* LC 2018 / 19 Off-topic Thread *

shortgirl0 · 08-08-2017 9:44pm #1

Hello Everyone!
These threads seemed to have worked in the past, so thought I might as well give it a try. Im going to use the rules that I have seen commonly used on other threads such as;
- No Cursing
- No Bullying
- No Bragging
- No Spamming etc.
A few Q's to start us off:
1. How was TY / 3rd year.
2. What subjects are you all taking this year (apart from the holy trinity).
3. What are your expectations for 5th year.
I thought TY was great but Im starting to get to the point where I really want to get stuck in and work?! I'm Hoping to take french, Economics, History and Geography. And im hoping that 5th year will be a new start to actually work hard and learn from my mistakes in the JC.

Lets hope this thread is a success.

jeonahr · 09-08-2017 12:48am

I thought TY was fantastic. Not necessarily the curriculum but all the extra curricular activities and programmes we got to do and the freedom we had to sign up for programmes outside of school as well. Imo I think I've become way more independent and self-reliant as I used to be super shy in front of adults and speaking to adults and having casual conversations was challenging for me, which is something that I've thankfully overcome this year.

The subjects that I got were all my first choices (thankfully

). I'll be doing chemistry, biology, accounting, german and the holy trinity all at higher level. Hopefully I won't have to drop but I feel like I'll end up dropping in Irish.

Honestly I'm ready to get down and do some work. While TY was great and all I just want to go back to a regular routine rather than being jumbled all over the place which is what it felt like at times during the year. I really want to put in some more effort than the JC so I'm planning on knuckling down but who knows

spurious · 09-08-2017 4:33am

Not a tiny bit early? 2019?

shortgirl0 · 09-08-2017 12:12pm

Yeah it may be a bit early but hopefully this thread can be one for 5th and 6th year. It will leave us the hassle of swapping threads after 5th.

spurious · 09-08-2017 2:19pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

Yeah it may be a bit early but hopefully this thread can be one for 5th and 6th year. It will leave us the hassle of swapping threads after 5th.

'We' managed before.
Mods decision I suppose.

randylonghorn · 09-08-2017 7:48pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

Yeah it may be a bit early but hopefully this thread can be one for 5th and 6th year. It will leave us the hassle of swapping threads after 5th.

We never do swap threads, we just rename the fifth year thread at the end of the year. :cool:

The thought is fine, but the title may be a little confusing / premature, so (hopefully with no hurt feelings resulting) I'm gonna change it.

jeonahr wrote: »

I thought TY was fantastic. Not necessarily the curriculum but all the extra curricular activities and programmes we got to do and the freedom we had to sign up for programmes outside of school as well. Imo I think I've become way more independent and self-reliant as I used to be super shy in front of adults and speaking to adults and having casual conversations was challenging for me, which is something that I've thankfully overcome this year.

Sounds like your TY did exactly what it's supposed to do.

Not all education is about English / Irish / Maths / Physics / Economics etc. ... in fact, many of us would argue that the other stuff is more important in the long run!

shortgirl0 · 09-08-2017 8:14pm

randylonghorn wrote: »

Not all education is about English / Irish / Maths / Physics / Economics etc. ... in fact, many of us would argue that the other stuff is more important in the long run!

Totally Agree! like in my TY my focus was myself; getting to know myself better and figuring out maybe what type of path I want to take after school! And no problem about the name. I totally understand

jeonahr · 10-08-2017 12:13am

randylonghorn wrote: »

Not all education is about English / Irish / Maths / Physics / Economics etc. ... in fact, many of us would argue that the other stuff is more important in the long run!

Oh yeah I understand where you're coming from. What I meant was the new classes and subjects we had. For some of these subjects, for example classical studies, the teacher didn't know what they were on about because said teacher was just doing it because the original teacher who was supposed to be teaching the class was on maternity leave. This also happened with our Leadership classes and our Wellbeing classes, though I did appreciate the classes since we did almost nothing in them

It's the thought that counts, aye?

rk2301 · 10-08-2017 3:42pm

Hi! Nice to meet you guys!

Overall I did enjoy TY. It was nice to get involved in lots of extracurricular activities like mini company, the school musical, BT Young Scientist, first aid, Gaisce etc. My school usually takes in a lot of foreign students for the year during TY as well (it's a boarding school) so it was great getting to know people from all over the world. We went on some cool trips as well!

