I’m afraid to leave the community into which I have only recently found myself actually feeling a part of. It took the guts of three years – and now my course is almost finished. What the hell do I do with my life?!

Transition phase

For anyone going through a major life transition, be it from school to college; college to the outside world; your current college course to another; an Erasmus programme abroad; or even just an upheaval and relocation to another home address, the most important thing is not, as most would assume, to ensure you keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times, or making sure you do everything correctly and in accordance to consensus (snore).

It’s to keep your thoughts in check and the way you process all this new information, new acquaintances, and ultimately new chapter of your life. It is truly a mind-boggling experience, being shoved mercilessly head first into a sea of people, locations, and information, half of which you didn’t desire or even know existed in the first place.

Excitement in the uncertainty

This is where I’ll make my first positive affirmation; daunting and devaluating as this unknown realm of adulthood all sounds. You cannot deny that there is also a certain element of excitement to it. Sure, I don’t have the slightest inkling where on earth I will be twelve months from now. I’ve no idea how I will be paying my bills or funding my ever-intensifying relationship with Urban Outfitters and Topshop. But isn’t that half the fun??

Stumbling along your way

As someone whose experience has led her to believe that last minute plans always work out to be the most rewarding, I can most definitely see the exhilarating aspect to it all. Starting out with nothing and stumbling your way blindly to somewhere you’ll be happy, because, after all, that’s really what it’s all about, isn’t it?

Happiness. In my experience you’re not going to be happy anywhere unless you’re happy with yourself. Which could lead me on to subtly redirect this train of thought to promoting healthy eating and general wellbeing (which of course is also vital to your continuing happiness), but let’s just focus on the external factors, before I get too distracted and go make myself some green tea…

There really are so many options out there for young people today. With the ever-increasing amount of college courses and opportunities that now exist, you’d be absolutely foolish to barricade your possibilities into one room or onto one route for your life to take.

How far you’ve come

Sure, it’s scary. It’s daunting. But, so was that first day in playschool. Look how far you’ve come? How many new experiences have you had since then, and dealt with accordingly? It’s going to happen you know. You’re GOING to finish college, there’s no point trying to deny it or prolong the time you have to make any decisions.

Start with the blank canvas

If you’re like me and have that big naked, blank canvas in your head that stretches out ahead whenever you think of September 2013. Try and look at the positive side of it – it’s blank. It can become ANYTHING you want. Anything. I just want to live…and be happy?! Is that too much to ask?

It’s understandable to be sad about the lie-ins going away for a while.

Different feelings

We can feel a lot of different things about going back to college from being anxious about the upcoming workload, to being excited to see friends again. All of these feelings are normal. If you find what you’re feeling is affecting you day-to-day, try talking to someone about it.

Getting back into a routine

After spending the break off of school, it can be tough getting back into your routine. If you have morning classes, try slowly building up to waking up early again. If you have new goals or habits you want to start this year, try working them into your schedule now, so starting school and new habits at the same time don’t feel overwhelming.

Clean slate

Although the school year isn’t over yet, this semester can be a clean slate. If you found that you weren’t great at studying last year, try making a plan on how you can improve it. Maybe you didn’t get out and make as many new friends as you had hoped. You can decide if you’d like this new semester to be different. Check out foolproof resolutions for tips on making new goals for this year.

Find something to look forward to

If you’re finding it especially hard getting revved up for school this year, try finding the things you will be looking forward to. Plan getting together with your friends you haven’t seen all break.

Over time, college will fall back into place and you’ll be back into routine, so don’t worry too much. Read more about going back to school.

Money worries are such a stressor for us all.  So whether you’re interested in things like the budget or not, it’s good to know how it’ll affect your wallet.

On a night out/or in

•  The price of a bottle of wine will increase by  €1
•  Pints of beer and cider will be increased by 10c
• Excise duty on spirits will rise by 10c per standard measure
•  The duty on a packet of cigarettes will increase by 10c
•  Roll-your-own tobacco will increase by 50c per packet.

Health

• The Drug Payment Scheme threshold is being increased from €132 to €144 per month
• If  you’ve a medical card, prescription charges will increase from €0.50 to €1.50 per item.

Driving

• VRT and motor tax will increase in 2013 (unless you drive a hybrid)
• Some good news here, there’s no increase to the cost of petrol and diesel. Woohoo!

In school

• If you’re 18 or under, your parents will be getting €10 less a month in child benefit for you
• The back to school allowance has been cut by €50. That’s €50 less to go towards uniforms and shoes next year.

Third level education

• No surprises here, the Student Contribution Charge will increase by €250 next year and every year until 2015. Next September you’ll have to pay €2,500 and that will go up to €2,750 in 2014 and €3,000 in 2015
• Funding has been reduced by €13 million to VEC’s and €25 million to higher education institutions. It’ll be up to the colleges to decide how this will affect current and future students
• The student grant income threshold will increase by 3%. Student grants are means-tested so if you’re applying for a grant in 2013, you (or your parents) will need to have an income of 3% less than you needed in 2012 to be eligible
  • The cost of education allowance (book grant) was €300 but will now be abolished. No more book grants for 2013
  • Participants on the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), Youthreach and FÁS further education and training programmes who move from jobseeker’s payments will no longer have their new payments increased to the maximum €188 per week, if their jobseeker’s payment is less than this. However, people under 25 who were getting an age-related reduced rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance will get a standard maximum rate of €160 per week. (citizens information)

Working or looking for work

• There’ll be no more Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) exemptions for low-income workers. Don’t panic, employees who earn €352 or less per week still won’t have  to make a PRSI contribution won’t affected. But, if you earn more than this per week you begin to pay PRSI. It’s estimated this could cost most people €264 per year
• If you’re self-employed the minimum level of PRSI you have to pay per year will rise from €253 to €500 
• On a positive note, reliefs to small and medium size enterprises may encourage employers to provide jobs.  An additional €12 million in 2013 and €26 million in a full year has been allocated to increase the numbers of placements available on labour activation schemes like JobBridge, Tus and community employment scheme.

On the dole

• Good news. No changes to payments or criteria to be eligible for Jobseeker’s benefit or Jobseeker’s allowance.
• However, the duration of the Jobseeker’s benefit has been cut by three months. This means if you’ve payed PRSI for two years prior to becoming unemployed you will now only receive benefit for nine months. After this you have to apply for Jobseeker’s allowance which is means-tested.

Renting

• There’s been no change to rent allowance but due to increases in property taxes and PRSI, rents could increase if landlords choose to pass on the these costs on to tenants.

All their thoughts were turned towards one Holy Grail. Hoping to make it to the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final on the 9th of September

Months of preparation

They knew that if they could make it that far they’d be able to hang up their helmets afterwards and take a well-deserved break. Hopefully as All-Ireland champions.

And they did it – they accomplished their goal. Both teams faced off in a tense showdown filled with drama and determination.

But by the time the sun set over Croke Park that evening, It became apparent that neither team would be returning home with the cup.

For the first time in 53 years, the final score was a draw. A replay scheduled for three weeks later.

Shocking news

Both sets of fans were in shock. It was a second chance at victory, but it also would require another three weeks of rollercoaster emotion.

And how must the players have felt? They’d been waiting so long for their day of reckoning, only to have everything postponed.

This Sunday they’ll gather once again. Summoning up every last reserve of strength and determination. The final home of the Liam MacCarthy Cup will be decided.

How to cope

When bolts from the blue happen to us, sometimes it can leave us reeling.

Whether it’s failing an exam, losing a job or even just getting unexpected news, life can sometimes throw us curveballs.

Working on your problem-solving skills and coping strategies is important so you don’t feel too overwhelmed when things don’t go according to plan.

Stay calm

Kilkenny Hurling Manager Brian Cody has this to say about how he coped with the news of a replay:

“You just have to adapt. You sit down, discuss, plan, work out the best way forward and you realise very quickly that it’s still a game of hurling you want to play.”

He’s right. Staying calm will help you focus on what’s happened and the best way to deal with it.

Positive self-talk

Try to think of the positives or opportunities in what has happened. Challenging your negative self-talk will help you feel better able to tackle what lies ahead.

Galway Captain Fergal Moore certainly feels like his team is ready to tackle Kilkenny this Sunday, despite the upheaval.

“Because (last) Sunday’s game is in the past now. We can only take what we can from it, learn and work to improve, and put those into practice for the replay.”

Whichever team emerges triumphant from this Sunday’s clash, it’s sure to be a fight to the finish.

There may have been setbacks along the way, but the Galway and Kilkenny players have all shown us how to keep our eyes firmly on the ball.

Every morning during my first few months in college, I’d stare longingly at the student newspaper office door on my way to my locker in the UCD Arts Block.

Sometimes it would be open, giving me a glimpse into a tiny, cluttered room, usually stuffed with people, chatting and drinking coffee.

More often it would be closed, causing me to imagine all sorts of interesting high pressure situations within, as stories were broken and headlines were made.

Will I / Won’t I?

I’d missed my chance to get involved with the paper during Freshers’ Week. The newspaper stand in the Freshers’ Tent didn’t have any free stuff to give out, any leaflets that I could idly pick up and leaf through, while feigning disinterest.

So I’d bypassed it on each circuit of the tent, unable to pluck up the courage to talk to any of the older students manning the stand with a sign-up list, all looking bored – or at least that’s how they looked to me.

I left the tent in defeat with my goodie bags, a proud member of the English Soc, DramSoc, the Philosophy Society and lots more, too embarrassed to approach the one organisation that really attracted me.

College stress

All over the country this month, students will be negotiating the obstacle course that is Freshers’ Week.

The idea is a great one – it’s obviously easier to make new friends if you get involved in clubs and societies, meeting people with similar interests.

But as a first year student in UCD, I felt like those clubs and societies were full of confident, unapproachable people. They all seemed to know each other and what they wanted from life. I felt like it was easier to hide out in the library rather than try and bridge the huge gaps that seemed to divide me from everyone else.

Feeling overwhelmed

It’s important to remember though that other students, while appearing impossibly self-assured, are often just as confused and overwhelmed inside.

