Maths P1 - #JC2017 - Maria Hayes

Maria Hayes - Scoil Ruain KillenauleHigher Level

To sum this paper up in one sentence, I would say "It was a stiff paper!" Apart from the 3 questions which stumped me the paper was very doable. Ratios, functions, sequences, algebra and factorising all came up in the paper, like you'd expect.Ratios, exponential sequences and fixing a quadratic equation were the questions which stumped me. However I am delighted with the rest of the paper. Bring on Monday!#StateExams2017

Maths P1 - #JC2017 - Diego Brule

Diego Brule - Colaiste Einde Salthill GalwayHigher Level

If I previously said that I wasn't prepared at all for English, for Maths it was the complete opposite (I completed all my maths EDCO past exam papers). I was very looking forward to this exam as I had complete confidence in all its topics, except in sequences. And guess what topic was 3 out of 15 questions in the exam? Sequences.But still, I managed to finish all questions with 50 minutes to spare, so I used this extra time to go back to these confusing sequence questions to smooth out whatever messy maths I had already done, and it went surprisingly well. This is in no small part thanks to the log book, which provided me with a beautiful formula for a 4-part question that otherwise I would've left completely blank.So after this rather uneventful test which was easier than I expected, I signed out 15 minutes before the exam was over and went over to my friend to discuss the hard questions, only to destroy my perfectionist hopes. I walked out of the exam feeling I scored a good 95%-98%, and then after talking to him I realised I probably already lost around 10% in stupid mistakes. And by stupid, I don't mean not knowing how to do the maths, I mean reading a question wrong and doing a completely irrelevant set of maths. Maybe this explains why I found it so easy?But oh well, I'm making these kind of mistakes ever since 1st grade (I think it's called 1st class here?). Hopefully one day I'll learn to read.All my hopes and dreams now with paper 2, which in my opinion, is the easier of the two. (Anyone wanna teach me how to read from here to Monday?)#JC2017 #StateExams #ISSU17

Geography - #JC2017 - Maria Hayes

Maria Hayes - Scoil Ruáin Killenaule

The geography exam today was a tricky paper because I wasn't expecting some of the questions to come up! However I was pleased with the turn out!

I began with section 1. I got through that with little difficulty except when we were asked what kind of settlement a "ecclesiastical settlement" was. I guessed "religious". It turned out to be correct! That was 3 marks gained!

Then moving onto Section 2 I spent 10 mins going through the questions and seeing which questions I wanted to do. I chose Q2, Q4 & Q5. Question 2 was all to-do with rivers!! I was delighted because I love rivers! Question 4 was all about Climate! Another favourite of mine! Finally Question 5 was the Map question. We had to draw an aerial photograph of Macroom, followed by why a certain area is perfect for building a hotel! Followed by 3 points on the map which showed evidence of historic settlements. It was tricky as I only had 10 minutes left in the exam so I was racing through the question!

I think that it was a successful paper and I'm happy with how it went.

#StateExams2017

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

Geography - #JC2017 - Olivia Whelan

 Olivia Whelan - Mean Scoil Mhuire LongfordGeography today was one of the subjects I was really looking forward to! I've always been comfortable with the subject geography.

As normal the exam began with section 1 , which consisted of 20 short questions , I flew through this section excited so see this years selection of questions in section 2. Section 1 was straight forward and nothing that I hadn't seen before , of course there were a few tricky ones thrown in to get the students attention. I marked the little tricky questions for me to go back on and moved onto section 2.In section 2 as usual we were given 5 question where we had the option of choosing our 3 to answer. I feel this is very helpful to the students who maybe mightn't be as strong in certain places of the course. To start I flicked through the questions and selected my best 3. Once I had decided , I began section 2. I chose to do questions 1 , 3 and 4 and I was happy with my choices. From my personal experience map drawing is confusing so I stayed clear from it on question 5.I started confidently until I realised I had taken one of the questions up entirely wrong , a quick few scribbles then sent me on my way forward! Timing was perfect but I got a slight bit nervous near the end when I still had a question left and short questions to look over , but in the end timing was perfect and I got to look over all I had written!Leaving the exam I was really happy with how I'd done and I hope to have kept the A I got in the mock.#StateExams2017

Maths P1 - #LC2017 #OL- Michelle Chiperi Aivazova

  Michelle Chiperi Aivazova - Colaiste Einde Salthill GalwayOrdinary Level

I went into the exam under-prepared, considering the last time I actually concentrated in class was well, never.This exam though was super easy, probably the easiest maths exam I've ever done.There's nothing much else to say for it, except I'm glad my friends doing the Honours paper found it good too.#StateExams2017