'I've one exam left... already I feel very grown-up and responsible'

I’m sitting the Leaving Cert Applied (LCA) and, already, it’s nearly over. I’ve one exam left, and that’s horticulture on Wednesday.

Not everyone knows what the LCA is, and it isn’t on offer in every school.

For me, however, it was the obvious fit. Like many other students, I didn’t sit the Junior Cycle exams because they was cancelled during the pandemic. I went into transition year and really enjoyed it, as there was more focus on learning through doing, and experiencing life, than you otherwise get in second-level education.

I dreaded the idea of going back to intense academic study. I always knew that I learned more by doing than by learning from a book.

At that time, I spoke to one of my teachers and she told me about the LCA, which has a greater focus on life skills and experience over pure academics.

I saw it as a really good opportunity, even if it meant perhaps taking a year between school and college to do a post-Leaving Cert course. Indeed, even some of the academically strong students are now doing a PLC as a bridge between school and college.

For instance, I did work experience every Friday in Explorium, the sports and science centre for children, based in Sandyford, Co Dublin. We have also learned, in school, about budgeting, how to book holidays, how to upkeep a car and so on.

Instead of so much hinging on the final exams, we do a lot of assessments which count towards our final grade.

In other countries, including Germany for instance, it’s perfectly normal to take a vocational route through education, and many vocational students end up earning more.

And, of course, it’s been a lot less stressful for me than for the students doing the traditional Leaving Cert exam. So, while I have been studying over the past few weeks, it hasn’t been quite so intense.

So far, I have sat English and communication, social education, French, maths and hotel catering and tourism.

I’ve also completed projects in some non-examinable subjects, including art, IT, science and, last year, Irish; Irish is one of my strongest subjects as I attended a Gaelscoil for many years.

Beyond school, I have already been accepted into a portfolio preparation course which, I hope, will lead me to study animation at IADT.

Before that, however, there’s the summer. Once the exams are over, I am heading to the UK for ten days with some friends. I will also keep working in Explorium, which is a job I really enjoy and have learned a lot from.

Now, however, I’m off to vote. I turned 18 just two days after the family and care referendums, so this is my first time. I’ve already made up my mind on who I want to see elected. Between that and finishing my exams, having a job, and seeing college on the horizon, I feel very grown-up and responsible.