Geography - #JC2017 - Diego Brule

Diego Brule - Colaiste Einde Salthill GalwayHigher Level

Geography, geography. Geography has always been a gamble for me, partly because I've lived everywhere at this stage and have a fair amount of general geographic knowledge, and partly because I only study my favourite parts and hope they come up. And very luckily, Today's short questions were all of the simple things that I knew and section II was precisely the topics I loved (or that I've done so many times that I don't even have to think about it).And so at 9:30 am, I open the exam. I flew through the first few questions, and I come across this typical developed/developing world map, which I never liked because it basically portrayed every country outside Europe and Asia as messed up, poor and evil. I come from Chile (South America), so I was always against how geography class made 'developing' countries look like.But in this map, for the first time ever, Chile was in blue, or 'developed'. I celebrated this in silent glory for a few seconds and then got back to my exam.Then, the feared, the Section 'wrist-breaker' II, came around. I flicked through the 6 questions and picked three to answer, which were ones that I'd prepared essays on: Rivers and humans, Economic activities, and the OS map and aerial photograph.I finished all of this with about 10 minutes to spare (including some Van-Gogh quality diagrams) and was about to hand it up when I realised I forgot to answer a part of a question (throwback to CSPE), so, naturally, I rush this last part and finish just in time, and walk out of the exam hall feeling triumphant, having conquered one of the tests that I feared the most.Next up was Maths, but first, a burrito break at Boojum.#JC2017 #StateExams #ISSU17

English - #LC2017 - Michelle Chiperi Aivazova

 Michelle Chiperi Aivazova - Colaiste Einde Salthill GalwayI woke up this morning feeling quite sick to the stomach, much like the thousands of other students sitting exams today.

The morning went by in a blur, eating and getting ready and hearing everyone chatter and panic before the exam. I have a tactic- avoid and ignore everyone.The exam began with me going through the paper, trying to figure out questions and choosing topics that would suit me. I chose the short story about the tattoo, and reading comprehensions involving poetry and freedom of expression. I love these two things!I feel like the exam went smoothly, the exam hall did smell a bit yuck (I have to mention as my brain kept going back to this detail, unfortunately) but I think the exam flew by otherwise!I hope everyone else did well and isn't panicking too much. They feel like just another summer test really.#LC2017 #StateExams #ISSU17 

Leaving Cert Technology

Claire - Higher Level

I never thought this day would come. No really, I didn't !The good thing about having technology as the last exam is the fact you walk in there with 50% already in your pocket. It's a great feeling to have  especially since at this stage in the exams you have lost a lot of motivation  and are just so excited for the simmer is hard to concentrate on any study!The atmosphere before the exam was buzzing. Everybody in my exam hall was smiling and happy; ready for whatever would show up on the last exam.And what did show up on the exam- was lovely! It was as if the exam was cheering you on to finish.The short questions began on a such a positive note; asking you about wind powers advantages. Most of the short questions were straight forward but some required a little more thinking. I didn't get them all but I'm happy I answered the twelve we needed reasonably well.I have always hated question 2 and 3 but today I was smiling doing them. The Olympics stadium appeared which was really cool, and relevant. I love relevant exams!The ICT option I took wasn't so bad, it's usually my favourite section but today it was a little trickier. But still a very nice section.The materials section was fabulous if you excuse my enthusiasm. It asked about materials metals and plastic in the frat part; which was student friendly.  The next part linked in with our earlier project with the theme of disability; wheelchairs showed up. Seeing something familiar was really reassuring.Of course I wasn't able to answer everything but I would never have expected that!Honestly I couldn't have asked for a nicer end to Leaving Cert 2012.

 Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.

LC Music

Owen (Higher Level)

Well, well I'm finally free and about time... wooooo!!After having a whole week to 'compose' myself and prepare for music, I was already feeling like I was on my summer holidays so it honestly didn't feel like I still had an exam left at all!However, this morning was a different matter, the nerves were flowing and the adrenaline was rushing but maybe it was just the excitement of finally being finished!!Got into the exam hall pretty early to run over some last minute stuff and get ready!Exam starts and the first question, the one worth the most marks, was the horrid Sea Changes by Raymond Dean... the first time EVER it had come up in question 1 and this was completely unexpected....none the less we managed to fight through it!Question 2 was Berlioz and there was nothing too unexpected here and the same with Mozart who featured in question 4 and finally the Beatles’ “She's leaving home” appeared in question 4!Irish music was very much approachable and we all found ourselves jigging away and bobbin’ our heads so it turned out to be a very enjoyable question...and lucky for me my chosen essay on Sean-nós singing even came up! :DThe aural skills didn't prove to be too difficult either and it was nice to hear a bit of Tom Jones! :DOur composition paper was also very nice as well, thankfully all the minor and tough stuff was avoidable and everything else was very manageable! :DAnd that's it!! I'M FREE!!! NO MORE EXAMS!! :DNow it’s time to put into use what we really learned in school...the function of the liver and some real 'music'!! :D Bring on the summer of 2010!!Thanks and best of luck!Owen

LC Accounting

Ailbhe (Higher Level)

Ah the last exam has come and gone.I have never been so happy in my entire life!And to make matters even better accounting went surprisingly well! :D I spent my weekend alternating at a ratio of 90:1 sun to study.By the time I woke up this morning, I cared so little about the exam that I even pressed the snooze button on my alarm. (What a rebel, I know!) Waiting outside the exam hall, the small class that is accounting was awash with relaxation. This tranquilising atmosphere hedonised by the 25 degree heat was diluted when someone voiced their concern-  "OMG IMAGINE IF INCOMPLETE CAME UP!!!" Suddenly, the nonchalant sun worshippers were in heated debates about predicitions "No way man, not farm""If marginal costing doesn't make a show, I can kiss my first choice goodbye""Tab couldn't come up. Could it?" Thankfully once the exam paper sailed onto my desk all calm was restored. That was until we flicked to questions 8 and 9. Where was marginal? Cash Budgeting? What is this? Fortunately I had myself covered should this situation arise, unfortunately some of my friends weren't so lucky. Cash Flow Depreciation and Control made up the first section. I answered all questions. I wasn't too keen on the Depreciation as it used the lesser practiced reducing balance method which I wasn't too familair with. My Suspense and Service questions from section 2 both balanced after some probing and prodding of figures. Hopefully this means I got them correct. However in the mocks my Suspense question deceptively still balanced even though I got it wrong. I found the theory slightly difficult. It was new and deviated from previous questions. This, coupled with the fact that I immensely dislike the world of business and understand none of its mumbo jumbo jargon, left me slightly worried. But hey, I dont have to think about it until the 18th of August. Thanks for reading!Ailbhe! :D