How much are you studying?

Fobia

Well, the time for dossing and talking about how we aint studying has gone and the time for opening those dusty books is upon us. Today I did my homework, which, for me is quite an acheivement . But I know I should be doing alot more, I'm going to start taking this exam thing seriously so I'm curious: how many hours/minutes do you guys study on weekdays, and on weekends? I'm thinking of staying in every sunday to study from now on......

Release the guinea pigs!

declan_lgs

I did no study for the mocks before they started, and so far I've been doing alright (from the (few) results I got back)...
I don't intend on going overload with the study yet... maybe in a few weeks, and once we (hopefully) start gettin less homework...
Then I'll start studyin like mad, and should get everything fully covered so I can fly through the exams.
Three and a half months is more than enough imo...

Anyhow, atm, I'm doin no study (I did open my history book last night, tho, but I got feck all done)...

I can only really study on the weekends cause homework usually puts me off :mad:

Cousin it

Don't bother. You are wasting your time, unless you are considering going to a foreign college, the J.C is a complete waste of your time. Once in fourth year no-one, and I mean no-one (including your J.C teachers) give a crap about what they got after bout two weeks. It serves no purpose at all (Those who say it is preparing you for state examinations are full of shít). Enjoy your lives and don't waste your time worrying about some stupid exam that is only made important by people telling you it is. The entire education system in this country is completely archaic. You are studying for exams, not for life. Most of what you studied is crammed and held in your short-term memory, once the exams are over, all gone! There's no point also because the stuff you are learning is not relevant to 90% of the rest of your life. Ask your parents how much of it they remember, nada. Peace

Mimikyu

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Fobia

While Cousin's arguement is true for some schools, it's not true in mine. The classes we get put into (streamed) are determined by a) our mock results, and b) reports from our teachers. Now I don't think you can say the leaving cert isn't important and having a good teacher is key to getting it. So at the start of the year I thought "study for mocks, **** the jc I'll just act good in class", but I now learned that if you do really bad in a subject you'll get put down a class regardless of your mock results!

Damn School system!

PurpleFistMixer

We've had this argument about "The JC is pointless! Don't bother!", "Shut up!" before, so I'm not going to even bother...

Myself, not doing any study right now. Come to think of it, I did minimal study during the mocks even... I don't like studying too much. My teachers are however making us all do the mocks AGAIN, in that giving us the questions to do for homework and so, in protest I am certainly not going to study. It'll so learn THEM if I fail miserably.

I'll study sometime before the JC. Some time.

grimloch

some people can get away with not much study, as long as you pay good attention in class and do your homework you will be fine, a small amount of study every day and constant revision goes a long way

and whoever said

Those who say it is preparing you for state examinations are full of shít

actually i felt the entire point of the mocks/JC was to get people used to what a real exam feels like and get people into a routine as a practise for the leaving cert

whether the information is relevant to life makes no difference whatsoever, you have to learn it, no point trying to be a rebel about it

declan_lgs

I think alot of what "cousin it" is saying is fairly true.. But I'm still gonna study a right bit for the JC, purly because I can do much better with a bit of study and it makes the exams (and the schoolwork) far easier... I don't find the odd bit of here and there too hard anyhow.

... err, anyhow, I'm in no danger of being dropped to any lower classes, I hope...
Alot of other ppl seem to try and get the study done cause the don't wanna be dropped, which is fair enough... I'd do the same if I was in their situation

declan_lgs

Cousin it wrote:

The entire education system in this country is completely archaic. You are studying for exams, not for life. Most of what you studied is crammed and held in your short-term memory, once the exams are over, all gone! There's no point also because the stuff you are learning is not relevant to 90% of the rest of your life. Ask your parents how much of it they remember, nada. Peace

while I partly agree with a bit of that, most of the history students will never forget about the 1916 rising.. and the geography students will (hopefully) know how to read maps for the rest of their lives... I'd say much more than 10% is relevent, and I'm not even gonna guess exactly how much (more ya study -> more ya remember, basically)

grimloch

yes i do agree somewhat with what cousin it said about not killing yourself with worry about the exams and about the relevance of what were studying

however we cant do anything about it at all and theres no point in not working because the JC course isnt relevant to life and consequently taking a foolish approach to it

i had trouble studying but to be honest half an hour to an hour most nights a week is hardly going to prevent you from enjoying your life like he was implying

im in fifth year now and by half 6 i had my homework and a reasonable amount of study done, hours each day to enjoy myself

Victor

It's fair enough not becoming a stress freak for the JC, but what happens to someone, who say wants to do an apprenticeship instead of the LC (some apprenticeships insist on the LC), but hasn't passed neough subjects?

