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Getting the balance right in the lead up to exams

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Words: Niamh Dwyer

The last couple of weeks leading up to exams can be difficult. Students who have worked hard are feeling exhausted while many feel overwhelmed by the amount they have left to do and worry about running out of time. Regardless of the work rate up to now, it is important to get the balance right in the lead up to the Leaving & Junior Certificate which begin on June 6. Consider the following suggestions to ensure that you can give them your best shot.

Plan the remaining time carefully. At this stage the study plan should have the essential topics to be revised in each subject, taking account the schedule of the actual exams.

Actively engage with the subject material. Instead of sitting silently looking at your notes, read them aloud. Hearing the information will make it more memorable. Move around if necessary to keep up energy levels. Become the teacher, research has shown that the most effective way of learning something is by having to teach someone else. If you don’t have willing students, pretend you do and explain out loud what you know about the topic.

Use Flashcards. Long detailed notes need to be condensed into keywords or simple diagrams. They are ideal to focus your attention the night before the exam.

Focus on Exam Paper layout, sample questions and marking schemes. On www.examinations.ie you will find past papers, solutions and marking schemes. Study these carefully. Once you have revised a topic, read through the questions on that topic in past papers and see if you could attempt them, then look up solutions.

Practice timing in key questions. If you are concerned about your timing in certain subjects pick a couple of questions and practice against the clock.

Vary the routine of subjects and topics. At this stage it can be more difficult to concentrate so move from one subject to another more frequently. For example, revise a topic in geography and then move onto a question in accounting.

Avoid social media while studying. Put away the mobile phone. A huge amount of valuable study time is lost by responding to messages on the likes of WhatApp and Snapchat so for the coming weeks put away the phone while studying.

Switch off. The mind requires rest in order to function effectively in study sessions and exams so it is essential that you learn to take breaks. On study days, get up early. Treat it like a working day (9am-5pm). Take short breaks in the morning and afternoon and an hour for lunch. Then relax in the evening. Watch TV, go to a match or for a walk or meet up with friends.

Maintain some balance. Although it is difficult to think of anything other than exams in the final weeks, it is essential to strike a balance. Exercise, fresh air and healthy eating are hugely beneficial for the brain and they ensure the best chance of staying focused, maximizing concentration and making optimum use of the remaining time. They also help to perform more effectively in exams. Consider exercise an integral part of both your relaxation and your study plan.

Niamh Dwyer is a guidance counsellor in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore and is PRO of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors. She can be contacted at careerfocusnow@gmail.com.

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School Dayz St Brendan’s students donate to Kerry Hospice

Students from St Brendan’s College have given €600 to Kerry Hospice. The money was raised from their book, ‘Futures from the Past’ which was published in April 2024. Teacher Mary […]

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Students from St Brendan’s College have given €600 to Kerry Hospice.

The money was raised from their book, ‘Futures from the Past’ which was published in April 2024.
Teacher Mary Denise Lyons and students Divo Lucic Kovacevii, Michéal McElligott, and Jaroslav Stetsenko handed over the funds to Cathal Walshe of Kerry Hospice.
‘Futures from the Past’ is a book written by current and retired writers, as well as students from St Brendan’s College.
This donation is the second from the book, with €800 donated last year and €600 this year.
The book was created to allow students to use their imaginations to explore the past and think about the future. It involved students from Poetry Ireland’s Writers-In-Schools Programme and adult learners from Kerry Education & Training Board’s Community Education Creative Writing group.
The book was launched at St Brendan’s College in April last year and was made possible with support from Poetry Ireland and the Arts Office of Kerry County Council.
‘Futures from the Past’ is available for sale at St Brendan’s College for €9.

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Community College TY students become qualified baristas

School Dayz Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas. They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make […]

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School Dayz

Transition Year students at Killarney Community College spent last Tuesday learning the skills to become baristas.

They completed a full-day training course and are now qualified to make coffee, which could make them very employable in local cafes and restaurants this summer.
Their teachers, who are described as the school’s “resident coffee experts,” were impressed with the students’ hard work and enjoyed the lattes, cappuccinos, and Americanos the students made throughout the day.
In addition to their barista training, the TY students also took a trip to Mallow. There, they learned about the rules of the road, practiced the driver theory test, and many got behind the wheel of a car for the first time. They also learned about the dangers of speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

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