Taking the plunge

Eventually, in my case, a good friend, who knew how eager I was to write for the college paper took matters into her own hands. Passing by the door one morning, she reached out and knocked loudly and winked at me. She then raced around the corner to her own locker, leaving me rooted to the spot like a sacrificial victim.

Forcing myself to smile as the door swung open was the hardest part. Once I’d introduced myself, it was pretty obvious why I was there. I left with a story to write, a deadline and somewhere to go on my next break between lectures.

First step

Freshers’ Week can be a pain in the neck. Everyone else looks like they’re having loads of fun, while you feel like a tiny fish in a huge pond. Starting college is hard enough, without having to look like you’re the life and soul of the party.

Sticking with it can be well worth it though. Knocking on that door, or signing that sheet, even though you really don’t want to, could be the first step towards making new friends and finding something you enjoy doing with them.

Don’t panic and take your time. Those societies will be there all year, so Freshers’ Week won’t make or break your time in college, it’s just a handy place to get started.

I am a newly graduated secondary school student. Completing my leaving certificate was a gruelling but rewarding experience. Leaving school this summer I felt excited and eager to see what else is out there for me.

Leaving school behind

School for me was very restricting and the thought of college and adulthood enthrals me. Finishing school is a relief and an achievement. It’s just one chapter in my long journey. For me personally, the thoughts of never going back to school are ones of relief. Secondary school didn’t suit me and I struggled. I am happy to leave it behind me and look forward to starting college in the coming weeks.

The debs

Excitingly, I have my debs coming up next week. A chance for every girl to dress up and have a good night. There is so much anticipation around this event it’s hard to know what to feel. I am most looking forward to the amazing night planned with my close friends and wearing my dress.

On the night

My reservations on this night would have to be spending the night with a year group who I don’t particularly click with and the intensive drinking that will take place.

Open to judgement 

A challenge for me on this night will be the initial arrival and everyone judging the date you’re brining and your attire for the night. It’s an excuse for girls to judge you. The trick is feeling comfortable in what you’re wearing and just ignore the critics. As they say “sticks and stones may break your bones, but words may never hurt you”. I’m sure for some it will be a sad night as it is the last time everyone will be together. But, as I said this is just one chapter and new friends will come and better times are ahead.

What the future holds

The next step in my journey is to continue onto third level and complete a degree in an area I love. Nobody can tell what will happen but I am excited to see what my future holds. I would love to get involved in societies in my college to broaden my knowledge and to integrate into college life. Roll on my 20s, is all I can say.

Anyone the new boy or girl this year? Starting at a new school for whatever the reason it can be a pretty nerve-wracking experience. Luckily, there’s ways to make it easier.

It’s okay to feel stress

Feeling stressed or anxious about starting a new school is completely normal! There’s a lot going on. You may be sad about leaving old friends, worried about meeting new people and just finding your way around. 

Remember everyone is the new person at some stage and have felt the same in this situation. Chances are you aren’t the only new person starting this year.

Making the transition

The first few weeks of school may be a little rough, but you can get through it! Try getting involved with activities at school, or finding ice breakers to meet new people.
Take some time to read through your class schedule. Be patient, it’ll take time to get used to being in a new school. Take one day at a time, and keep in mind: it’ll get easier.

Clean slate

Going to a new school is like getting a fresh start. This is a chance to be yourself and try new things without dealing with the same old groups from your old school. It can be an opportunity to reinvent yourself too, if you feel you want to.

Try to take some time and do things you enjoy. Transitions like these are stressful and staying in touch with friends from your old school too, when you’ve time, can help ease the situation.
For more information, check out starting a new school.

There’ll come a day when you’re the new person at work too, so arming yourself now with our top tips will set you up  for life!

It’s exciting seeing friends again after the holidays, and getting back into a routine. But it’s equally understandable to miss the days of lie-ins and worry about how things are going to go.

Whatever your feelings are, there’s a few things to get the right frame of mind and motivate you for the new school year. Take a look at going back to school for some ideas.

What you might feel

The beginning of the school year could make you feel:

• stressed or anxious 
• excited to see friends again 
• upset that holidays are over 
• pressure or expectations from yourself or others about school 

Some people can be so concerned about work load or upcoming exams, or school in general that they’re physically sick, including stomach aches, headaches or migraines. Remember to look after yourself if any of these are the case. Do try to talk to someone about these feelings as they will eventually interfere with your day-to-day activities.

Routine

Make sure to schedule in time to do some of the things you enjoy. Getting some exercise and eating well can help. Even if you don’t feel like it, do try. As it’s back to school time, it also means the slide into shorter days. So, it’s important to start a routine of eating well and excerise to try to stick for the winter.

Bullying

If you’ve been bullied in the past, and are worried it might continue this year, arm yourself with what to do if you’re being bullied. Most schools take this very seriously and have anti-bullying policies, so be sure to know the facts about bullying.

Clean slate

Back to school means different things to different people. It certainly may not be the best days of your life, no matter what you parents say but it’s always a new year, and so a chance for new beginnings. Starting positively with intentions of keeping on top of the work can help prevent pressure building up on you. Easier said than done, we know, but this could be the year of getting really organised, you just never know.

First round CAO offers are out today, so what should you do if you didn’t get your first choice? 

This is hard when you’re seeing messages or status updates on Facebook from friends who have. Nevermind the parents’ grapevine, telling you what so ‘n’ so down the road got.

Very competitive

We’re kind of a broken record about this stuff, but not getting your first choice is not the end of the world. For some it’s a blessing in disguise.

As each day passes, it’ll get easier and easier to get some clarity about what to do next. Keep in mind, even if it feels like all your friends got their first choice, it’s just not possible that everyone in the country did, so you’re not alone! It’s been well documented that it’s particularly competitive this year and remember there’s still second and third rounds offers to go.

Alternative paths

If you’re absolutely fixed on particular goal there’s more than one way to achieve it and may not have been well laid out to you in school. Look at the school leavers’ section to work out your options, from repeating to PLC courses, to taking the year out.

Making tough decisions

Maybe you threw something down as a first choice because you thought you’d never get it. Now you did and you’re not sure. You have a week to accept, so really weigh up the pro and cons about this. It’s not a good idea to take on something just because you feel you should.

Talk to someone

This is a huge transitional period in your life there’s no doubt about it so don’t shoulder the stress on your own. Try talking to a friend or family member about what you’re going through. Anyone who has been through this time will be able to help you put things in perspective.

Challenge and reset your expectations

Sometimes it can be helpful to re-think your own expectations. Ask yourself, “What would I suggest to a friend in this situation?” Sometimes expectations are only focused on one outcome, so if you don’t meet them you may feel like you’ve failed. As we’ve said, there are a number of ways to achieve a goal. Talk to someone you trust about what your different strategies might be.

Financial worries

One of the main concerns right now for people thinking about college is money. This worry is not likely to go away throughout college either. What you can afford influences what you decide to do, so find out all you can on about student grants and student loans. Read up on budgeting too, to try to start off with good habits.

Look out for yourself

Take some time out by doing something you usually enjoy this week. Even though you may not feel like it, exercising and eating well can help with this stressful time. Sometimes a change of sceenery can be helpful too. Give yourself permission to take a time out from all the talk about points and courses. 

Don’t stay up all night

“Do some light revision the night before an exam but don’t stay up until the wee hours in the hope that some new information is going to settle into your exhausted brain.”


Highlight

 “Highlight everything! Important information in notes, important words in questions, whether they ask you to discuss, explain, etc. Pull out the important information in the question with a highlighter, makes them stand out more, and you’re more likely to retain that information.”

Record it

“If you’re a kind of auditory person record/download some material you can listen to passingly on the bus. You’d be surprised how well it works especially for history essays.”

Study tips

“Depending on how you learn, you could re-write out notes a lot of times, have family members quiz you on a page of notes, attempt to teach a family member without looking at your notes, record yourself saying your notes, and listen to them on the way to the exam. Get a study buddy, found they’re super helpful!”

Stay positive -“Put up some positive/inspirational quotes around the place to keep in good spirits about things! Have a playlist set aside for breaks or taking a stroll”

Eat breakfast

 “Even if you don’t normally have breakfast in the morning, try to eat something. A bowl of porridge/cereal is ideal for slow-releasing energy. But if you’re too full of nerves to stomach that, munch a banana on the way to school”

Hydrate

 “Make sure that you have a bottle of water to sip during your exam because dehydration is terrible for your brain function and can make you feel lethargic. “

The exam

“Take a deep breath before you open the page of your exam. Don’t be daunted by the content. Tackle the questions that are worth the most marks first. If you get stuck at any point while answering them, move onto one of the smaller/easier questions and return to the other one after you’ve got a little break from it.”

Do your best

 “You’ve spent months preparing for these exams and all anybody, including yourself, can expect you to do is your personal best. Keep a clear head and focus on the tasks at hand, rather than the points you’ll receive in August. “


Ahhhh! There’s only one week left until the Leaving Cert. In the wise words of Douglas Adams: “Don’t Panic”.

OK, so it may feel pointless trying to cram the whole two-year course into the next week, but desperate times and all that. It can be overwhelming when reality sets in and you realise how much study still needs to be done. Remember stay calm. It’s still a week. You can and will get through this!

Smart choices

With the countdown on, the most important thing is to prioritise and make realistic goals. Having unrealistic expectations of yourself will only stress you out more. Make smart choices about what you can do in the time left working with the timetable.

Bust that stress

Don’t forget to take breaks and schedule in rewards. This will help getting through the actual exams, and remember, all study all the time makes you go something something…

Hit the gym or go for a run or walk to reduce anxiety and keep focused.

Not the end of the world

While the Leaving Cert is important if you don’t get the points you want, you still have plenty of options. Check out an alternative path from someone who struggled through Leaving Cert but it all worked out in the end. 

Good luck!

Take a look at tips for effective studying and managing exam stress for more pointers. 

Ticking off the list

Having stuff to do is great. It stops us getting bored and getting into trouble for building forts in our living room. Keeping motivated and crossing big red lines through items on our to-do list feels good.
 
A little bit of stress can be a good thing, it can help us get some of this stuff done.

Super-hero?

There’s a fine line though. Having too much stuff on can often lead to feeling stressed, or anxious and can send us into a downward spiral of counter-productive procrastination.  
 
