your vocabulary and syntax etc. but as you progress become more wary of timing, which is one of the biggest difficulties in English I found.