So long sunshine
Guidance counsellor shares her expertise
IRELAND baked in scorching 25C weather yesterday – but our heatwave is set to come to a watery end in the coming days. Sun worshippers were out in force as masses flocked to beaches and parks to enjoy the rays. Mount Dillon in Co Longford enjoyed the best of the sunshine, with the thermometer hitting 25.7C. And in Malin Head, Co Donegal, locals basked in the hottest May day on record, with conditions reaching 25.1C. Met Eireann forecaster Jean Byrne said: “Wall-to-wall sunshine was recorded in several parts of the country – and Malin Head had their hottest ever day in May.” But as the weekend approaches, we are in for a soaking wet smack of reality as Met Eireann predicts we could be hit with heavy downpours and a drop in temperatures. The forecaster added: “Friday will be another warm and sunny day for many places once morning fog clears. “But cloud will increase along western coastal counties during the day with outbreaks of showery rain. “There will be highs of 18C to 25C. “Heavy spells of showery rain, which could become thundery, will affect many parts of the country during Saturday morning. “There will be a gradual clearance through the afternoon with rain finally clearing the north coast of Ulster in the evening. “Sunday will be a dry, bright and fresh day with highs of 16C to 18C.”
SCHOOL is finished and the weather is amazing which can only mean one thing – it’s almost time for the Junior and Leaving Certs.
of students will face the biggest exams of their lives to date over the next few weeks. Late nights spent cramming and coffee-fuelled reading sessions will be commonplace across the country as we approach June 7. But with the pressure mounting, students can lose sight of how to best tackle the big exams. So here are some expert tips from top guidance counsellor Beatrice Dooley, designed for Leaving Cert students. But don’t worry Junior Certers, next week we will have a series of tips designed just for you. TIME MANAGEMENT Is there one subject you are spending a huge amount of time on to the detriment of others? For example, are you studying for an hour on one subject nightly and three hours on the other six overall? If you spread that one hour over your six other subjects, you could improve your grades in all of them and accrue a higher score. Consult with your guidance counsellor before making any changes to subject levels to ensure you are not rendering yourself ineligible for your dream course. PLAN Your biggest danger is you might get lost in all the information in your head. Plan your answers – and keep bringing yourself back to the question if you go off piste. Watch your time and don’t spend too long on any one question. Pace yourself – the Leaving Cert is a marathon and you need to have enough energy to endure the physicality as well as the mental pressure. Good nutrition and adequate restful sleep are essential. YOUR OWN STYLE OF ANSWERING Do you know personality and emotional intelligence are extremely important contributing factors to success in the workplace? So don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through in your answers. Also, bring in any transferable knowledge you have from leadership positions, sports, drama, music and other extra and crosscurricular activities. TRAVEL ESSENTIALS No talking or radio in the car on the way to the exam to allow for cramming – use ear plugs. Ensure your bus pass is up-todate and bicycle or walking shoes are in good repair. ON POINT You need enough points to bag your dream course but also ensure you aim for a margin of 20 to 50 extra points just in case the points go up. With regards to your CAO form, ensure you have a plan A, B and even C. Apply to different colleges offering the same course and remember the Institutes of Technology offer level 6 and 7 courses in pretty much everything. SURVIVING THE OFFER STAGE Your guidance counsellor will be available to answer any questions you may have when CAO start making course offers. Also the Institute of Guidance Counsellors helpline, which is manned by qualified guidance counsellors, will be open the week of the results. PERSPECTIVE Remember the Leaving Cert is just a stepping stone to the next stage – you just need to get the points and to satisfy specific and minimum subject requirements for your course of choice. Nobody will ever care what percentage you got in your LC subjects after this year. Try to enjoy the experience of going into the exam and showing off all your knowledge after all your hard graft, athletes call it “flow”. There is something therapeutic about leaving it all there on the page. Remember it is possible to be over-prepared. Allow yourself some wriggle room for creativity on the day. Beatrice Dooley is vice president of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors.