Leaving Cert 2016/17 Off-Topic Thread

Consonata

masterofchess1 wrote: »

because I see it as a waste of time. I have much better things to do than laze around for a whole year doing barely anything and I don't feel that I actually need a break, because the jc wasn't really a challenge.That's my reason.

Speaking as a LC, I think it really depends on the quality of your schools TY whether or not you should do it. If it is in any way decent I think its advisable you should do it. I have a lot of friends who skipped TY for various reasons e.g They felt they were too old, They wanted to get out of school etc. but a fair amount of them regretted because you do alot of social growth when you go through TY.

I don't think I would've been able to have the same attitude towards the Leaving Cert had I not done TY and I certainly wouldn't have had as many friends or developed socially had I not done TY, but I can see it may not be for everyone. I get very angry when I hear there are schools who incorporate TY into the LC cycle. That isn't nor should it be what the Leaving Cert is about. The amount of Hype and stress that revolves around the Leaving Cert is absurd, and is certainly not helped by the sheer amount of media attention that is devoted to it year on year around exam time. No other country does this. TY if anything should help take emphasis off of it not exacerbate the issue.

Anyway, Rant over /rant :pac: :rolleyes:

masterofchess1

are you going into lc or have you just finished?. If you got results how did you do?. And if you look back has ty actually benefited you? Think about some kids who are not very outgoing, surely this will have a heavy weight on a decision to do ty.They would probably find it a nuisance.

Consonata

masterofchess1 wrote: »

are you going into lc or have you just finished?. If you got results how did you do?. And if you look back has ty actually benefited you? Think about some kids who are not very outgoing, surely this will have a heavy weight on a decision to do ty.They would probably find it a nuisance.

Going into LC. I would argue that a good TY programme would take that into consideration and help you expand your horizons that needn't be social yet contribute to social development. In my year there were alot of guys who would've been big into messing around with computers, so they were given the job of updating parts of the school blog and doing courses relating to computer development, whilst also doing some medium group activites that were not too socially challenging.

This, I would argue would ideally be what TY should do for you yet this might not be true for all schools. Looking back on TY, I think it had helped me build alot more self confidence and awareness of other people. I was a very shy person pre-TY. Yet people might already be comfortable with the way they are and they can continue on if they wish. I just feel that for a large majority of students, TY can be a very formative experience. We are one of a few countries that operates a programme like TY. I think we should take advantage and be proud of that fact.

teafanatic

Consonata wrote: »

I get very angry when I hear there are schools who incorporate TY into the LC cycle.

My school is one of these, it drove me mad sometimes. We did half the course in some subjects.

Certain teachers wouldn't let us out of class to do the school show, volunteering etc. because they claimed that we would fall behind. One of them actually used to say "no you can't leave class, this is your leaving cert" to people who had permission to be out of class doing projects and the like.

aibreann_

I'm coming straight from 3rd year. Skipped ty because I've already stayed back in primary and I wanted to go straight to 5th year. Kinda looking forward to doing work after the summer haha

Gallagher1

masterofchess1 wrote: »

are you going into lc or have you just finished?. If you got results how did you do?. And if you look back has ty actually benefited you? Think about some kids who are not very outgoing, surely this will have a heavy weight on a decision to do ty.They would probably find it a nuisance.

One benefit of TY is that you are a year older doing the LC. It's only when you actually do the LC and come out the other side that you realise that people who did TY were at an advantage. I skipped and got a very good LC but I know right well I would have done better if I was that year older. I was also one of these 'JC was piss, gimme the LC now' kids as well. Going from JC straight into 5th year can be a bigger jump than most expect.

Xgracie

masterofchess1 wrote: »

And if you look back has ty actually benefited you? Think about some kids who are not very outgoing, surely this will have a heavy weight on a decision to do ty.They would probably find it a nuisance.

Butting in with my experience here lol, my school didn't do some incredible TY but it seriously benefitted me a lot looking back at it now, I think it's a really good opportunity to grow as a person. I wasn't super outgoing before but I made so many new friends in TY and now I'm doing stuff all the time! I think it's especially good for that sort of person you know? I guess it's different for everyone though!

Sideshow Mel

I'm going into fifth year from TY. I thought it was alright, I'm not as quite as I was and we had some right good days out. Looking forward to having something to do other than work (although I do enjoy having all this money I've never had before 😂)
I'm doing engineering, business, geography and biology and the compulsory trio. Higher everything except Irish. Think I'd like to do business in UL but its that could change in a few weeks time. Roll on the study 😥

Significant399

Getting the uniform and books make it all so official

schoolsucksLC

Hi

I decided to skip TY and go straight into 5th year.

I will be doing English, Irish, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Home Ec and Geography. Hoping to do all higher level if they let me. I didn't really study for my Junior Cert so my results probably aren't that great.

I plan to study as I go along and make my own notes for everything but I'm not sure how realistic that is. I'm extremely lazy and always end up studying at the last minute or not at all. Hoping to turn that around since I'm going to need a lot of points. *sighs*

How are you guys feeling about going back to school? I struggle with some mental health issues and don't have any friends so I'm freaking out. Especially since I will have new people in my class this year.

smiles_1998

I feel like I'm ready to conquer Higher Level Maths now that I have a brand new (pink) calculator!

Less than 48 hours until I become a fifth year...:(

What subjects are people most nervous about? I think the one I'm most worried about is Maths...

frans123

Definetely most nervous about english

Significant399

smiles_1998 wrote: »

I feel like I'm ready to conquer Higher Level Maths now that I have a brand new (pink) calculator!

Less than 48 hours until I become a fifth year...:(

What subjects are people most nervous about? I think the one I'm most worried about is Maths...

Has to be maths as well. Just because of all the horror stories I've heard about how difficult and how much time it takes. I'm not even too bad at maths, just my teacher has scared my class to death already telling us how much work is involved if we want to stay in the class. So I'm dreading balancing all that with 6 or possibly 7 other subjects.

I'm actually looking forward to most of my other subjects tho I suppose it'll be interesting learning again. Biology in particular should be interesting.

Peregrine

smiles_1998 wrote: »

I feel like I'm ready to conquer Higher Level Maths now that I have a brand new (pink) calculator!

Casio or gtfo :cool:

Liordi

5th year begins on Wednesday. Nervous is not the word.
Our school offers applied maths classes but they're scheduled on your own time [lunch times / after school] so I'm not sure if I want to do it.

I'm most nervous about Irish and English. I feel like they'll take up most of my time.

Sideshow Mel

smiles_1998 wrote: »

What subjects are people most nervous about? I think the one I'm most worried about is Maths...

Definitely maths as well but I think I can manage it if I keep on top of it from the word go. I'm also very nervous about engineering, my metalwork project in junior cert was far from amazing and I hope that I can improve an awful lot for next year, which is certainly possible if I just concentrate a bit more at what I'm doing in class.

Is engineering an unusual subject that isn't offered by most school? I don't think I've seen anyone else say they were doing it in this thread.

Liordi

Sideshow Mel wrote: »

Is engineering an unusual subject that isn't offered by most school? I don't think I've seen anyone else say they were doing it in this thread.

I know that our school doesn't offer engineering but we don't have Metal Work at JC either.

teafanatic

smiles_1998 wrote: »

Less than 48 hours until I become a fifth year...:(

And here I was feeling sorry for myself going back in 7 days!

smiles_1998 wrote: »

What subjects are people most nervous about? I think the one I'm most worried about is Maths...

Maths definitely, dropping to pass isn't an option but I'm afraid I won't be able to keep up... anyone else planning on getting grinds this year?

padraigmck

Reading this tread in University Hospital Galway now lol, I'm terrified for maths because I won't be able to write for the next 6 weeks because I cut off the top quarter of my middle finger with a hedge cutters.......

S_Hick12

Back tomorrow Struggled with maths in 3rd year and ty, so I think I'm gonna have to work like crazy, drop to ol, or fail. On the other hand, I'm really looking forward to starting my option subjects, especially art. Overall, I'm kinda looking forward to going back and getting into a routine. I just hope I'll be able to stick to my plans to study

spurious

padraigmck wrote: »

Reading this tread in University Hospital Galway now lol, I'm terrified for maths because I won't be able to write for the next 6 weeks because I cut off the top quarter of my middle finger with a hedge cutters.......

Oh...I feel ill...:eek:

Hope you get better soon.

Liordi

First day back tomorrow.
At least it's a half day. :rolleyes:
Waking up might be an issue.

VG31

Tomorrow seems quite early to be back!

Liordi

I think so too.
Our first years started on Monday. :rolleyes:

Sideshow Mel

I'm not back until next Wednesday! Our first years start this Friday. This weather makes going back to school all the more real......

Liordi

Had my first day back today. No school tomorrow and then first full day is Friday. :rolleyes:

Our school is having 0 pass English classes until after Christmas to give everyone a chance at Higher Level. I honestly dunno how that's a good thing as if people are swapping from HL to OL they'll need to get new books and whatnot.
I guess it's because our school never runs OL classes even at JC level which honestly I fail to comprehend. :rolleyes:

spurious

Liordi wrote: »

I guess it's because our school never runs OL classes even at JC level

Should be standard in all schools. Too many people opt for OL at JC and then regret it.

I used to tell my classes there was no OL in my subject.

Liordi

spurious wrote: »

Should be standard in all schools. Too many people opt for OL at JC and then regret it.

I used to tell my classes there was no OL in my subject.

Yeah. I get that but I think it's more of a hindrance to grades than a benefit.
Out of a year of 96 people:
0 people got an A
1 person got a B
23 got a C

Which means that 3/4 of people who sat the paper didn't even get an honour. I just feel like it's a bad decision the school makes.

spurious

Liordi wrote: »

Which means that 3/4 of people who sat the paper didn't even get an honour. I just feel like it's a bad decision the school makes.

But it means that all of them were exposed to the style of question and answer needed for the HL Leaving Cert.. The bottom 30% do OL at JC - I don't know why anyone who wants to give themselves a chance would opt to go there at JC when it makes no difference if they fail HL - at least they would be answering higher order questions.

Troxck

spurious wrote: »

Should be standard in all schools. Too many people opt for OL at JC and then regret it.

I used to tell my classes there was no OL in my subject.

This was very true for my school too, lots of people opted for OL Irish and Maths at JC and ended up getting easy As in them, they would have easily gotten the honours if they sat the HL paper.

I did something similar for the LC, opted for OL Irish at the start of 5th Year and it was my biggest regret. Ended up with an A2 in OL with no work, I probably would have secured the honours if I bothered to stay at HL.