If you’re doing exams you could be doing more work in the next few weeks than you’ve done for the last year and need to keep on top of it.
 
So how do we deal with these overwhelming to-do lists, expectations and deadlines without the gift of super-powers?

Don’t panic!

You are not alone! It’s normal to start to feel overwhelmed when we have too much stuff to do but the trick is to not panic.
 
Recognising when you’re feeling stressed is key.  Stress can affect different people in different ways. It can cause trouble, sleeping or eating, or it can make you shut-down, putting off what you need to do and that’s the last thing you need. Read stress to recognise the signs. 

Stress busting

Once we recognise we’re stressed then we can do something about it. Learn what works for you to manage it, not everyone’s cut-out to be a Zen-like yoga guru. Go for a run, play some Xbox or learn some relaxation techniques.
 
But first have a go at priortitising your work and getting stuck into that workload.  It is possible to bust that stress and avoid that anxiety procrastination spiral. Read Hints for effective studying and managing exam stress for more tips.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s possible to get work done and have fun as long as you don’t let the procrastination get you.

Excuses

You work best under pressure right? But have you tried it any other way? We all make excuses from time to time; but this can backfire leaving us more stressed when that deadline finally creeps up. Give starting early a go, you may be surprised what you can achieve.

Distractions

Checking if food has magically appeared in the fridge or checking your Facebook every 5 minutes can be a sure way to lose a day. Get rid of these distractions by setting aside a specific time to study each day. This way you can enjoy your time off guilt free.

Break it down

If you are prone to procrastination because you feel overwhelmed by a work load then try breaking it down. Breaking it down into small manageable parts will make that mountain of work in front of you seem way more achievable. Starting the hardest thing first and getting it out of the way will help with anxiety. Read more on study tips.

Start it now

Starting is the hardest part. If you are believer in the old adage “why do today what can be put of to tomorrow” then you are probably a procrastinator. But that deadline will eventually come so think Nike. Just do it! It may be hard at first but the feeling you get when you finish will be worth it.

Do a little bit each day

By starting to think about the task early you will be working out all of the little problems in the back of your head. Even while you’re not actually working. Bonus! Giving ourselves time to process and work things out is how we get those Eureka moments while brushing our teeth.

Reward yourself

Planning breaks and rewards can be a great motivator. A combination of relaxation and activity can work really well. Don’t forget to keep up your exercise routine and relaxation techniques to keep those stress levels down.

Procrastination is about putting things off that we don’t really want to do. If you’re finding it hard to get motivated to do the things that you would usually enjoy then it may be a sign of something more serious. Check out feeling crap for more.

I’m Suzanne Byrne. I’m 25 and I’m from Dublin.
I first heard of ReachOut.com through a flatmate of mine who is friends with Vince [who was until recently ReachOut.com’s community engagement manager] and then I heard of their internship position through the website ActiveLink.ie. I thought it sounded like an interesting role, one which would explore the area of youth mental health and also help me to develop my skills in working with young people; it was those two things that appealed to me.

Challenging my views of mental health

Before I started, in my head the dialogue around mental health was all about the removing of stigma instead of placing the emphasis on positive mental health which is what ReachOut.com does so well. Stigma reduction kind of happens naturally once the positive mental health side of things is emphasised and promoted – that’s what I’ve taken away from it anyway. It’s most important to encourage people to talk about their problems and to promote the idea that it’s ok to not be ok sometimes.

Supporting young people

I feel more confident in myself in talking to young people about youth mental health and I think I’m in a better position now to support young people with mental health problems as well. The ASIST and Safe Talk training I got were particularly helpful.

I feel more confident broaching certain issues with young people but its most visible in the day-to-day conversations that you have with young people at events and youth advisory network meet-ups, where you can acknowledge that someone is going through a tough time and be able to handle their response well. That’s something that you only gain through time and something that you only improve with time so the six months working directly with young people has really helped me to do that.

To read the full transcript of Suzanne’s interview visit the Inspire Ireland site. Suzanne is pictured here at Oxegen ’11 and she is not the one in the Tiger outfit.

The perfect Christmas

While the idea of the perfect family Christmas is awesome, planning and negotiations can turn into a logistical nightmare.

It’s great to feel needed and wanted by loved ones but sometimes it can all be a bit much. Add shopping, cooking and studying into the mix and it’s a recipe for a frazzled festive season.

Pressures

Feeling pressured to try to make everyone happy during the holidays equals guaranteed stress. Yes, it’s all about giving and family but a happy healthy you is what your family really want for Christmas.

What does Christmas mean to you?

Thinking about what Christmas means to you will help you prioritise. Choose to attend events and activities that mean something to you. Just because you baked 2,000 mince pies last year doesn’t mean you have to this year. Be realistic about what you can fit in during your holidays and that will help reduce feelings of stress.

Parents that don’t live together

Deciding who to spend christmas with when your parents don’t live together can be hard. It’s easy to feel like you’re disappointing one of them, whatever you do. Or you could end up eating two dinners!

It’s important to remember that your parents not living together wasn’t your choice or your fault. Don’t ask permission to spend time with your other parent. You need to do what you feel comfortable with and what makes you happy. It’s your Christmas. Speak to your family about how you are going to split your time beforehand.

Seeing your boyfriend/girlfriend

Wanting to see your boyfriend or girlfriend over Christmas can be tricky especially if your family expects you to be home with them. There are ways to balance the two.

You may be able to create a special time to see your girlfriend/boyfriend. This may be on Christmas Eve, Christmas night or St Stephen’s day. You could even plan your own special Christmas together  before or after. There is no reason why you can’t give presents then and make it just as special as Christmas Day.

Catching up with friends

It’s normal to want to catch up with your friends over the holidays, especially if you’ve been away. However your parents may not be so keen on sharing you. The trick is to pre-plan.

Let your family know that spending time with them is important and plan special activities with them. If you tell them in advance which days you’re planning on hanging out with your mates they will appreciate the time they have with you. That is as long as you don’t make family time hangover time.

Fitting in study

After working hard at college for a whole term it’s tempting to forget about all about college work. There are certainly are enough distractions to get away with it. Ignoring them won’t make the assignments, exams and mocks go away.

Try to timetable some study into your holiday season. It being Christmas, there’ll be plenty of treats and fun stuff to reward yourself with.

Planning downtime

Stressful situations are exacerbated by tiredness and irritability. Making sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy is one way to keep your Christmas spirit. Planning quiet time out for yourself to do things that you enjoy is another way to keep the grinch at bay. Try taking a walk to digest that Christmas dinner.

Think of it as your Christmas gift to yourself.

Third level student

You may have heard the student contribution increased by €250. This means that next year it will cost €2,250 for registration fees. There will be a 3% reduction in the rate of student maintenance grant from 2012 for existing grant holders. The colleges themselves will also have a 2% cut in core funding. If you are receiving back to education allowance your annual book grant will be reduced from €500 to €300 in 2012.

Thinking of doing a post grad?

If you are currently receiving a maintenance grant for post graduate study you will continue to receive your payment but the 3% reduction will apply.

The real change is for new applicants in 2012. New postgraduate students will get a fee grant only and no maintenance grant. Fees will only be paid for those in the lowest income bracket (to be defined). It is expected that 2,000 people will qualify for this support.
A further 4,000 students could receive a €2,000 contribution towards their fees which would be means tested. But overall post grads are becoming more difficult to do without hefty financial resources.

Work part-time

Job seekers allowance for people who work-part time will be reduced. It will now be based on working a five day week instead of a six. This means, if you worked three days and got job seekers allowance for three days, you will now only get the payment for two days.

The good news is that there has been a change to the USC threshold. This means if you earn €10,036 or less a year, you will not have to pay the USC.

Unemployed

There has been no change to payments for unemployed people. However, you may find that other things may affect you like the 2% VAT increase on luxury items.

Secondary school student

There will be bigger classes for fee paying schools so fees may go up. School running costs are to be cut by 2%. The back to school clothing and footwear scheme will be reduced by €55 for 11- 22- year- olds.

Youth reach

Payments for 16-17 year olds will be reduced to €40. This means a €36.65 decrease for 16-year-olds and €55.75 less for 17-year-olds. The payment tor 18-years plus will remain unchanged.

Own a car?

Not awesome news if you drive a car. Petrol will go up 1.4 c and diesel will go up 1.6 c a litre straight away. Also motor tax will rise from 1 January.

Renting

Dan’t panic! The €100 household charge applies to the owner not the tenant, that means the landlord will have to pay this, not you. In January, the minimum contribution towards rent supplement as a single person will increase to €30 and will increase to €35 for couples.

Own a house ?

Good news if you were a first time buyer between 2004 and 2008. There is an increase in mortgage tax relief for you. The downside is you will have to pay a new household charge of €100 a year, unless you live in a ghost estate!

Health

The drug payment scheme threshold will be put up by €12  making it €132. Also the price of private beds in public hospitals will be going up. If you have private health insurance, there is likely to be a knock on effect so expect it to be more expensive next year.

The old reliables

VAT will go up by 2% to 23% as of 1 January. This will affect a lot of stuff you buy.
Smokes have gone up 25c a pack as of midnight.
There has been no increase in the price of alcohol but the 2% hike in VAT will apply.

If you are finding all of this budget stuff a bit overwhelming you may want to check out these articles on tips for managing money and stress.

Make a budget

Yep, budget is word filling us all with doom at the moment, but it’s necessary for us all to get through nights out and shopping coming up to Christmas. It sounds boring but not quite as boring as the enforced detox you could be having ’til the spring if you overspend.

Knowing exactly how much you have and can afford to spend is the only way you can avoid leaving yourself short.

Take a leaf out of Santa’s book

Make a list of all of your family and friends who have been good boys and girls this year, check it twice. Set out how much you want to spend on each person, you may need to check that a few times too.

Making a list and sticking to is will stop you impulse buying and only come home with what you need. It also helps prevent buying tat in a panic if you know what you’re looking for.

Time is priceless

Instead of buying gifts donate some time. It’s the most valuable thing we have, so offer up some free labour. Maybe offer to paint your nan’s kitchen or make a promise to do some gardening for your mum. These gifts can mean more than anything you could have bought in a shop.

Make up some vouchers and print them off so you have something to give on the day. For brothers, sisters or friends with young children you could make up vouchers for babysitting, have no doubts, they’ll be appreciated and cashed in.

Get creative

Making gifts can be cheap and fun. You can turn it into a social event and have some mates over for a christmassy craft day. Handmade gifts are more thoughtful and also lessen the chance of giving someone something they already have, or will get this Christmas.

No credit

Take out the amount of cash you want to spend and leave the credit card at home, this way you’re not spending what you don’t have. Knowing there won’t be any nasty credit card bills to look forward to in January can make Christmas all the more enjoyable.

Secret santa

If you have a big family or large group of friends then a secret santa may be the way to go. Think about it, you know yourself, it’s way better to get one really good gift you love and will use compared to 100 different pairs of  reindeer socks.

If you’re feeling stressed about money this Christmas, talk to your family and friends about it. You’re certainly not the only one, a lot of people feel the same and could be relieved if you bring it up.

Some families set price limits on gifts and some only buy for children. You could make an agreement with your friends to not exchange gifts this year. Either way talking about it will ensure everyone has realistic expectations on what you can afford and no one will be left disappointed.

What Christmas is really about

Although we can’t deny it, Christmas can be a whirlwind of shopping, presents, eating too much and drinking to much.

But, apart from the religious origins Christmas can be a time to catch up with friends who are home, family you never see and to take some time out for yourself at the end of the year. It’s surprising each year how quickly we can all forget about presents. Try to remember that when you’re feeling the pressure.

Have a look at some general budgeting tips.

We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving in Ireland, though apparently there was a traditional Thanksgiving in O’ Donoghue’s in Dublin last night Rihanna stylee. But, there’s no harm in stopping and thinking about what you’re thankful for every now and then.

Health and well-being

In fact, many psychologists have been lauding gratitude as very important to our health and well-being. It seems that being a grateful person can help you mange stress. The positive outlook that thankful people have is also said to be an immune booster.

Lifting your mood

It’s actually starting to sound like a bit of a wonder trait, but if you think about it, it’s easy to realise what you appreciate when you’re in good form. So, maybe reminding yourself of these things can lift your mood when you need it.

So much about gratitude is about people’s outlook and perceptions and the Irish “count your blessings” attitude in our culture is why Ireland ends high up in the happiness scales quite a lot.

No, it’s true we do. The UN is always telling us we’re nearly topping the satisfaction charts.

Positives of the day

These are indeed tough times and it can be easy to get swept up in negative press  but it’s important to remember to take time out to, yep you know it, count our blessings.

By stopping each day and listing three things that were good, or you enjoyed or appreciate, whatever they are will do you wonders and help you stay optimistic in the winter months.

Judging by photos online today, there are few people grateful they went to O’Donoghue’s last night, getting to meet Rihanna.

So, go on give it a try and post your three positives below.

“Never get a job”

When I told people I was thinking of coming home their responses were pretty disheartening. Even my own mum thought I was mad. As much as she missed me, she thought I’d “never get a job here”.

Where I grew up

My reasons for coming home were many and I did have a list of pros and cons.  I had made many friends in Oz, loved my job with Inspire and well let’s not get into the weather. At the end of the day, I’m Irish, all my friends and family live here. This is where I grew up.

Not too shabby

I just wasn’t comfortable with the idea of never being able to come home because of the economic climate. So I came home and you know what? It’s actually not all that bad

At home

I’ve been home about three months now and I’m not going to say it has all been sunshine and lollipops (especially not sunshine). It’s been a huge adjustment but I’m finally starting to feel at home at home again.

Challenges

It’s been tough adjusting to live with my parents again after being out of home for years. Trying to catch up with my friends while managing to take time out for myself as well worrying about money, work and study have certainly kept me busy.

How to manage

I feel the need more than ever now to make preparations to stay sane for the imminent winter (Like taking up belly dancing classes!).

I think tips I’d give to anyone who is also moving against the traffic would be:

1.    Give it time. Moving country is a huge adjustment and all change takes time to get used to.
2.    Take time out for yourself. It’s easy to run around trying to please everybody especially after being away so long.
3.    Get excited about being home. Don’t loose sight of all the little things you love about Ireland. It can get tough but stay positive by planning for the future.

It’s awesome to meet you all.

Roisin

Support

Or even you haven’t moved out of home yet, and it could be time, well gone the time. No matter what seems to happen Ireland is still expensive. There’s no question jobs are harder to get and in some cases wages aren’t what they were, so moving out may not be an option. You could find yourself not well and needing your families support. 
In each case, even though it’s the helpful option, it could be the tough option.

Personal space

It’s hard to try when you are a young adult living with your parents to get your space and give space, as believe it or believe it not, they need their space too. Suddenly when it’s a house full of adults it can all get a bit claustrophobic.

There some ground rules that can help you all, making life easier for all of you when, for whatever reason, you find yourself having to move home or can’t move out.

Communication

Like most relationships the most helpful thing to prevent conflict happening is communication from the outset, but it’s not the magic secret. So take a look at moving back home for health or financial reasons.

Well well well, what a weekend for sport! Exhausting. Not to mention finishing it off in Coppers last night.

This weekend was more than one lesson in realising never count your chickens, rest on your laurels or think that the race has been won before it’s been run. It’s a game of two halves.

Not good enough

Ireland, against all the odds, beat the Wallabies in a game they had been anticipating for the last two years. Going into the World Cup, no one had a good word to say about the Irish team’s recent performance and they started the tournament poorly.Their match against the US left them and their fans very despondent with Brian O’Driscoll saying it wasn’t good enough.

Not getting complacent

But they were resilient, bouncing back this weekend with their brilliant 15 – 6 victory. At the same time, they’re wary about getting complacent, which arguably was what Australia were. It’s not over, we’re only half way, they stated.

Thriving support

But the star of the show seemed to be the crowd. “You’d swear we were in Dublin with that support … it was about time we gave them something to shout about” said O’Driscoll. You could see the team thrived on it. We all need support and maybe that’s it, no matter how professional you are you can only rise to expectations, so negative commentary has a negative impact.

Complete bias

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that it felt like an All-Ireland match in Croke Park. Funny that, as the next day in Croke Park was the All-Ireland. This time Dublin were the underdogs against Kerry. We’ve many friends in Kerry but we need to be very clear, Bernard Brogan is an ambassador of ours and has done great work for us, so couldn’t even possibly begin to be neutral. Apart from the fact UP THE DUBS anyway. Sam’s coming home! Ahem.

Who could believe it?

Croke Park was trembling, trembling they said, at the end of the match as Brogan (did we mention he’s our friend?) put Dublin ahead by a point and Kerry equalised. But then, ice cool Dublin goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton scored the winning point. Dublin couldn’t believe it. Kerry couldn’t believe it. It was unbelievable! Very graciously though Kerry’s manager said, “Fifteen minutes ago, we thought we had it won. But that’s life.”

Mindset

It’s been well accounted the changes Pat Gilroy, Dublin Manager, has made for the team and yesterday he spoke about the work they have put into their mindset and it’s clear he believes in his team. The talk today is all about belief and mental strength, well maybe a bit delicately after a night in Coppers. UP THE DUBS! UP IRELAND!

Brilliant, eh?

But it can also be a little bit daunting when there’s no one to tell you what to do, because it also means you might not know where to turn if you need some help.

Never fear! College is actually full of support services – you just need to know where to go.

Tutors

Some colleges assign a tutor to every student. Your tutor is there if you’re having an academic problem, want to change course or something is affecting your work. Find out who your tutor is and go say hello or drop them an email so they know who you are. Don’t be afraid to ask them if you need help. It’s what they’re there for.

Student’s Union

The Student’s Union is there to represent the students. They will run campaigns, arrange the big events and parties, and give the student body a voice in the college. You can become involved yourself by running as a class rep, but the important thing to know for the moment is that they are there to help you. If you have questions or need advice on something in college – whether it’s exams, landlord issues or you’ve run out of cash – the Welfare Officer is there to help you sort it out.

College health services

Most colleges will have their own health services, with doctors, nurses and counsellors. They are mostly free or cheaper than normal. Find out where these are in case you need them if you’re sick, need an STI check or aren’t feeling your best. They’re usually pretty open and friendly places where you can talk about anything, like…

Sexual health

Let’s face it, for a lot of people, college is a time you start to become, eh, more aware of sexual health issues. From free condoms to information on tests and check-ups, both your college health service and your Student’s Union will most likely bombard you with sexual health information, so pay attention!

Be sensible, use protection, and if you’re ever worried about anything, go to the doctor. They will be well used to doing STI checks. You can also go the college health centre to get a prescription for the Pill or other contraceptives, or if you need the morning-after pill. The morning-after pill is also now available over the counter in a lot of pharmacies.

Mental health

College years can be stressful at times, and it’s not unusual at all for people to make use of the counselling services and the helplines that are available. There are people to support you, and taking care of your mental health is a big part of looking after yourself at college. If you need some support, visit the college health centre or talk to your Welfare Officer, and they’ll fill you in on all your options.

Fresher’s week happens differently depending on what college you’re going to. In some places it’s a bigger deal than others. But whether it’s big or small, when you’re starting college for the first time, it can be a lot of fun.

It can also be little overwhelming. New places, new faces, confusing timetables and no one to tell you what to do. Chances are it’s one of the first times in your life you’ve had so much freedom, and now you have to figure out how to handle it.

The first thing we say is don’t panic. Why do we we say this? Because:

A) You might be so excited that you want to do absolutely everything because this is the best week of your life and you can’t miss any of it aaahhhhhh etc.

B)You might be terrified and want to hide under your bed.

To the As out there, you will have many, many opportunities to have fun in college, so take it easy. Seize the opportunities, but don’t get too overwhelmed by the amount of new things to do, or burn out going out every night. You get to stay here and do this for a few years!

To the Bs, you will find your feet in college, your own gang and your own pace. There really is something for everyone. Take your time with it. Don’t hide under the bed though. The unknown can be scary so go have a look around, get familiar with campus. Join some societies (more on this below – they are the best places to make friends with people who are into the same stuff). Enjoy! You get to do this your own way.

