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Irish Times
02-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Brian Mooney's Leaving Cert survival guide: Get seated 30 minutes before the exam – and don't wear a smartwatch
Take a deep breath: it's just hours before Leaving Certificate English paper one lands on exam desks at 9.30am on Wednesday. If you are feeling anxious, you are not alone. It is normal for Leaving Cert students (and their parents) to feel stressed. As a guidance counsellor for many years, I have seen how some simple tips can help calm nerves and help candidates feel they are ready to step up to the challenge. [ Classroom to College: our essential newsletter to navigating the Leaving Cert for parents, guardians and students Opens in new window ] Trust Anxiety comes from fear of the unknown. Any situations where you are assessed under pressure – such as a job interview or an exam – can amplify this uncertainty. It is easy to feel consumed by the unknowns and immobilised by a lack of control over the outcome. This can result in panic – especially if you feel flustered by a question. The key is to trust your process. Nurture your own self-belief and remind yourself of all the hard work you've done. Organise READ MORE If you haven't done so already, arrange your revision notes for all the exam papers in each subject. Try organising them backwards, starting from your last exam, identifying the periods of time available before each paper to review your notes. When you have completed this process, you will have an idea of how you are going to use the remaining time available. Doing this will give you back a sense of control over the exam and reduce excess stress. Check Make make sure to bring blue or black ink pens, only, and pencils (for diagrams only). Make sure it's dark pencil; the light ones may not scan well when the exams are digitised for marking. If required, bring your calculator. A clock will be on display in the centre so you do not need a watch. There is a prohibition on smart watches and other devices so do not bring them. Check your other daily requirements such as water, food and transport costs, where appropriate. Timing Students will be required to be in their assigned seat in the exam centre 30 minutes before the start time of exams on day one, and at least 15 minutes in advance of their exams on subsequent days. Remember: candidates are not allowed to enter exam centres if they arrive more than half an hour late – and you are not allowed to leave the exam centre within the final 10 minutes. Plan When the invigilator arrives at your desk, you will be offered a choice of subject level in that exam subject. Opt for the paper you have prepared for. Never attempt to change levels at the last minute; this is typically a negative side effect of exam nerves. Once you receive your paper, read it carefully before you do anything else. Start to sketch out the outline for your answers to every question you plan to answer at the back of your answer book. Your brain will continue to reflect on all the questions as you begin to write. Start working on the first question, selecting the one you feel most comfortable with. Review If you still have a few minutes left at the end, try boosting your chances of getting a few extra marks by rereading your script. As any writer knows, a first attempt is always improved by rereading. Leave at least half a page free at the end of each question so you can add extra material – if you want to – at the end of the exam. New ideas may occur to you as you read back your answer. Options If the exams go badly, remember, the CAO race is not like Becher's Brook anymore. There are more pathways than ever to pursue your chosen career, whether through university, a tertiary degree programme or Post-Leaving Cert course. Many end up with the same qualification. So, remember, you have lots of options. Support Parents can play a crucial role by familiarising themselves with the exam schedule. Pin the timetable up prominently at home and highlight each exam that is due to be taken. In the stress of the exam period you need to be aware when your child must be in the exam centre. After each day's exams, allow your son or daughter to recount their daily story. If they feel they have made mistakes or omissions, do not be tempted to review them in detail. Simply allow them time and space to tell their story and move on to the next challenge. It can be helpful to your son or daughter to focus on the next paper immediately ahead. Simple questions around the nature of the exams can be useful in switching the focus. Love As a parent, there is no need to overhype the importance of any exam. Just remember that some young people taking the Leaving Cert can mistakenly believe their standing in their parents' eyes is dependent on their success in the exam. Ensure your son or daughter is clear that your love for them is in no way dependent on how they perform. This affirmation is one of the greatest gifts you can give them at the start of the exams.
CBC
09-05-2025
- Health
- CBC
'I was so deep in depression': northern Ontario woman speaks out during National Mental Health Week
Kayla Ramsay was around 13 years old when she felt something was wrong. After researching her symptoms online, the Sudbury woman realized she was struggling with depression. But even with that knowledge, she felt scared to tell her parents, both of whom had their own mental health challenges. "I was ashamed. I thought, I shouldn't be feeling this way. My life isn't that bad. So why do I feel this bad?" Ramsay said. Now 29, she is reflecting on her experiences as Canadians mark Mental Health Week, an annual campaign run by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). "I was just so low all of the time, I could not do anything. I was so deep in depression that I knew this was a problem," Ramsay said. She said her first step toward getting help came in high school when she spoke to a guidance counsellor. "She was so lovely, but she wasn't really equipped to deal with mental health issues," said Ramsay. "So when I was ready, I went to my family doctor and told her, and that's when I got medicated for the first time. I was 16 and I've been off and on medication as needed, pretty much ever since." Later, while attending university, Ramsay said the campus counselling services also fell short. More recently, she tried getting a referral to a psychiatrist, thinking her family doctor couldn't provide full mental health support due to time constraints. But she says after the referral, she only had one conversation with the psychiatrist, was given another prescription and referred back to her family doctor. "It's not always easy to find those supports and services, especially ones that are in your price range, or maybe you can't wait for those services," she said. Personal loss and a path forward When Ramsay was 21, her father died by suicide. She said he had previously made an attempt and was briefly hospitalized at Kirkwood Place, a mental health facility in Sudbury. "He absolutely hated it. Did not want to go back, did not access any other services," she said. "I think he got to that point where he just felt like there was nothing available, there was nothing else, there was no other options." Ramsay said navigating her own mental health has not been a straight line. "It's been a lot of ups and downs in my recovery journey," she said. She now works as a communications officer with the Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA), a peer-run organization offering advocacy, community programs, and resources to support people living with mental illness in Sudbury. "There's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of if you are having a mental health issue, problem or challenge," Ramsay said. "If you break your arm, you go to the ER, you go see a doctor. Mental health is no different." Chris Coulombe, a mental health educator with CMHA's Sudbury/Manitoulin branch, said this year's mental health week campaign is focused on "unmasking." "I think all of us have probably put a mask on at one point in our lives," he said. "Maybe we were hiding, or maybe there were some emotions or some symptoms that we were looking to suppress." The Sudbury/Manitoulin branch is marking the week with local initiatives such as lighting up the Sudbury water tower in green — the international colour for mental health — along with free workshops, crafts, and coffee fundraisers. "We really want to deal with that labelling that happens in our community," he said. "And really focus on dignity and on respecting individuals. Because everyone is someone." Coulombe said more support is needed to keep services running in northern Ontario, and to prevent the devastating consequences of untreated mental illness. "It's so important for us to enhance our capacity as a community to be there for others," he said. "We have the goal of ending stigma, but in reality… there's a lot of effort required to do that." He said stigma can lead to bias, stereotypes and discrimination and that the failure to speak openly or access help can have broader social consequences. "We often talk about the risks of institutionalization, incarceration or being hospitalized… But the reality is, there's also the risk of death," Coulombe said. "It's not a sign of weakness to ask for help." If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:
