The previous week has been an uncanny and emotive experience. Our graduation ceremony took place just seven days ago; it marked an end to our six-year journey and gave us an opportunity bid our farewells. Over this period, I’ve been reminiscing and expressing my gratitude towards my academic institution, educators, peers, and loved ones who have stood by my side over these years.
The question of ‘what’s next?’ indefinitely lingers. We all envisage attending university, but as life would have it, none of us can accurately predict what the future holds. Given that we haven’t had classes in weeks, adapting to an unstructured day has been peculiar. We’ve been accustomed to a specific regime at school, with punctual start and end times, and a prescribed, regular curriculum.
Even after dedicating almost four decades to this profession, I have not yet encountered a teacher who solely relies on ‘rote learning’ to instruct Leaving Cert students.
These past weeks have been utilised to cram as much studying as possible, and in the process, I’ve come to value the relevance of taking breaks or simply going for a walk, rather than persistently revising. I’ve tried to spend some time outdoors every day, around late afternoon. This has not only provided a chance to relish the lovely weather and soak in some nature, but has also rejuvenated me, making me feel energised for the second half of my day’s studies.
This has undeniably been a period fraught with stress. The cancellation of the Junior Cycle exams in 2021 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic meant that today wasn’t just the commencement of exams but also our very first state examination.
I was apprehensive walking into the examination hall this morning, assuming my legs would buckle. However, seeing the familiar faces of my classmates and pals eased my nerves, reassuring me that my thorough preparation would pay off.
As I lay my eyes on the paper, initial reads appeared puzzling, causing a brief fluster. But with steady breaths, I carefully dissected the English paper one, question by question.
I responded to a comprehension question about kinship and the organic world. Further, I followed up with a question requiring a diary entry, which I felt was best suited to my writing flair.
In my personal reflections essay, I spun thoughts around life’s perplexities that baffle me. Life is chock-full of mystifying elements indeed! My musings touched upon the unpredictability of death’s arrival, the unexpected moments when we encounter love, and the hefty decisions one is required to make at the tender age of 18 or 19 like choosing which university degree to pursue.
I’m looking at the task of tackling five additional subjects, but I’m appreciative of the substantial interval between my penultimate and final examination.
Subsequent to these examinations, visiting my kin overseas is on my itinerary. I anticipate securing employment and having some spare cash at my disposal. Additionally, I wish for a moment of respite. This is an oddly transitional period, shrouded with considerable ambiguity about the future – a phenomenon that is simultaneously wonderful and unnerving.
Ratzinger Monteiro stands as a Leaving Certificate pupil at the Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School.