One thing I didn't like was that there was little to no focus on academics. I'm quite a studious person so I was definitely bored at times. I know that it's meant to be that way though and in the end it was probably a good thing to have a break from academics!

I'll be doing Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Applied Maths and Spanish apart from the big three. All HL at the moment and I intend for it to stay that way for 5th Year at least!

I'm so ready for 5th Year. I just want to get back into the routine of proper schoolwork! Right now I'm really determined to work hard for the next two years, hopefully it'll stay that way!

shortgirl0 · 10-08-2017 5:36pm

Thats pretty much the same as me. I was kind of bored at times and now I just want to get stuck in and work! Although there was more work then I expected to TY, there still wasn't loads. For example we had to do an autobiography in english and still had exams throughout the year.

An tUasal C · 14-08-2017 6:56pm

Didn't do 4th year, going into 5th year after doing my Junior Certificate.

Moving schools, quite anxious about it.

Hoping to do something medical.

X6.430macman · 14-08-2017 7:20pm

2 years ago I joined a thread similar to this one, I was out of 3rd year and staring 5th year in the face like many on here I'm sure. What followed would be 2 rotten years that I would get nothing for. I'm out of it now and a changed person and Everytime I hear leaving cert now I just sigh. Good luck to everyone here and God bless, I hope ye have a better experience than what I had

shortgirl0 · 14-08-2017 11:38pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

Didn't do 4th year, going into 5th year after doing my Junior Certificate.

Moving schools, quite anxious about it.

Hope you get the results your hoping for

And I moved schools after 1st year and it was the best thing i have ever done, hopefully you will settle in straight away and the people are nice!

An tUasal C · 14-08-2017 11:41pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

Hope you get the results your hoping for

And I moved schools after 1st year and it was the best thing i have ever done, hopefully you will settle in straight away and the people are nice!

Thanks, I most likely didn't do great but that's what I deserve.

Hoping to do

Irish (H)
English (H)
Maths (O)
Chemistry (H)
Biology (H)
French (H)
Geography (H)

We will have to wait and see though!

I hope so too, might make some new friends.

What are you hoping to do?

Soccarboy11 · 14-08-2017 11:43pm

TY was good, enjoyed the break(?) after the last 3 years or so. still did tests exams and a lot of work but nowhere near as much as 3rd year. Didn't get the best in Irish and Maths in the JC but hoping to improve that during 5th year at least, and I am planning on do honors everything

. Got my 3 choices too, biology, chemistry and business thankfully!

An tUasal C · 14-08-2017 11:47pm

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

TY was good, enjoyed the break(?) after the last 3 years or so. still did tests exams and a lot of work but nowhere near as much as 3rd year. Didn't get the best in Irish and Maths in the JC but hoping to improve that during 5th year at least, and I am planning on do honors everything . Got my 3 choices too, biology, chemistry and business thankfully!

Glad you got your choices!

Don't mention business to me, I'll start shaking! :eek::D

An tUasal C · 28-08-2017 9:59pm

First day of fifth year tomorrow..

Sb567 · 29-08-2017 2:23am

Fifth year starts Wednesday for me!
Subjects:
Maths
Irish
English
French
Biology
Chemistry
Physics

Also anyone thinking of taking applied maths?

An tUasal C · 29-08-2017 1:30pm

I'm not doing applied maths. Don't think I'd like it very much.

First day today. I've survived.

jeonahr · 29-08-2017 1:39pm

Sb567 wrote: »

Fifth year starts Wednesday for me!

I'll be starting tomorrow too.

I wanted to take up applied maths as well but my school doesn't offer it

shortgirl0 · 29-08-2017 7:59pm

Sb567 wrote: »

Fifth year starts Wednesday for me!

I start Thursday!

Soccarboy11 · 29-08-2017 8:14pm

Introduction day tomorrow, seeing what class I'm in and getting my timetable etc. No school Thursday, and full day Friday.

Sb567 · 29-08-2017 10:43pm

jeonahr wrote: »

I'll be starting tomorrow too.

