Exam diary: Praying for a chance to rant ... or even to tweet

TODAY is the beginning of the end of my second-level education, and to be honest, I am petrified of what lies ahead. The Leaving Cert is in full swing, and by all accounts I'm strapping myself in for the bumpy ride ahead.

'And now the end is near and so I face my final curtain... ' well, for English anyway.

After all the studying, my knowledge of English will be tested by two 16-page booklets that could cover anything from writing an obituary, to why I love Eavan Boland so much.

Frankly, my relationship with English has been good through the years. During Transition Year I was on the debating team, and I am praying today's Paper 1 will throw up a debate or two.

After a bit of last minute cramming, I think I'm ready to take it on, unlike some of my friends, judging by their Facebook comments and tweets who are: 'hoping Eliot does not show his face on Paper 2.'

I'm sure that TS would be delighted to know that his poems are being enjoyed by the students of North Monaghan!

Tomorrow's English Paper 2 has half the country on its knees praying that 'their' poet will come up.

I am pretty confident with regards to Paper 1, but, Note to Self: one question from section A, one section B, but A and B can't be from the same text. This has been my mantra for the last week.

In the essays, I'm hoping for one in politics. There is nothing like a good old fashioned rant to get the Leaving Cert under way, and if my mock exam was anything to go by, political honesty on the current state of the country would be a wonderful topic to throw up.

I hope the reading texts will be humourous or, like last year, we get to write about talking animals in zoos again.

I'm more of a visual texts person so I probably will end up doing Text 3, as I find them easier to answer as they allow your imagination to run free.

I have a strong feeling Facebook/Twitter or social media will come up in some form on Paper 1. This should be easy for most of us who have been glued to them this last week as a method of escaping the torture that is study.

Finally, before I get an early night and prepare myself for the biggest day of my life, I am wondering about recent reports that the Leaving Cert has been a victim of serious grade inflation!

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

Irish Independent