Worrying about future

LegacyUser

Hi,

I'm in my last year of school and hope to go to college next year,

The thing is even though I consistently do at least three hours work each night it doesn't seem to pay off. I have a small learning disability but to be honest it has never inhibited me too much.

I just feel so bad about the LC now. People who do less work than me are doing just as good and better!

None of my family have gone to college but I really want to. The thing is I'm terrified that if the exams don't go well I will end up like my family, stuck at home all the time.

I honestly could not deal with having to repeat! I really do not want to go back to school next year.

How can I stop worrying! It's literally took over my life. All I think about is the LC

sadie06

Please don't stress too much. Have you heard of the DARE access route to third level education?

http://accesscollege.ie/dare/index.php

Have a read and familiarise yourself with the process, and maybe talk to your career guidance counsellor (is there still such a thing in schools?) about it also. Aim as high as you possibly can obviously, but there are options for you.

I went to college with several people who gained a place via this route for various reasons. One had a mild learning disability, another had Aspergers and a third had an illness which caused chronic pain. All were very successful in college and two went on to postgraduate study.

You might find that the Leaving Cert is the biggest challenge you will ever face, and that college style learning suits you better. There will certainly be more support available to you, and your disability will be allowed for in marking schemes also.

Good luck! :-)


Edit: Ooops, I se you are in 6th year. I thought you were in 5th. As you have surely already applied, I presume you know all about DARE. Sorry!

ivytwine

Hey OP,

Even in 4th year when I was doing my dissertation [OK maybe then, but then I only had a month to do it, long story] college was never as tough as LC. Seriously, you will never need to regurgitate as much info as you have to for the state exams.

If you pick something you really love in college you will find it easier than the rote learning involved currently.

Best of luck

RossFixxxed

People, often, will NOT tell the truth about these things. "I got 86% in that exam and I did NOOOO study at all." I heard a lot of claims about exams being easy, not needing to work etc before the LC and it was mostly complete bull. Some people are gifted, and have extraordinary memory and problem solving abilities and can coast a bit. Most, the vast majority in fact, have to dig in and slog it out.

Just focus on yourself and what you are doing. The LC is surprisingly stressful, and 15 years later I have the odd dream I have to do the Irish exam again! It's a crazy time. I remember my parents being bitterly disappointed I got a bit under 500 points in the damn thing, and how stressed out and miserable I was. However, college is a huge change, and even if you don't get your first choice you never know what will happen. I got my second choice, in a different universtiy than I wanted. I met loads of cool people, had a great time (at times), met my girlfriend of now 12 years... Your plans are loose guidelines, and your likes and plans will change and adapt. An open mind and a more relaxed attitude could carry you a long way. I now regret all the stress and strife the LC and the whole mess of the CAO etc caused me, things work out. Not like you expect at all, but they work out one way or another.

You're working hard, and focused. That is a GREAT thing. Keep that up in your college course, and in a work situation and you will do absolutely fine. Best of luck, be kind to yourself. You'll do great.

LegacyUser

I would agree with RossFixxxed. I left school over 20 years ago and I would have the seem feelings as him in regards to the LC.
The first thing you need to do now is to stop getting as stressed. Give yourself a break after every 40 mins to 1 hour of study. Go out for a walk for 10 or 15 mins or have a cup of tea. Make sure that you eat proper food and take some multi vitimins.
Also don't stay up studying late at night as you won't get a proper sleep. If your over tired you won't preform at your best. Make sure that the last hour before you go to bed that you are not studying or doing computer work as you need to wind down before going to bed.
Plan a odd night out or a trip to the cinema with friends so you have something to look forward to.

Getting over stressed re the LC will mean that you won't study as well or you could just end up going blank in the exams which you don't want to do.
If you work hard and keep focused it will help you a lot.

I had a friend like you and she would not have found exams easy but she was focused and worked hard. She got into nursing in the uk and once she qualified she did course to work in a particular area. Today she has a degree in nursing and a masters qualification in a nursing area.

Another person I know did a plc course and she did well on this. She got into a degree course and now has a good job.

I am just telling you the above stories to show you that not every one is a 500 point in the leaving cert student but that with focus and hard work you can get there.
Good Luck with you plans.