Orlaith Miller is a Leaving Cert student in Scoil Chriost Rí, Portlaoise. From Vicarstown and a past pupil of St Colman’s NS in Stradbally, she hopes to study English and History in college this coming September and is fan of all things creative. In our 2023 Leaving Cert Diary, Orlaith gives us a look into the life of those taking on the state exams this June.
The finish line is in sight!
Halfway there! All three core subjects are over done with. It’s time to move on to the options. It’s been a week of highs and lows – and the worst possible weather for wearing a school jumper.
I’m exhausted but relishing in the fact that as of writing this there are only four exams left ’til freedom. So, what was the first half of the Leaving Cert like?
I have to say, I let out a real sigh of relief when I opened English Paper 1. No doubt about it, it was a student friendly paper that I sailed through smoothly – after maybe two or three minutes of wondering what qualifications Patricia Scanlan had to write artificial intelligence (note to self – there are two Patricia Scanlans).
Meanwhile, in Paper 2 Elizabeth Bishop seemed to have taken the wrong exit on the motorway for the second year in a row on her way to the exam.
However, I cannot complain as my beloved Patrick Kavanagh made an appearance for the first time since 2011 with a beautiful question.
Irish Paper 1 was like a box of Roses chocolates in my opinion. I wasn’t excited by any question I saw (admittedly I struggled to translate a few of them) but just like finding a red and blue truffle, I found an essay title I could work with.
Irish Paper 2 was as predicted with Mo Ghrá-sa and Oisín i dTír na nÓg but I found the second reading comprehension, which was about Europe, quite tricky.
To refer back to the sailing metaphor I used for English. If I was to say I sailed through Maths I would mean “sailed” in a Titanic-esque way.
On a serious note, I really do want to take a moment to reflect on how damaging that now infamous Maths Paper 1 not only was but still is and will continue to be until there is a satisfactory solution to its marking found.
I have taken a calm and collected approach to these exams. Yet, I found myself holding back tears by the end of that exam. I felt disoriented by it, but I know people have heard more than their fill about it and so I won’t dwell on it.
However, I think I will be joining Granny next time she lights a candle to light two; one to whoever is listening up there and one to the bell curve.
What matters is that every day there is a little less study to do.
The finish line is in sight!
SEE ALSO – Check out the first instalment of Orlaith’s Leaving Cert diary here
