Exam diary: Staying sane on the home straight

In between hours of study for my final exam, I'm trying to get back to normal with non-Leaving Cert activities, swimming being the main one. An hour of swimming lengths in the pool while trying to remember the methods for applied maths questions is a welcome break from the desk.

The fact that almost everyone who meets me thinks I'm finished and enjoying my summer is beginning to annoy me. It's clear that they haven't been reading my exam diary!

Another unwelcome visitor has also made an appearance this week, especially yesterday -- hay fever. The fact that I was walking around Monaghan town yesterday with tears streaming down my face and a red, runny nose has probably made people think I'm taking the exam stress really badly.

I got the report on the final business subject of 2010 - economics - from Conor, who goes to my school. He was delighted to be finished but was surprised oligopoly didn't come up and felt the monopoly and perfect competition question was asked in an awkward way.

There were plenty of opportunities for drawing graphs, and Conor chose the demand question to show off his excellent graphing abilities.

I also talked to my classmates Darragh and Michael about the construction studies exam, with which the majority of students in my school finished their Leaving Cert 2010 experience.

Darragh and Michael had already submitted projects on a timber-frame house and slatted cattle shed, and they were disappointed with the paper.

According to Darragh, safety questions that always come up failed to show this year and a lot of people were depending on these for easy marks. Also, the drawing question, involving a roof with a window, was described as tough and challenging by Michael. Environmental sustainability was a key topic on the paper.

All that's left for me to say to the unfortunate candidates yet to sit agricultural science, music, religion, applied maths, Italian, Japanese and technology is to recall the words of 'High School Musical' or, more recently , George Osborne in his budget speech in London: 'We're all in this together!'

Peadar Ó Lamhna is a student at St Macartan's College, Monaghan

- Peadar Lamhna

Irish Independent