Drinking it in

There’s undoubtedly going to be a lot of parties, nights out, drink promotions and all that. Just be sensible about it. Pace yourself, don’t get twisted and watch out for your mates. You’ll want to remember this in years to come!

Societies

Depending on the size of the college you’re going to, there’ll be different societies for different activities and interests. From film to food to ultimate frisbee, there’ll be something you’re interested in. Societies are a great way to meet people, especially if your class is big. They can also can give you the chance to volunteer, get experience and bump up your CV.

Classes

This might sound obvious, but try to make it to your first week of lectures and seminars. These are the ones where you’ll be briefed on what’s expected over the year, and given your reading lists etc. Take notes of any details, like room numbers, times or dates when essays or projects are due in.

Depending on your course, lectures might be quite different from school. Learning how to take notes and stay on track can take a little time, but keep at it. If you’re having trouble, talk to your tutor or Student’s Union Welfare Officer.

Getting the basics down

Pay attention when your given your email passwords. Most of the information you need in college will be communicated through email, and if you don’t get this all sorted it can cause problems later on.

The same goes for the library – go on the tour, learn where stuff is and how to check out the books you need. You mightn’t be using it too much for the next few weeks, but there will come a time when you’ll need it. You don’t want to be trying to figure it out when you have an essay due or an exam the coming up.

Away from home?

For a lot of people, starting college means moving away from home, family and friends. This can be so exciting, but also a little daunting at first. It’s only natural to feel a bit homesick no matter how much you were looking forward to freedom. Routinely calling home on a particular day or time, and video Skype-ing over a cup of tea can help you keep in touch with your old friends while you’re making new ones.

Dealing with parents?

If you’re staying at home to go to college, as many people from cities will, fresher’s week can be a time of…well, adjustment for your parents. Suddenly you’re gone all day (and sometimes all night), you’ve loads of new stuff happening and the last thing you want to do is hang out at home. If they’re on your case, remember that they’re probably just missing you, and getting used to you growing up. Cut them some slack, and make the effort to spend an evening at home every now and then.

Finding your feet

You will find something in college that fits you. It is an amazing experience and for a lot of people, it’s the first real chance to really be yourself, to figure out what you love. Enjoy it!

Our next blog will cover all the supports and services that are available in college, from college health to your Welfare Officer. Stay tuned!

If you’re heading off on a post-results trip to Aiya Napa, Cos, Crete or whatever other unfortunate island that is only dying for you and everyone you know to arrive, we’re looking at you. Or you there, getting set for the glamour (eh)of the debs in your powder blue tuxedo.

These events are milestones in your life and it is only fair that you cut loose and have a whale of a time (yes, a whole whale). But there might also be a couple of things you could be worried about, or that you should keep in mind:

Holiday hijinx

Our main piece of advice for all those heading off to foreign lands is if you can help it, don’t be an eejit. Stay safe, and if something seems dodge, give it a miss. Don’t break any laws, don’t offend the locals, and look after yourself!

• Drink safe – in the heat, alcohol can affect you differently. It can go to your head more than normal, especially if you’re de-hydrated. Drink lots of water and try not to knock back alchopops when you’re thirsty. This may well also be the first time you’ve had the opportunity to head out seven nights in a row, so don’t feel you have to go totally mad on the first night – pace yourself.
• Remember to eat – a vital piece of wisdom. Have dinner, it’s just a good idea.
• Sun, sea and scorch-marks – wear suncream! Don’t sit out at midday, and try not to fall asleep on the beach. Nothing attractive about the lobster look, it’ll hurt and it’s bad for you. Be careful when you’re swimming, and don’t do it if you’ve been drinking. See point one.
• Take care of your mates – look out for your friends, especially on a night out. Make sure you’re together, and that if someone seems the worse for wear that you keep an eye on them. Maybe pick a place where you can meet up if you all get separated.
• Stranger danger – making new friends is great, and you’re not five so we won’t say don’t talk to strangers. But do be careful. If someone is bothering you, or you find their behaviour strange, stick with your friends and let them know what’s going on.

If you’re feeling under pressure to drink more than you want to, have a look here for some good tips on dealing with this.

Formal frolics

If you’ve got a debs or a grad around the corner, the same general message applies. Have a blast but mind yourself and your friends all the same. Again, there can be pressure to have the best night ever by getting completely trollied, so it’s important to stay safe and not let it get too much for you to handle.

With things like the debs, there can also be a lot of pressure about what you wear, how you look, who’s having the best night, not to mention getting a date. Check out peer pressure for tips on not letting it get to you.

Remember that you get to celebrate big changes in your life whatever way you want, and if this sort of thing isn’t your cup of tea, that’s ok. Have fun with your friends – that’s all it’s really about, after all.

Arghhhhhh! Five point plan?!

Life plan

Life is funny, especially the bit where you’re expected to decide what you want to do with it. In school we didn’t even have a choice about what socks we wore (in some places). Then we’re launched into the real world. Suddenly it’s all about choices – what course, what job, where to live, which life.

You thought school was pressure? Pffff you’re an adult now, pressure is on.

Changing your mind

In reality, very few of us have it all planned out when we’re 18, or 21, or 35-years-old. Even if we do, it can change a million times. As we grow, we change, we meet new people and experience new things that influence our decisions. Half the time those changes or uncertainty is what makes life interesting.

How many successful people started out doing what they do today? It can take a while and a roundabout way to find out your calling.

Performers

We recently met some comedians who performed at a comedy night for ReachOut.com. When we asked them how they got to where there are and was it what they always wanted to do and we got some very different answers from them. Have a look at what Jack Wise, Shazwanda, Eric Lalor and Fred Cooke had to say about what they do.

If everyone knew at 18-years-old exactly where there were going to be at 50-years-old, it’d be a bit of a plot spoiler. Where’s the fun in that?

Getting stuff done

Having said that, having a bit of a plan is a good thing in the short-term, because otherwise you can end up just watching Jeremy Kyle and not getting anything done.

You will nearly always know someone who seems to have it sorted out from day one and that’s fine. If you’re not one of them, if you’ve just gotten your results, just finished college or are at a crossroads in your life and you don’t have a road map, it’s ok. You’ll make it as you go, and who knows where it might lead.

But as for five point plans, what am I, Bismark, restoring the glory of the empire? (one for the Leaving Cert history students right there)

If you’ve just gotten your results or have left school have a look at some options available.

Hopefully you’re rested up and had a good summer and recovered from the exams. But now the results are looming. It’s all very well for people who aren’t in the same situation telling you it’s not the end of the world if you don’t do well, but it can certainly seem like it. But, at the risk of falling into using all the same clichés, don’t panic.

Options

If things haven’t gone to plan it’s important to remember that this is the beginning of a new phase in your life and you have many options available to you.

We have tried to cover as much as possible here so have a look and see what’s on offer. As mentioned in one of these articles, knowledge is power so arm yourself with all the information you need.

Everyone has an opinion

As well as being a tricky time for you, there are probably many people in your life who know what’s best for you, or think they know.  It’s not unsual for people to experience a good bit of conflict with your parents around now.

Think of others

This time can also be an exercise in diplomacy. You may have done really well but your best mate hasn’t. Enjoy your success by all means, you earned it but be sensitive to those around you who may not have done so well.

Have a think about who you don’t see on results day, people may not want to be out celebrating, then maybe give it a day or two to check-in with them.

What’s next?

There are plenty of options. The amount itself may be overwhelming  but bear in mind a lot of these need decisions made fairly rapidly so you do need to keep focused.

On the night

You know it, stay safe. Nearly everyone will be out celebrating or commiserating, either way it’s a big night and can get fairly wild.  But do your best to stay safe and look out for your friends.

You did all earn it, so have a blast!

Why we fight for it

Independence, as we know well here, is a pretty significant thing for a country. Nations will fight wars and go through years of suffering to be masters of their own destiny, and make their own decisions. People across the world have sacrificed bitterly for that right. What comes next?

The whole aftermath bit wasn’t so smooth in America, or France (with the be-heading and stuff) or here. Civil wars, making laws, trying to get the trains to run on time…whoever it was that said that with freedom comes responsibility wasn’t half right.

Personal battles

It might seem like a bit of a stretch to compare the wars of independence fought by nations with the relatively insignificant battle for freedom that we all go through growing up. But when you think about it they’re not so far apart.

Without independence, we can feel frustrated and oppressed. Why should anyone else, your folks or your teachers or whoever it is you’re up against, get to decide what happens to you, or what you do? Coping with a lack of independence is tough. We fight for the right to decide, to choose, to be by ourselves.

Going it alone

When we win, just like countries who are suddenly out on their own, there’s a whole lot to figure out. Whether it’s getting a job and a flat or just being able to make decisions in your own space, independence is tough – you can’t manage without it, but managing it isn’t easy.

From the practical, money stuff to getting support making big decisions, or figuring out what you want to do with your life, it can take a bit of time to get to grips with it all. There can be plenty of rough bits along the way. We make mistakes and need to get back up again.Eventually, we get the hang of it. It might not be time for fireworks and hotdogs, but it feels good.

If you’re finding it tough to manage independence, or struggling to have a bit more freedom, check out what is independence, as well as money, work and study for tips on going it on your own.

Becca, one of our ambassadors, gave us her account of doing the Leaving Cert from the vantage point of one year on. Here she tells us about finishing up.

Music was my last exam. There was a week and a day off between my other exams and it, which meant I had loads of time to study for it, but didn’t. There was that whole “I’ll study tomorrow” element to it that I think everyone has when it comes to time off before exams.

Finishing together

Most of my friends were finished around the same time, which helped when it came to celebrating being finished we didn’t have to wait for anyone to finish. My friends and me had a few drinks in one of the girl’s houses, it was a nice way to relax and celebrate no more exams.

Unwinding

Pretty much as soon as I walked out of the last exam I was out of “Leaving Cert mode”. I just walked out and put it all behind me until results night.
One great thing about being finished was that I could go out again. There was no pressure to stay in and study while the sun was shining in the window

Waiting for results

For the most part I forgot about results for the summer. There were moments where it entered my mind but I knew there was nothing I could do about them or get them any sooner so I just forgot about them. I was looking forward to going out results night more than worrying about the actual results.

Over the summer

After the exams I just went out with my friends as usual, had some girly nights in and crazy nights out and even did things like the Dublin Zombie Walk for the laugh. Some people think it’s an anticlimax after the actual exams. But if you’re finishing up your exams now I’d recommend looking at it as a celebration. Go out and have the most epic summer of your lives like I did.

We decided we’d share what we remembered with you. We’re not saying we’re all worldly wise, but we’ve all been through it and survived. Here are ReachOut.com’s recollections of the big LC:

Derek says:

“Ok, the leaving cert…my memories of it aren’t great at all because I’ve done a few exams since and each exam that came after became the ‘most important exam ever’. I also did my Leaving Cert in the school gym, somewhere I’ve played more football and basketball than taken exams, so my strongest associations with the physical exam hall are of sports-related activity.

Other memories? My kid sister was doing her Junior Cert the same year and I remember us both being a little spoilt at home…got the dinners we wanted, grumpy mood tolerated. I also remember being grateful that it wasn’t a World Cup or European Championship year, although the weather was really nice so it was a shame to be stuck indoors.

After that, I just remember feeling really happy, thinking I’d gotten over a big milestone when it was all done. I really and truly had no idea about what I wanted to do afterwards (although I still harboured barely realistic notions of being a professional footballer) so in a strange way that took a lot of pressure off me…I had applied for a few courses and I knew I’d be offered something…one unknown third level course was as good as the next one as far as I was concerned…All in all, happy days, honestly.”

Suzanne says:

My main memory from the Leaving Cert was that after all the hype and worry it was over in eight days!!! EIGHT DAYS like!! Two years of talking about it and then it was just over in a week! I was happy with some exams and disappointed with others but after a few weeks I totally forgot about it and I had the best summer of my life!! By the time it came to results none of us where that bothered by it and we were all just looking forward to the adventure of moving out and going to college.”

Elaine says:

The Leaving Cert for me was a long time ago, but that instruction ‘you may now turn over your exam paper’ (do they still say that ?!) still sends shivers through me. I remember the good weather, the big hall, the fellow students who panicked me by asking for reams more extra writing paper and the sound of the ticking clock.

The exam time flew in, and in no time it was the last week of June and I flew from the school nest and started out on the big life adventure.  Looking back it was a time of mixed emotion – relief that exams were finally over and a sadness that I was leaving a big group of friends that I had shared the previous five years with.

Exams didn’t feature in my life for another 25 years when I did an MBA as a mature student – and the time in between put everything in perspective. Ok – I still got nervous when I ‘turned over the exam paper’ and writing as opposed to typing for a couple of hours was a nightmare (!), but I had the benefit of hindsight knowing that I probably knew more that I thought I did, I really did read the exam paper before rushing into the answers and that everything really would be ‘ok’.”

Susan says:

Things about the Leaving Cert that I loved…when I got into the study or exam zone. The feeling of camaraderie that I felt with everyone in my class going through the same thing. I had a real sense of belonging (which I didn’t always feel). Being supported at home (there was nice food for once!). And…studying outside!

Things I hated about the Leaving Cert…having a sore finger from writing. The feeling that I should have done more. And, to be honest, the day I got my results remains one of the toughest days I’ve experienced. But you know what? I got through it!”

Naoise says:

In a weird way I loved doing the Leaving Cert. The exams that is, not all the rubbish beforehand. But I enjoyed that fact that it was the first time I felt independent in school context. It was only me writing to the correctors who would never know who I was. I enjoyed doing it so much that I did it twice. I didn’t do much better the second time either, partly due to the fact that my ambitions far outweighed the work I was willing to put in.

So be it. It was, in itself, a valuable lesson, a lesson learned twice, I had been winging it being a smart ass for a long time quite easily. Some of the decisions I made afterwards weren’t the smartest either, but there’s a book in those. I only think about it now when it’s that time of year, and each time I look back I realise there have been many other events that have had much more impact on my life or who I am now.”

Fenella says:

Looking back, I think I paid way too much attention to the hype around the Leaving Cert and to other people’s expectations. I got myself all stressed out, set my expectations way too high and unsurprisingly didn’t get the points I wanted.

But things have a way of working out; it may take a bit longer to get what you want, or you may be taken down a completely different path, but you can have lots of fun along the way. So my advice; try to ignore the hype, don’t get too stressed out and once each exam is over forget about it and move on!”

Vince says:

I can’t really remember too much about the Leaving Cert…shows the affects of ageing! The one thing I do remember is my big reward after finishing the Leaving Cert, which was a Sega Dreamcast- An old video games console that never really took off. Daydreaming about hanging out with friends and playing the console during the summer is what got me through the exams. Always good to have that reward to keep the motivation up!”

Amy says:

What do I remember about the Leaving Cert? Hmm. Lying on the grass outside school with my friends making daisy chains,and reciting our history special topics (nerds!). Laughing hysterically in that way you do when you’re so hysterical that all you can do is laugh. Turning over English Paper 1 and writing my heart out. The feeling that I would never, ever have to do a maths test again IN MY WHOLE LIFE!

There were definitely tough moments too- Irish aurals where I couldn’t make out a word or the morning before biology that I was convinced I’d forgotten it all. But the feeling I remember most is one of freedom, of excitement for what was around the corner, and that whatever happened with my results, I’d done it. It was done. And now, looking back, I think that what I learned most wasn’t on the curriculum, it was about knowing that you could get through anything, and mostly stuff isn’t as scary as you imagine.”

When you’re doing the Leaving, the pressure can feel pretty intense. I did it last year, and I remember the feeling like teachers were constantly telling us we should be studying at least five hours a day – which is, let’s face it, unrealistic for a lot of people. When you’re in sixth year and it’s coming into the summer, all you want to do is celebrate being finished school.

Whatever works

During the time-off between graduating and the exams starting if I felt stressed or worried I would go for a walk or go online for a break. I studied at my own pace and not how I was told to. Everyone learns stuff differently, some people can read over notes for hours and that could work for them but for me I found it easier to write things out or listen to audio tapes.

Things that helped

A few of my friends were doing the exams at the same time as me. We felt the same pressures and worries, so we took time-off together to hang out. Just for an hour or two we forgot about the exams. My Mam was a great support – as much as she wanted me to get great results she didn’t put (much) pressure on me to be studying every second and not have any time to myself. She let me take my time off and do it my own way. One of my friends had done the leaving the year before I did so she helped me a lot, especially with Irish because she had gone to an Irish school from junior infants to sixth year.

Once it started…

Once the exams started it felt like a bit of an anti-climax. For the last two years in school all I heard was that these were the hardest exams I’d ever have to do and it was such a big deal. To be honest though, once I walked into the first exam I felt strangely calm, they were much easier than I expected.

…and when it ended

As weird as it sounds I was upset when the exams were over. I was glad to be done with exams but I missed being in school and seeing all my friends every day.

Words of wisdom

For everyone heading into it tomorrow, I think the best advice is pretty simple. Be on time, don’t get too stressed out and you can only do your best. Remember that nobody is going to expect miracles – if you normally get Cs in tests don’t be killing yourself trying to get an A.

Possibilities

After my exams I started a PLC course in Sallynoggin doing hair and beauty. After a few months I realised that it was a good course but it just wasn’t for me. I felt like such a failure leaving after only a few months, but it was having seriously negative affects on my mental health. After I had been put of college for a few weeks I realised it wasn’t the end of the world to change. I applied to another course more suited to my interests. So don’t worry if what you do next year isn’t exactly what you thought it would be, there are always other options

Good luck everyone and have an epic summer!

Remember you’re ever too old or too seasoned at exams to be gently reminded of the following:

Before the exam:

Sleep, eat, walk, breath

Towards the end of exams, you’re pretty wrecked and your brain is probably pretty full. You might still have some cramming to do, but you also know a lot already. If you need to sleep, sleep. Eat something that isn’t a frozen pizza. Get out of your room and get some air. Your body and mind will serve you better if you’re nice to them now.

Relax and…enjoy?

You’ve more than likely survived a few already and so will survive the next ones too. No matter how they went, they’re done. You’re an exam veteran now. Try to enjoy learning the remaining stuff. Some of it might be kind of interesting. If you’re in final year, this is usually the point where you remember why you liked your subject – just when it’s all over!

During the exam:

Keep time on your side

You’ve heard it before but it’s worth repeating. Divide up your time for each section or question and try to stick to it. You’ve learned so much in some areas and will often know a little less about others. As a result it can be difficult to give equal weight to the questions, but you can only get a certain amount of marks no matter how stellar one response is.

Plan it out

If you’re answering essay questions, make a rough plan that you can look back on. This is especially useful if you’re tired. Towards the end if you’re under pressure for time, you can through down a  couple of sentences on each point to show your thoughts.

Answer what’s asked

Read the questions carefully and take a couple of minutes to figure out what the examiner’s really looking for. Answering the question they’ve asked you is generally a better strategy than trying to squeeze in a prepared answer. This will show you understand and could give you an edge.

If the question you were expecting doesn’t come up

Stay calm. Take a deep breath. It happens sometimes. Read the selection of questions carefully and see which one your best prepared to answer. What you’ve learned will stand to you.

If you find yourself getting frazzled

Put down your pen, close your eyes and re-charge. Breath in. Breath out. Breath in. Breath out. Open your eyes, take a drink of water and pick up where you left off.

Finish it and forget about it

Once it’s done, it’s done. No point in dissecting it with people outside the exam hall. Everyone will have had a different approach and everyone will get freaked out by hearing other people’s answers.  Move on to the next thing. When it’s all done, have a great summer.

Good luck!

Joint campaign

The campaign, spearheaded by four national youth groups (ReachOut, 
Headstrong, Fóroige and BeLong To) was launched to put young people directly in touch with their local candidates.

Issues that matter

We often hear politicians talking about the importance of investing in our country’s future. So we’re asking why issues that matter to young people, like their mental health, rarely feature in political debates. We want to make sure that youth mental health becomes an issue that is talked about, by young people and their local representatives.

