This week our columnist ruminates on doing exams, the ‘Leaving Cert holiday’ and yes, more potatoes
IT’S been a week of school graduations, award ceremonies and end-of-year masses, meaning everyone – parents, students, teachers – are emotional wrecks. And the state exams haven’t even started yet. I really feel for the students, there’s no denying that it’s a very demanding time, physically and mentally.
Having said that, the people I feel most sorry for are those living with the exam students – mainly the parents as they’re the ones who will have to navigate all those highs, lows and everything in between. There’s some tricky terrain coming down the tracks and that’s for sure. I admit to being wildly out of touch with exams and curriculums etc, but I recently encountered a few young people who’ll be in the hot seat from June 4th and I automatically launched into the rhetoric of ‘It’ll all be grand, don’t worry, sure didn’t we all get through it ... once you know your Yeats you’ll be grand’ (I couldn’t quite read the expression of the person I said that to, but I think I definitely heard something muttered under the breath about ‘dark ages’, and ‘dinosaur’).
To someone else I suggested: ‘Do your best but remember there’s something for everyone.’ I may even had added: ‘It will all be grand.’ I thought I was being helpful, coming across as some sort of wise, slightly cool grown-up, a guru of sorts, but then I read an article on what not to say to exam students, and both my well-meaning nuggets were there in black and white. Oops. I think the best tactic going forward is not to say anything at all, and perhaps go for a reassuring shoulder tap instead. Or a subtle head nod.
I may not be up to speed on this year’s exams, but I’m not so old that I don’t get that it’s a big deal. I still have nightmares about studying for the wrong exam and only realising it when the invigilator (great word) says to turn the paper over. It’s not as bad as the nightmare where I’m walking up the aisle, wearing a short wedding dress and I’ve forgotten to wax my legs but it still makes my blood run cold.
Think about it, this an exam that’s been spoken about and worked towards for years, and now it’s finally showtime. On the plus side (and it’s a big plus), many have their Leaving Cert holiday to look forward to afterwards which, by all accounts, takes more planning and will require more stamina than the exams themselves. Again, it’s the parents who have most of my sympathy.
And another positive is that most of those sitting the Leaving Cert now are young adults, aged 18 and 19 which probably means they are more mature, and better equipped to manage the holiday ... and also the exams. In my day (it’s ok, I don’t mind if you roll your eyes), we were generally 17 (in fact my sister was 16!) when we sat the state exam and made huge decisions about our futures.
I went from an all-girls boarding school to college in Dublin at the age of 17 and I can confirm that it was ... a lot. I don’t know why we were in such a rush.
There was no such thing as a gap year either ... I wonder is it too late to put in for one now? Even three months? I’d probably settle for a fortnight. Who do you contact?
Non-exam, second level students are on their school holidays already, and are living the dream. It’s a long old stretch all the same though – again mainly for the parents – especially if they’re too young yet to have an ‘official’ summer job.
There are plenty of ‘unofficial’ jobs they can get stuck into though: I’m thinking: grass-cutting, strimming, power-washing, painting, weeding, babysitting, not windows as they’re best left to the experts, but hoovering ... will I go on? Lay it on thick and they’ll be begging to go to Irish college after a week at home!
Now, I’m fully aware that I devoted a good chunk of my column last week to potatoes, but I’m staying on topic this week and talking about ‘new potatoes’. I’m literally counting down the days until they arrive on our shelves. A bit like marmalade, new potatoes are something you really only appreciate when you’re older. I’m a purist and will serve them plain with salt and loads of butter, to hell with the arteries. Add a fried egg and you’ve a complete meal, and sprinkle some parsley and it’s practically haute cuisine. Divine.
My grandfather had a fantastic vegetable garden and it’s only now I appreciate how much work must have gone into it. He always produced a brilliant crop of potatoes which, having tried last year, isn’t as easy as I imagined.
I planted some in an old plastic bin (that probably didn’t bode well for starters) but they never made it to the dinner plate. When the time came to dig them up, they were small (tiny) and looked like someone or thing had already had a nibble at them before us. I’d wager there was a touch of blight as well. Some things are definitely best left to the experts – that includes marmalade which I also tried and failed at.
Final word this week is for the parents of exam students: light all the candles (the holy ones and the calming scented ones) get the fancy crisps in (for yourself obviously) and book your own post LC holiday or a night away at the very least when it’s all over because remember: ‘this too shall pass.’ And to the students, make sure to have a good breakfast and please, please trust me when I say there’s something for everyone, but cram like a mad thing over the bank holiday weekend just to be on the safe side and don’t feel too hard done by when the warm weather hopefully makes a return when you get started.