I wanted to take up applied maths as well but my school doesn't offer it

Oh really ? My school has 5 classes a week so obviously 1 every day and we have the choice of App Maths, lcvp or PE!
Don't know if I'm smart enough tho LOL

faaezkhan01 · 29-08-2017 10:48pm

Hi everyone
Just started 5th year yesterday in a new school after skipping TY.
I'm doing Accounting, Chemistry, Economics and French and 'the holy trinity' at HL.

Sb567 · 29-08-2017 10:50pm

jeonahr wrote: »

I'll be starting tomorrow too.

I wanted to take up applied maths as well but my school doesn't offer it

Oh really ? My school has 5 classes a week so obviously 1 every day and we have the choice of App Maths, lcvp or PE!
Don't know if I'm smart enough tho LOL

jeonahr · 29-08-2017 10:55pm

Sb567 wrote: »

Oh really ? My school has 5 classes a week so obviously 1 every day and we have the choice of App Maths, lcvp or PE!
Don't know if I'm smart enough tho LOL

I find that a lot of all-girls schools don't offer applied maths, which is a shame.

Sb567 · 30-08-2017 6:42am

jeonahr wrote: »

I find that a lot of all-girls schools don't offer applied maths, which is a shame.

That's really unfair !! All schools should offer it if the students want to attempt it you know.

spurious · 30-08-2017 4:18pm

Sb567 wrote: »

That's really unfair !! All schools should offer it if the students want to attempt it you know.

All schools would love to offer all subjects at all levels, but you need a certain number of staff to do that and with the decades of cutbacks etc. it's not going to happen, apart from in larger schools, or schools that pay extra to have extra teachers that they do not qualify for based on their numbers.

I've long been of the opinion that instead of having three and four medium sized schools in an area/town, some offering Woodwork, others Home Ec., or some offering Engineering, others Music, there should be large 'area' schools which take all the children of an area (none of this 'your father didn't come here so goodbye' nonsense). Such schools would do away with duplication of facilities, employ more teachers, offer all subjects at all levels to all students and best of all, do away with the nonsense that is the 'better school' concept.

Equal opportunities in Irish education - that would be something to see.

Sb567 · 30-08-2017 4:42pm

spurious wrote: »

All schools would love to offer all subjects at all levels, but you need a certain number of staff to do that and with the decades of cutbacks etc. it's not going to happen, apart from in larger schools, or schools that pay extra to have extra teachers that they do not qualify for based on their numbers.

I've long been of the opinion that instead of having three and four medium sized schools in an area/town, some offering Woodwork, others Home Ec., or some offering Engineering, others Music, there should be large 'area' schools which take all the children of an area (none of this 'your father didn't come here so goodbye' nonsense). Such schools would do away with duplication of facilities, employ more teachers, offer all subjects at all levels to all students and best of all, do away with the nonsense that is the 'better school' concept.

Equal opportunities in Irish education - that would be something to see.

Ya I 100% agree like I know we're lucky enough to be offered the amount of subjects we are offered but if they could just make more of an effort to find what the students themselves want you know?

An tUasal C · 30-08-2017 4:43pm

That was an interesting day to say the least.

Things can only improve, right!!

spurious · 30-08-2017 5:23pm

Sb567 wrote: »

Ya I 100% agree like I know we're lucky enough to be offered the amount of subjects we are offered but if they could just make more of an effort to find what the students themselves want you know?

I suppose they have to work with the staff they have. There may well be an Applied Maths teacher on staff in a number of schools who doesn't teach it currently. If the students could get 15 or 20 people together they might make a case for it, though only at one level.

Sb567 · 30-08-2017 5:39pm

spurious wrote: »

I suppose they have to work with the staff they have. There may well be an Applied Maths teacher on staff in a number of schools who doesn't teach it currently. If the students could get 15 or 20 people together they might make a case for it, though only at one level.

Yes that's true actually the right idea to be fair.

daretodream · 30-08-2017 6:01pm

Tomorrow for me. Straight from JC to 5th year. Taking all honours, the usual 3 plus German/Accounting/Physics/Chemistry/Applied Maths.

Thinking of Finance (actuarial or accountancy), Theoretical Physics with Maths, Engineering or Teaching (but only if that sector improves...unlikely, I know).