What happens when you are 18 and go for a job / college interview and you are embarrassed to show them your JC results?

Rozabeez

But surely the people who are telling us the JC doesnt matter thought that it did when they were doing their exams?

But anyhoo....I'm pretty much only studying in supervised for now, I'd like to get my mock results back and see what I need to pick up on before I get serious about studying,

Flashling

Nothing! Yes, we all know that in the long run, the junior cert doesn't matter. However, in the short run ( the best kind in my opinion, darn exercise!) It is quite the hard trying to explain to your parents your bad results. They just don't listen, damn it.
For the moment I am doing very little study, later on I will read through the books once or twice. I'm really lucky in that I remember everything I read, so I have it easy.

Cousin it

declan_lgs wrote:

while I partly agree with a bit of that, most of the history students will never forget about the 1916 rising.. and the geography students will (hopefully) know how to read maps for the rest of their lives... I'd say much more than 10% is relevent, and I'm not even gonna guess exactly how much (more ya study -> more ya remember, basically)

True. However, the history students will think, wow! up the ra! and also won't know that a) on the first day the whole city was easy pickins cos all the English were at the races gambling b) it was poorly planned and executed and had it been planned better a lot of lives could have been spared.

when i did my J.C i felt exactly the same. Humans throughout history have made life harder and more complicated for themselves and, given a position of power, everyone else. The J.C is a prime example of this. if everyone relaxed more and took a more logical view of life things wouldn't be so bad.

In general, this is what most people think: Study Hard + go to school + go to college + get a "good" job + get married and you'll be happy.

(example) You study hard. you do economics and higher maths for the leaving. you do accountancy in college. work in a bank. get promoted etc. etc. All winds up to; high blood pressure from stressful working environment; obesity through lack of exercise because you were working late to get that promotion; your wife/husband and kids hate you cos you're never home.

You drop out after J.C. you get an apprenticeship as, say, a mechanic. After a few years you pick up the trade and you RIP PEOPLE OFF BIG TIME! you make lots of money do as little work as possible by hiring more staff and apprentices and pay them pittens. you're the boss so you can take more time off work and enjoy yourself. The more simple you make life for yourself the happier you'll be.

My experience: My maths teacher (a woman) was over fifty when teaching me. this means that when she took the leaving she was forced to do pass (all girls were back then). She got a c. And now she teaches higher level J.C and L.C maths at my school and is completely incompetent at her job. Over 60% of my year had to get maths grinds she was so bad. This wasted all of our parents money. If someone this stupid can still get a job teaching people something which even she still just barely understands then there's hope for everyone no matter how bad you do in any exam.

The happiest people in life are those who follow a passion. Footballers, musicians (even non famous ones), photographers, fashion designers are all the most successful people in life, so society says. So please for your own sake don't waste all your time worrying and toiling because of stupid arbitrary exams. Enjoy your hobbies. just don't be miserable just because someone else (parents, teachers, friends) tell you that you should be studying for hours on end. This is just my opinion and I'm not suggesting that you give up academic life altogether, just don't mae it your sole priority.

peace and love y'all

PurpleFistMixer

Cousin It, you're making the assumption that everyone hates their subjects and school in general. Perhaps the reason people want to do well is becuase they actually want to KNOW things?

And also, your line about "The more simple you make life for yourself the happier you'll be", that's incredibly selfish. I didn't think I'd have to say this, but there are other people (and animals and plants and things) living in this country/on this planet.

Fobia

Interesting....

I WANT to know maths, physics and english but everything else in school I have no interest in.

I think Cousin's right in saying that exams results arent the most important things in life, but they can improve your life for the better. I think it's stupid how it all comes down to one week of solid writing but they're not gonna change that any time soon. I think balance is required; study, but not too much

Fobia.