Energetic campaign

Get on Board for Youth Mental Health has two angles,aimed at both young people and election candidates:

▪ Get On Board Online! – the hub of the campaign. You can support the campaign and interact with your candidates through an online map. Tweets and emails can be sent directly though the site.
Videos and photos of every candidate that gets on board, as well as messages of support from well-known faces will be constantly uploaded to the site so you can see exactly who is supporting our campaign.

▪ Get on Board the Bus! – a campaign bus will be hitting the streets next week! We’re travelling to candidates around the country asking them to “get on board” with youth mental health. We might even play a little game of “Follow the Leader!”
 The open-top bus will be full of young people, a band and a camera crew and candidates will be invited on board to hear what young people have to say.

We want every candidate in the country to be asked, be it on Facebook or on the doorstep: ”What are you doing to get on board for youth mental health?”

More of us than ever are having to deal with being out of work. A staggering 24.2% of 15 to 24 year-olds are unemployed at the moment in Ireland.

The recession has negatively affected many Irish people – ranging from those newly unemployed and struggling to adjust, to college graduates unable to find their first job, to those having difficulty making ends meet or petrified of losing their jobs.

Emigration

For many it’s becoming harder to stay optimistic about prospects at home, especially with evidence of the recession constantly looming over us. Continuous reports of emigration, friends unable to find work, being laid-off or leaving the country, shops and businesses closing left, right and centre, along with the daily news about bailouts and ten year downturns.

Although being unemployed can be frustrating, depressing or downright frightening, especially during this economic crisis, but it’s certainly not the end of the world.

Benefits of hobbies

Can you turn it to your advantage? Unemployment definitely can’t be called fun, but it does give you far more time to pursue interests you may never had time for before. Have you always wanted to rekindle the passion for things you liked in secondary school, like art for example? What about all those hobbies you haven’t had time for? Hobbies can give you the sense of fulfilment that you may be lacking right now.

The 2009 Pfizer Health Index showed that those recently unemployed are four times more likely to suffer depression than the general population. So keeping active can help you deal with the boredom or stress being out of work can bring.

First steps

1. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re unemployed  and finding it tough financially. From your parents, your family, the government. There’s nothing shameful about to receiving unemployment benefits. Make sure you find out what you are entitled to.

   While we’re on the topic of money, it helps reduce your regular living expenses. Are there any non-essential things you can live without? Maybe cutting down on the partying can help, or cooking more at home and forget about take-aways for now. If you’re out of work budgeting is really important so as not to acrue any debts. Have a look at money issues.

2. Emotional support is also crucial. Talking to friends and family about your problems can greatly help lessen your burden. If you are feeling overwhelmed or depressed, remember that you’re not alone, many others are in the same position as you. There are many out-of-work schemes or courses available right now, which would be good to be involved with, even from a social point of view.
3. Following a daily routine keeps some structure in your life. Don’t sit in front of the television – get moving – go for walks, participate in sports, etc.  As well as being physically active, think of what job skills you’d like to learn and what existing skills you’d like to improve on.

   A schedule is also important so delegate a certain amount of time everyday for searching for jobs and keep to it. That means no putting off uncomfortable tasks until another day. Such as spending a good bit of time creating a powerful CV getting input from friends.

4. The main thing is to be optimistic. The recession can’t last forever! Who knows this election could bring about some change. Keep sending out those CVs. Even if the first nine employers decline your application, the tenth may find that you’re perfect for the job!

The Central Applications Office (CAO) form has become ever more important this year with talk of the return of the points race as the highest number of applicants ever are expected this year.

Mixed emotions

The term CAO stirs up a mixture of emotions for me; excitement about college, worry about the leaving cert and a lot of confusion.

Different process

In some ways our college application system is a lot easier than other countries’. In the US, you have to apply to individual colleges, each with their own application form, including numerous essays, with an application fee of $50-80. In the UK, through UCAS, students can apply for only five courses, and have to write one essay.

Choices

Even though the CAO process is one form there can be a lot of confusion about how it works. There are some important facts everyone needs to know before they fill out their CAO form:

1. If you are offered a course all of your other preference will not be offered to you. If you get your first choice this is the only choice you will be offered.

2. Put your chosen courses in order of preference. If you really want to do science put it first even if you don’t think you’ll get the points. If you do get the points and it’s fifth on your list and are then offered anything above it you can say goodbye to the lab-coats and test tubes.

3. Pay attention to which courses are restricted e.g. medicine, music, drama, etc. These need to be on the form before 1 February to facilitate interviews, aptitude tests etc.

First choice

At the moment I only have one course down – economics and maths in Trinity – but that’s ok as I’ve registered and I can change my mind up until 1 July. I’m pretty certain this will stay as my first choice so I just have to figure out what’s going to follow it.

Register now

School is very stressful at the moment (stay tuned for a mocks related blog!) and really this CAO business is the last thing on my mind. I suggest that you register for it now and put in one or two courses you are sure about. You can put in a late application until 1 May and then a change a submission up until 1 July. Use your free time, like mid-term or Easter, to think about where you are headed and fill the form out then.

Think about what you want

Remember that the CAO is not the be-all and end-all that it is made out to be. It will only affect the next four years of your life! The most important thing to consider when filling out the form is yourself. Think about what you want to do not about what you think you’ll get the points for.

Young people are continuously given the message “the party’s over and you just missed it”.

Impact report

Today, the suicide prevention organisation Samaritans launched their first impact report for Ireland. They have seen a huge increase in calls to its service in the last 12 months as the recession has deepened.

As well as the increase in the amount of calls the Samaritans remarked on the increasing intensity of the calls they took.

Difficulties

According to director Suzanne Costello: “Many of our callers were experiencing relationship difficulties, which were exacerbated by financial difficulties. Fear of unemployment, self-harm and anxiety about the future were also common reasons for calls.”

These are very real concerns and it’s important to remember that if you experience any of these that help is out there, in many forms.

Tough times

These are tough times we’re all experiencing but knowing that and hearing about people who are worse off than you doesn’t always help. In fact, it can make you feel guilty about going through your own tough time and your own anxieties.

Getting help

If you are feeling distressed or overwhelmed, confiding in someone can often help. You could talk to families or friends about how you’re feeling, but remember, only as much as you are comfortable with. Or you can read about talking to someone outside the situation.

• If you need to speak to someone now, you can call Samaritans on 1850 609090.
• Read Samaritans Impact Report.

The last four budgets have taken €15 billion out of the Irish economy. To put that in perspective, as a country, we spend €57 billion a year to operate. It’s a massive amount of money and in the next four years the government have committed to cutting another €15 billion through a mixture of measures.

This budget was tough on young people. It will affect different aspects of young people’s lives and leave a financial burden on their shoulders for many years. Line by line account for spending can be found here.

Here is a breakdown of some of the key decisions that may affect you.

Welfare and benefits

The cut in the minimum wage to €7.65 will disproportionately affect young people who are working part-time jobs. Unemployed people aged between 22 – 24 saw their social welfare payment cut to €144 per week. This is after it was cut substantially at the special budget in 2008.

The standard rate of job seekers benefit has been reduced to €188.

A further blow was the reduction in training places for people through FAS by over 15,000. Though this is off-set by the announcement of 15,000 new graduate intern and work placement places in both the private and public sector, there was no explanation as to how these places would be sourced.

The newly created Universal Social Charge replaces the income and health levies and will be applied to all income regardless of full or part-time status at the following levels:

0% on all income below €4,004

2% on the first €10,036

4% on the next €5,980

7% on the balance

Child benefit was cut by €10 for each of the first two child payments, €20 for the third child payment and €10 for the fourth child. More information can be found here.

Education

The third level registration fee has been changed to the student contribution and increased to €2,000 each year. The maintenance grant was cut by 4%, effective immediately.

A new income band was created for higher education maintenance grants. This band is between 51,381 and 55,920 and students qualifying for it will have half their student contribution paid for by the state.

From next year the distance for the non-adjacent grant was increased to 45km from the named college which will see a huge number of students forced into lower grant scales.

More information on mainteance grant can be found here.

There has also been a 7% cut in core funding to each college.

A new Post Leaving Course charge of €200 has been introduced from next year.

Mental health

The National Office of Suicide Prevention received an additional one million in funding to support organisations working on suicide prevention in Ireland.

A new youth cafe grant has been established with a funding level of €1.34 million to improve youth facilitates and build new youth cafes.

More information

Here is a list of other cuts that affect young people.

• The introduction of a school transport charge of €50 for those attending primary school

• An increase of €50 in the post primary transport charge to €350

• 5% reduction in grants for Youthreach, adult literacy, School Completion Programme and community education

• The phasing out of rent relief phased over eight years

• A cut of €8 in all weekly training allowances

• A budget allocation of €3m for the children’s referendum

• A cut of the long term unemployment bonus for those on Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme by €11.80 to €20 a week

• A reduction in the current funding to youth justice service from €43m to €38.8m

• A reduction of 5% in the Arts Council budget

This list is taken from the NYCI whose budget 2011 document can be found here.

As I waited to board the plane to come back home to Ireland, I couldn’t wait. By the end of my stay in Bolivia I had a confidence I never thought I would have. I had survived Bolivia and I was going to share that new-found confidence with everyone at home. I had learned to ride a motorcycle, build a transport business, start a small English school. I worked for a year in an NGO teaching English and doing projects for the organisation. I went on jungle trips for weeks at a time, catching my food and sleeping in makeshift camps, I learned to drive a boat, and build one too, use a bow and arrow, make medicine from jungle plants, navigate through the jungle, accompanying local Indigenous men on hunting trips. I learned to cook for myself, wash clothes by hand, fish, sell jungle tours to difficult tourists, negotiate business and stand my ground to macho Bolivian men and do it all in another language, Spanish.

I had survived the darker side of Bolivia too, the poverty, seeing women suffer twice from it, women who were now my friends, my family, the hurt in knowing that for some their potential will never be fulfilled because their country was their destiny. And the very fact that I say I survived Bolivia and they call it life. These things were hard to reconcile. I thought Ireland would be easy in comparison and so I was coming home believing that nothing could ever bring me down.