Nothing in heathcare appeals to me but taking Chemistry just in case I change my mind. Can`t see it really...I'm more about the numbers!

jeonahr · 31-08-2017 3:33pm

First day was only 2 hours which was just introduction and handing out schedules and the sort.
Today was kind of a waste imo. We had free classes the whole day, and only 2 of those classes had work left out for us. Honestly was wondering why they'd even bother for a half day with hardly any classes.

Soccarboy11 · 31-08-2017 5:44pm

Had introduction yesterday, so got timetable etc. First full day is tomorrow. we were told not to bring any books so this is gonna be a bit of a waste really

sryanbruen · 31-08-2017 10:07pm

My school does not offer Home Economics and Metalwork, Woodwork, Technology, Technical Graphics or similar subjects such as these.

I always wanted to do Metalwork since primary - or Technical Graphics. It definitely would have been of big benefit to my interests now. Unfortunately, my school does not offer them and it put me at a big disadvantage for my interests.

I am pretty happy with my choices though either way of Business, Music, Geography and French.

Coming after TY which was easily the most boring year of my life, getting used to have mountain hills of homework again is going to be difficult.

shortgirl0 · 02-09-2017 1:49pm

With the whole applied maths thing, my school offers it but the classes begin before school which allows other local schools to join if they want to learn.

Also got the subjects I wanted which is great and generally excited for the coming year.

Soccarboy11 · 02-09-2017 3:16pm

Found out my school wont let you drop to ordinary maths throughout the year, only this monday is the last chance. thats ridiculous, not even giving us a chance to try it.

sryanbruen · 02-09-2017 3:56pm

Soccarboy11 wrote: »

Found out my school wont let you drop to ordinary maths throughout the year, only this monday is the last chance. thats ridiculous, not even giving us a chance to try it.

We were allowed choose on the first day then have to wait 'til after Christmas and decide again if we want to - I will never drop from HL Maths though.

An tUasal C · 02-09-2017 4:41pm

I somehow ended up in higher level mathematics. I'll stick it out through the year anyway and make up my mind next September.

Chemistry class isn't happening, so I'm doing economics now. I despised business studies with a passion, but economics is my favourite out of the three. I think it was mostly the accounting part I hated.

The teacher is nice, which helps.

shortgirl0 · 08-09-2017 6:42pm

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 6:59pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

Very busy!

Especially biology, surprised I haven't started a second copy yet. :pac:

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:06pm

shortgirl0 wrote: »

How's everyones 5th years going. Currently my thumb feels like its about to fall off from writing and I need eternal sleep

Fine apart from Irish. I am hating Irish with my new teacher. She teaches supersonically fast. When she reads a sentence, she translates it directly after but doesn't give us a moment to breathe, take it in or note the translation. Me and the rest of the class (there's only 7 of us in the entire class - it's HL Irish) have not got a clue on An Gnáthrud, the story she was "teaching" and she's giving a test on it Monday. Looks like I'll be having me first fail thanks to a pathetic, ignorant teacher.

Everything else as I said is fine though I'm waiting on the department of education to give me a laptop so I can type instead of writing - it will probably take forever knowing them.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:20pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

Fine apart from Irish. I am hating Irish with my new teacher. She teaches supersonically fast. When she reads a sentence, she translates it directly after but doesn't give us a moment to breathe, take it in or note the translation. Me and the rest of the class (there's only 7 of us in the entire class - it's HL Irish) have not got a clue on An Gnáthrud, the story she was "teaching" and she's giving a test on it Monday. Looks like I'll be having me first fail thanks to a pathetic, ignorant teacher.

Everything else as I said is fine though I'm waiting on the department of education to give me a laptop so I can type instead of writing - it will probably take forever knowing them.

Could you ask your new teacher to repeat? Surely you'd understand the majority anyway if you're doing higher level.

If you asked after class I'm sure they'd help you.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:23pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

Could you ask your new teacher to repeat? Surely you'd understand the majority anyway if you're doing higher level.

If you asked after class I'm sure they'd help you.

I told her yesterday at the end of class to please slow down on the teaching and that none of us have got a clue on the story. She said thanks for telling her but today, she made us study the summary she told us to write down earlier this week on the story and continues to give the test on Monday coming. She did not listen to me at all it appears and her extreme ignorancy is evident here.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:28pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

I told her yesterday at the end of class to please slow down on the teaching and that none of us have got a clue on the story. She said thanks for telling her but today, she made us study the summary she told us to write down earlier this week on the story and continues to give the test on Monday coming. She did not listen to me at all it appears and her extreme ignorancy is evident here.