I should really try and do some homework now....

declan_lgs

Fobia wrote:

I WANT to know maths, physics and english but everything else in school I have no interest in.

The solution: DIY

Crania

Cousin it wrote:

Don't bother. You are wasting your time, unless you are considering going to a foreign college, the J.C is a complete waste of your time. Once in fourth year no-one, and I mean no-one (including your J.C teachers) give a crap about what they got after bout two weeks. It serves no purpose at all (Those who say it is preparing you for state examinations are full of shít). Enjoy your lives and don't waste your time worrying about some stupid exam that is only made important by people telling you it is. The entire education system in this country is completely archaic. You are studying for exams, not for life. Most of what you studied is crammed and held in your short-term memory, once the exams are over, all gone! There's no point also because the stuff you are learning is not relevant to 90% of the rest of your life. Ask your parents how much of it they remember, nada. Peace

That is 100% true, i completely agree with everything you just said

declan_lgs

So you're saying it's pretty much the same as all the other exams we get?

It figures.

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

Cousin It, you're making the assumption that everyone hates their subjects and school in general. Perhaps the reason people want to do well is becuase they actually want to KNOW things?

That's right too... I suppose that's the reson I do study.

Cousin it

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

Cousin It, you're making the assumption that everyone hates their subjects and school in general. Perhaps the reason people want to do well is becuase they actually want to KNOW things?

And also, your line about "The more simple you make life for yourself the happier you'll be", that's incredibly selfish. I didn't think I'd have to say this, but there are other people (and animals and plants and things) living in this country/on this planet.

when i said enjoy your hobbies I meant to encompass all of your interests. Like physics? do physics (Brian May from Queen is a leading astrophysicist I believe but he followed his hobby and became a world famous rock guitarist).

And also, your line about "The more simple you make life for yourself the happier you'll be", that's incredibly selfish.

How so?

Mysteryfish

Quote;
In general, this is what most people think: Study Hard + go to school + go to college + get a "good" job + get married and you'll be happy. (-Cousin It)

(example) You study hard. you do economics and higher maths for the leaving. you do accountancy in college. work in a bank. get promoted etc. etc.

Quote;
The happiest people in life are those who follow a passion. Footballers, musicians (even non famous ones), photographers, fashion designers are all the most successful people in life (-Cousin It)

I'm sorry but i have to say this. What you said there is so totally unfair. Ok, i agree about how what people tell us isn't always true, but you just picked the stereotypical descriptions! So bankers have a reputation (stereotype) of being boring and routine types. And then the bunch of photographers and musician types "the arts" are all so much better because their life is uncertain and (apparently) carefree.

However, this is not the case! Someones dream might be to be a banker and someone elses dream might be to be a painter. Their dreams are both equally worthy. My point is that you were saying don't always follow the rules and to do what you want, BUT you then said that if you want to be a banker than you'll wind up stressed out and unhappy, where is if you become a painter than you'll wind up successful and happy.
Aren't you, by saying this, directly contradicting yourself and going with the common popular view? Your not allowing people to want to be a banker, you're saying that it's a waste of time.


In regards to exams the Junior Cert matters a little bit but it should be more a thing of personal achievement in my opinion. I want to do well to prove to MYSELF how much i know and because if i didn't work at it i would feel lazy and i would be disappointed in myself. I realise not everyone feels this way, but aren't those who say or do "don't bother with exams" letting themselves down in not using an opportunity to push themselves?

What's the point in not testing your strengths and instead just floating through life, achieving nothing? (and by that i mean achieving nothing for themselves, to be proud of themselves-but then, are some people proud of themselves for just being on the earth?)

Ultimately it's up to everyone themselves and how they view themselves and the world. Parents and teachers can pressurize you and punish or give out to you, but at the end of the day (in my view) the worst you can feel is when YOU are disappointed with yourself, not your parents or teachers.

Now, so that i have at least something on topic of this thread I am doing my mocks at the moment (English tomorrow-my hand is going to fall off!) and i have done a little bit of study for them, after the mocks finish I'll take a bit of a break from major study, homework will be enough, and then as it gets closer to June I'll do more and more study. However relaxation is of course important so i'll make sure not to get too bogged down and stressed out!

