For the past few years we have teamed up with the Irish Second-Level Students' Union (ISSU) to bring you the Leaving Cert Diary. So, we decided we'd check in with some Junior Cycle students too.
Here, Ariel from Co Donegal tells us how the first week of the exams went. It's a busy schedule for the young people.
Junior Cert wraps up...
This past week has been a whirlwind as I wrapped up my final three Junior Cert exams - Science, Business, and Spanish. It feels a bit surreal to say that I'm officially finished!
Looking back, I can honestly say that all three exams went very well overall, and I'm proud of how I managed everything. Monday was a double exam day with Science and Business. Science was first, and while I think I handled it pretty well, I have to admit it was quite confusing at times.
I was really hoping for more Biology content to come up, but unfortunately, there wasn’t much of it. That was a bit disappointing because Biology is one of my stronger areas. Still, I did my best and made sure to stay calm and focused throughout the paper.
After a quick breather, it was time for the Business exam. Thankfully, this one went a lot
smoother. I was especially happy to see the Analysed Cash Book come up—I was dreading the idea of doing an Income Statement, so this was a huge relief! The exam played to my strengths, and I left the room feeling confident.
Tuesday was a well-needed rest day. I took full advantage of it to relax and shift my focus to Spanish, which was the only exam scheduled for Wednesday. Spanish is by far my favourite subject, and I had been looking forward to this one for a long time. The exam did not disappoint. I really enjoyed it. The writing sections were great, and even the listening section went better than I expected.
Now that the Junior Cert is over, I feel very, very glad that I got through it without panicking. I made time for myself, I rested when I needed to, and I stayed grounded. My advice to anyone doing their exams is: don’t sweat it. Keep doing the things you enjoy. Take breaks. These exams won’t be as bad as you think, and you might even enjoy parts of them - just like I did.
Look back on Week One
Going into the Junior Cert, I won't lie - I was a bit nervous. You hear about it for so long, and when the time finally comes, it feels like a huge deal. But now that I’ve sat my first six exams, I can honestly say it’s been going incredibly well, and I’m really proud of how I’ve done so far.
The first day started off with Higher Level English and Religion. English definitely sparked the most conversation, especially with the controversy around the short story question as it has never been asked before. Thankfully, I had a short story ready to go. Religion was straightforward and a great way to ease into the exams.
Day two brought Higher Level Irish and Geography. I felt well-prepared for both. Irish had a nice mix of topics I had studied, and Geography gave me the chance to show everything I knew. I came out of both exams feeling really positive.
Today was History and Higher Level Maths - two big ones. History was phenomenal and I came out feeling on top of the world! Higher Level Maths was tough in parts, as expected, but manageable. I kept calm and focused, and I think I handled it really well.
At this point, the nerves are gone, and I’m just taking it one day at a time. Honestly, the Junior Cert is no bother. No matter what the results are, you get to enjoy your summer, and a few years down the line, no one even remembers what they got. It’s all about doing your best - and I’m doing just that.
Now that it's all over why not hit the beach and get outside!
Ireland's Blue Flag beaches for 2025 revealed