You can't complain that you're being tested surely. You have focloir.ie and other resources to translate anything you're unsure of.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:34pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

You can't complain that you're being tested surely. You have focloir.ie and other resources to translate anything you're unsure of.

I can complain when I don't even know the basis of the story :mad:. So you expect me to spend my whole weekend translating a load of sentences just for a test on Monday that all the class have no clue about? I'd be better off dropping to OL out of her class or even worse, getting rid of Irish which I can do btw because I am special needs and my learning disability allows me to drop it if I need or want to. I chose to do it because I love Irish and the fact that I was very good at Irish in primary school - according to everybody. But now with this teacher, I'm beginning to really hate it.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:39pm

sryanbruen wrote: »

I can complain when I don't even know the basis of the story :mad:. So you expect me to spend my whole weekend translating a load of sentences just for a test on Monday that all the class have no clue about? I'd be better off dropping to OL out of her class or even worse, getting rid of Irish which I can do btw because I am special needs and my learning disability allows me to drop it if I need or want to. I chose to do it because I love Irish and the fact that I was very good at Irish in primary school - according to everybody. But now with this teacher, I'm beginning to really hate it.

You said the teacher translated each sentence. Unless they were speaking at supersonic speed, you'd pick up on it.

You're in 5th year, doing a higher level subject and you're not willing to translate a few sentences? How much of it can you understand?

Drop it over a teacher then if you feel so passionate about it. I've disliked teachers of subjects I love, but I've never hated the subject itself as a result.

sryanbruen · 08-09-2017 7:53pm

An tUasal C wrote: »

You said the teacher translated each sentence. Unless they were speaking at supersonic speed, you'd pick up on it.

You're in 5th year, doing a higher level subject and you're not willing to translate a few sentences? How much of it can you understand?

Drop it over a teacher then if you feel so passionate about it. I've disliked teachers of subjects I love, but I've never hated the subject itself as a result.

Oh holy Jesus, I said the teacher translated each sentence at a very fast speed without giving us a moment to breathe, take it in and understand it or note the translation. Are you for real? I said she spoke at supersonic speed like. My friend who is in TY has her for Irish as well and he shares the same complaints as me. He said that she is ignorant af and teaches way too fast. Making me unnecessarily stressed out like this is plain ridiculous.

It's not just a few sentences ugh, it's a story like. Do you know An Gnáthrud? Have you seen the length of it? Once I know the English, I can translate perfectly fine. But I don't know the English at all - apart from the vocabulary she gave us that she told us to learn off. 'Cause how I study Irish is like this:

- For literature, I write out the English of sentences in essays then I translate them. I do this multiple times to ensure I memorise them.

- For grammar, I make a grammar book showing notes of how to do the grammar with grammar exercises followed after them.

My JC Irish teacher was very basic as he would tell us to learn very simple sentences and learn off whole essays than us making our own. I got a B in the end for that.

Anyway, I said all this to my SNA today and I'm going to be having a word with the resource co-ordinator on Monday about Irish and this teacher.

Funniest thing is that before 2nd year, I was not interested in Irish at all. I thought it was dumb, stupid, boring, irritating and very difficult. I taught myself all the complicated grammar via sources and books however through 2nd and 3rd year. Coming after TY, I have lost a lot of my motivation of what I used to do including writing songs and teaching myself Irish.

An tUasal C · 08-09-2017 7:56pm

So she translates the sentences. I doubt you need to translate every word, or every sentence for that matter if you're doing higher level.

Anyway, good luck with whatever you do.

jeonahr · 08-09-2017 8:42pm

After reading everyone else's fifth year so far I feel like I'm behind already lol. Honestly, at the moment everything is fine. I'd say even easier than third year, just because I'm more responsible and organised and have chosen to keep up to date with everything. I've a test coming up on number systems in maths sometime next week.

We've friendship week next week so I'll be missing a few classes.

I thought it would be a harder transition after doing little to none academic work but it's been smooth sailing so far. Hope I don't jinx anything though

* LC 2018 / 19 Off-topic Thread *

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