Exam Diary/Darren Hogan Collinstown Park Community College, Clondalkin: The first, and worst, week is over. Yesterday was another great day. I only had one exam. It was paper two ordinary level Irish and I aced it. This is too easy.
I felt good about myself so I took the afternoon off and floated down to Liffey Valley Centre for a bite to eat with my friends. We left the unfortunate students taking Home Economics to sweat it out over chicken recipes and hemlines. By all accounts Home Ec lived up to its reputation as a bit of a killer.
Designing a kitchen, describing the spinal cord or preparing a vegetarian dinner - sounds like three subjects to me. Describe the construction and the working principle of electric storage heaters? When I go flat hunting I'm taking an A grade Home Ec student along.
I went partying last night. Well that's an overstatement - I went to a family function and found myself talking about the exams all night with curious adults.
I've been following the media reports of the exams so far with the critical eye of a short-term fellow professional. News reporters have, in the past, been liable to hype up little things but so far most of the reports, like the exams, have been pretty fair.
Today I'm getting back to the books - biology is coming into view. Tomorrow I've got accounting to review and a spot of French wouldn't go amiss either. I've been cramming all week and it hasn't backfired yet. Having said that the exams have been easy so far.
This isn't what I expected from the Leaving Cert - relaxed lunches, perusing the daily newspaper reports, lording it up at family parties, enjoying exams - am I missing something? I hope next week doesn't burst my bubble.