Coming home

I touched down in Dublin Airport on a Tuesday morning, and saw my confidence shattered by that afternoon. I didn’t recognise anything. There were no motorbikes, or harsh sun, hatata huts, palm leaves and heat, humidity and Spanish, Cumbia or Salsa music, wild dogs, fried banana, platano and yuka, ‘chiquita’ or ‘chao’. There was nothing recognisable to which I could transfer the confidence I had gained from another world. Things were familiar but I couldn’t remember how I had come to know this world before. I was disorientated. The realisation I had to start again shattered me and I felt all the more fooled for thinking I could be so sure of myself on my return.

And so another journey begins. I had been through many, but this was quite destabilizing. I was trying to cope with my past experiences, some traumatic, some beautiful, coping with my return home and adapting to Ireland again all the while having to think about my future.  At the same time I was so exhausted from everything I really didn’t have patience to take care of my mental health. But I was forced to. I had to reconcile myself with the questions that Bolivia left in my mind, my own notions of becoming Irish again, being frustrated financially, and getting started on a career in overseas development. I was starting to get restless, there was more work to do, more questions to answer, and most importantly more confidence to regain. I had to believe I could survive this world too.

Regaining confidence

And I am surviving. Little by little I am regaining the confidence I once had. The start of this process came in the realisation that this is normal, and that it was not easy for anyone returning home. I went to the Comlamh Coming Home weekend for overseas developers returning home. I had begun working for a Senator in Leinster House and had noticed I had problems with the little tasks. If I didn’t do something correctly I would give out to myself which started a cycle of negativity and a further loss in confidence. At the Comlamh Coming Home weekend, I realized that everyone else was experiencing the same symptoms; trouble multitasking, retaining information or data, fear of answering the phone, anxiety and disorientation. But having listened to other people experiencing the same problems I had a big sigh of relief.

Since then things have been easier. I started to pick up the phone despite my fear, begin multitasking by starting small, and concentrate on pieces of data like times, dates and peoples’ names. I realised that when I didn’t do something correctly or as hoped, I was the only one disappointed in me. Then I knew I had to be fair on myself. The most important part was congratulating myself when I succeeded and becoming encouraged by the tasks I completed.  This helped me in breaking the cycle of how I speak to myself. I’m hoping now that in the coming weeks

I will be able to break this cycle and regain the same confidence as I had leaving Bolivia, but this time in Ireland.

Thanks to ReachOut.com for asking me to get involved. I think it’s a great cause and a service I believe is really needed for young people in Ireland. Every few weeks I’m going to blog about what I’m at, my thoughts and what I’m working on etc. I might as well start from the start:

I’m a Dublin based graffiti artist. I started expressing an interest in graffiti ‘tagging’ when I was about 14. Up to no good as a young lad, like most of us. One or two of my mates at the time shared the same interest. As we grew up, we began to understand ourselves a lot more and started pursuing our own interests. See, when you’re young, you’re easily influenced. There’s nothing wrong with that though as it helps you find yourself. 

I went through a lot of transitions in my life, in my early teens I used to work the bogs with my dad and uncles every summer, cutting, turning and bagging turf. When I was 15 I trained with the Dublin basketball team out in Tallaght.  As I got older I started working in kitchens as a kitchen porter for a few years, then a commi chief making breakfasts for 200 yanks at 6 in the morning.  All the while I’d be still scribbling my name. 

When I finished up in school, I went to art college, it didn’t work out so I dropped out. Even at this age, probably 19-20 at the time, I still didn’t know myself, what I wanted. Took a year out to get my head together, got focused, stopped the messin and went back. I loved every minute of it, most days I’d be there from 9am-9pm. It was a whole new world to me, I had a very influential tutor, and he was like the Gordon Ramsey of the design world. He’d eat the head off ya, but for your own good. I graduated with a distinction in a BA in Design Communication and was Awarded Membership of the International Society of Typographic Designers, MISTD.

While in school and college my love for graffiti grew more and more, to be honest it was like a secret love affair, I couldn’t stop thinking about her day and night, my tutors hated her and so did my parents. I’d sneak out at night and paint, this wasn’t a hobby, it was an obsession! Everything revolved around it, all the money I made went straight into graffiti, girlfriends became jealous, I couldn’t stop. I realised it was the first thing I had where I could do something with no restrictions or rules, it wasn’t for anyone else so no-one could dictate what I did. 

So here I am now, luckily in a situation where I can do what I love. I paint most days, for myself and work too, beats workin those early mornings in cold kitchens! At the moment I’m tucked away in the studio, workin on a few pieces for an exhibition that will be in October. It’s collaboration between me and musician Damien Dempsey. You can check it out here at www.theyareus.ie. The purpose of the exhibition is to raise enough money from the art to purchase a medical van for the Dublin Simon Community for the homeless of Dublin city. I’ll let ya’s know next month how I got on and will post a few flicks too.

Something Damo said in one of his songs I heard years ago really stuck with me ‘If you have your own around you and also possess your health, At the end of the day you’ll discover that that is the most essential wealth”

Maser

Picture this- it’s evening. The whole household is gathered around the TV, drinking countless cups of tea and rustling crisp packets as they watch episode after episode of Greys Anatomy. This scene sound familiar to you?

Sure, a night in watching television can be a great way to relax and bond with your housemates, but many students often forget that you can get far more out of your college experience than debates about which one of the Desperate Housewives is the hottest or the significance of the sequence of numbers in Lost.

There are so many opportunities you may have not even considered- dancing lessons, fencing, trampolining, art classes. There are so many great things you can do with your free time, so why spend it plopped down in front of the television? But I must admit that sometimes it is hard to find the incentive to get up off the couch and go do something different that requires actual effort!

But laziness isn’t by far the only barrier that stops many college students from participating in such events and meetings. Some students may be so used to hanging out in the same places with the same circle of friends that it may not even occur to them to try something new or attend an unfamiliar event.  In other instances, they can be feeling down or stressed out, and find the idea of facing new people daunting. Or it could be the case that they want to go to a particular society or event, but can’t find anyone they know who will go with them.

Of course it can be daunting showing up alone to a meeting, lesson or function and having to deal with total strangers on your own, but it can do great things for your self-esteem and feeling of self-worth. Not only do you get the increase in confidence that comes with getting to know new people, you also get the pride and enjoyment of learning a new skill, be it drama, salsa dancing or participation in a language club or newspaper.

College clubs and societies are a great way of meeting like-minded people! Don’t worry about whether or not you’ll know anyone there, just brave that first meeting, and you’ll soon create new friendships.

It’s also a well-known fact that indulging in your hobbies increases your overall level of happiness, as well as helping to decrease your stress levels. If you feel overwhelmed with numerous assignments, looming exams, or even personal problems, take some time out to relax and unwind for a little. Join a new society, or come along with a friend to theirs. Get to know new people.

As I have said in my previous article College Life: Conquering your fresher fears, an important part of being a college student is meeting new people, having new experiences and really making the most of your college years.

Did I choose the right college and the right course? Should I move out, or travel up every day? And if I move, where will I live? Do we have the money? The  start of September is often a hectic time for current school-leavers. There are many things that need to be done, from finding a place to live during the academic year, to buying all the needed books, supplies, notebooks and extra clothes, to actually moving out of your family home.

It can all become quite overwhelming. So, while the bulk of college-students-to-be are counting down the days left until orientation week, others may be having niggling doubts or anxieties about different aspects of starting college.

With the first day of college just around the corner, the main concern seems to be- Are my friends going to the same college as me? Many freshers are worried that they won’t know anyone there and will find it very hard to make friends.

But what these people don’t seem to realise is that, in the first few weeks of college, almost everyone will be in the same position as them. Virtually no-one will know anyone else, and everyone will be looking to make friends. If a few of your friends or acquaintances do end up going to the same college as you, that’s great- as long as you don’t end up hanging around solely with them, and no-one new. The whole point of the college experience is to meet new people and make new friends.

So try not to be too shy- strike up conversations with everyone you meet. Like that guy in the library who always smiles at you, or the girl you bump into every evening at the doors to the residences. All it takes is a simple “Hi, how are you?” to begin a conversation and, often, a lasting friendship.

College makes it very easy to meet new people. You can meet people through academic activities such as lectures and tutorials, as well as through the many different groups and societies that your college has to offer. Want to learn to juggle, or dance like a hip-hop star? Don’t be afraid, and join all the societies that interest you. Societies are a great and easy way to meet young people with similar interests to you.

Another common problem college-goers experience when starting college, or even starting back after a whole summer spent at home, is home-sickness. Of course you will miss your family and friends from home, but don’t despair. You’ll still be able to keep in touch with them though the phone and Facebook, and unless you live very far away from your college, you’ll be able to come home to see them every weekend.

Moving from secondary school to college is a tremendous leap that often involves moving to a strange house in a strange city, often with people you barely even know, so it’s natural to feel a little apprehensive at first. The important thing is not to panic or instantly decide you don’t like it there, but rather give yourself a few weeks to settle in.

No matter what worries you have about starting college, you should certainly still be excited! College is well-known for the great social life it brings. Think of the clubs, the themed parties, the uproarious conversations with random strangers, the crazy dares…. no wonder college years are called the best years of our lives! But don’t take my word for it- you’ll soon find out for yourselves!

And for more tips and info on making that transition to college check out Starting college

I did mine in 2005 and it seems so unimportant now. At the time there was nothing else that people asked about; “how’s the Leaving going”, “I suppose everything is on hold until after the Leaving”, but now nobody even mentions it.

If you don’t get the results for your preferred college course or job, that’s fine. A wise woman once told me that it doesn’t matter what you study or where you start, very few people stick with the career they pick after school. She started off as an accountant, but when she gave me that advice she was my school principal, and now 5 years later I look back and I know how right she was. I studied accounting, but having taken a year out after college, I know that auditing is definitely not for me. I don’t know what is, and probably won’t for some time to come.

For those of you worried that you didn’t get your first choice course or job, honestly it’s no big deal. Life goes on, even if it doesn’t look like it from where you’re sitting. In 5 years you can still be proud of all the work you put in to the Leaving Cert, but it won’t change the fact that it’s just an inconvenient 3 weeks of exams.

For more info on the dealing with stress after exams check out our recent blog on it.

And remember – sharing your story can make you feel better AND help others.  If you’re interested, email info@inspireireland.ie.