Victor

The objective of passing you exams is to put you in the best possible learning position for (a) personal use (b) getting on well in life.

Your ideal job should be something you like, that you are good at and that someone will pay you for. Taking a "realxed" view won't get you these things.

PurpleFistMixer

Cousin it wrote:

"And also, your line about "The more simple you make life for yourself the happier you'll be", that's incredibly selfish."

How so?

Because if your life is so perfectly simple, there's no space to give a damn about anyone else, or anything else. Isn't it simpler to throw your stuff in the black bin, instead of recycling it? So who cares about the environment, it's too complicated, and we're looking for the simple life here.
Say your next-door neighbours go away on holiday and they need someone to look after their cat? Sure, if you had to get up and feed the cat your life might become more complicated so why bother?
It's simpler to drop out of school and live on other people for the rest of your life, so why not try that. And if you start getting grief - just go out and get wasted, it's a lot simpler to ignore problems than to deal with them.

Getting a bit carried away there, but you get the idea?
Life is interesting because it's complicated.

Maybe I'm just a crazy masochist, I mean, I could be doing all pass subjects and not have to worry about anything, but the fact is I would NOT be happy if I didn't have a challenge.

grimloch

PurpleFistMixer wrote:

Because if your life is so perfectly simple, there's no space to give a damn about anyone else, or anything else. Isn't it simpler to throw your stuff in the black bin, instead of recycling it? So who cares about the environment, it's too complicated, and we're looking for the simple life here.
Say your next-door neighbours go away on holiday and they need someone to look after their cat? Sure, if you had to get up and feed the cat your life might become more complicated so why bother?
It's simpler to drop out of school and live on other people for the rest of your life, so why not try that. And if you start getting grief - just go out and get wasted, it's a lot simpler to ignore problems than to deal with them.

Getting a bit carried away there, but you get the idea?
Life is interesting because it's complicated.

Maybe I'm just a crazy masochist, I mean, I could be doing all pass subjects and not have to worry about anything, but the fact is I would NOT be happy if I didn't have a challenge.

well said indeed, very well said

newgrange

Well said PurpleFistMixer - the world is full of people who want the 'easy, uncomplicated' way out. Just look at the Leaving Cert. forum, full of 'easy way' people trying to cheat in their mock exams. It's a sad reflection on some of this year's Leaving Cert. cohort, and a very poor example.

Cousin it

PurpleFistMixer - that's just you puttin a spin on what I said thats not what I meant. Ever consider a job in the media? I didn't say screw everyone else! I am most definately a man of the people. My whole point in posting here is that you don't just have to accept everything thats put in front of you. Admittedly I am assuming that people here don't like most of their subjects. Fine if they do! It's rare. I just think its stupid how little choice we're given in our own education. Meh whatever, most of you are missing my point entirely anyway.

PurpleFistMixer

I didn't put a spin on it, that's what I interpreted you to mean. After the comment about becoming a mechanic and ripping people off, I suppose I just jumped to conclusions maybe.
What exactly did you mean, then?

knifey_spoonie

Calm down children, now lets get back to the subject in hand. Study

Mimikyu

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knifey_spoonie

Kick and run, its the only thing that will work

PurpleFistMixer

Explain to her

• It's only the Junior Cert.
• You can only maintain concentration for so long while studying, after that it's just a waste of time.
• It's ages till the Junior Cert anyway. You'll have forgotten it all.

grimloch

Solitaryman666 wrote:

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how long is the time in question? but if its something like 3 hours then youd have to drag in something about relaxing time because its stressful coming home at 4 and having to study till 8 or 9

Mimikyu

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grimloch

Solitaryman666 wrote:

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three hours is a bit excessive to be honest, if you tell her you cant study for 3 hours, youll probably get a response along the lines of "youre not trying hard enough" or something, but its worth a shot

Mimikyu

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Cousin it

do twenty minute blocks of each subject. relax for ten minutes. then twenty minutes of a different one. don't study with music (as some people do???) or lying down. try to recreate your exam environment, it helps your brain in the exam. after three subjects (1hr study, 30mins break) take a longer break and eat some fruit, bananas are best because they contain slow-release carbohydrates which maintain energy and concentration levels. exercise during this longer break, but not a huge amount as it gets more oxygen to your brain for your return to study.