Leaving Cert Results and CAO Offers

Hey Everyone!

I have been so incredibly busy as of late that I haven't had the opportunity to post here lately. I'll be writing several updates throughout the next couple of weeks. If you follow my Twitter or Instagram, you probably know why I have been so erratic this month.

On Wednesday August 12th, a day which I had waited for and feared eventually arrived. It was the Leaving Cert results day. To say I was nervous was an understatement. The sun may have been shining yet, as I walked into my school, it might as well have been a cold, dark morning in Winter. The walk, one I travelled everyday for six years, was excruciatingly long. I kept my head down as I passed screaming friends, phones in one hand and ripped brown envelopes in the other.

My heart was thumping in my chest, I genuinely felt the world spinning as my hand pulled the handle of the door into Reception. I feared the worst. Recalling my emotions after every exam, I was relieved and happy with my performance in all of them, except German. The niggling doubt had set in a few days previously and reached it's all time height as I saw the stacks of brown envelopes that awaited me.

Taking a deep breath, I joined the queue for my long-awaited and feared results. The envelope with my name was quickly found by the Principal, handed over with a handshake and a smile. I can recall thinking, ''If the Principal is smiling, I hope to God that the hard work paid off.''

Hands sweaty and shaking, I fled outside to open my results, terrified of prying eyes, judgemental stares and smirks. With cool hands, I ripped open the seal of the envelope, slowing revealing the results which I had worked, studied and crammed for two years to get. Saying a silent prayer to anyone listening, I peeked at the results.

''Irish - Honours - A2
English - Honours - A2''

I didn't look at the other five results for several seconds, gulping with delight and shock. Yet again, my hands shook. Inhaling deeply once more, I whipped the paper out entirely. Two further A2's in History and Ag Science, two B2's in Business and even German (an exam I nearly cried leaving) and finally a B1 in Maths (I dropped to ordinary, which ultimately was the best decision despite what my peers thought)

I grabbed my phone from my handbag, calculating the points. 90... 90.... I kept pressing the buttons until, with another deep breath, I clicked 'calculate'. The number 520 appeared on screen.
''Surely this can't be right,'' I whispered. ''I must have calculated this wrong''

After several recounts by myself and The Sibling, it was confirmed. I had just gotten 520 points in my Leaving Cert - without the 25 bonus points craved by so many. The texts and copious phone calls by my Mam and Dad to my relatives began.

All I really remember is whispering to myself, uttering the words, ''I did it, I actually did it'' several times. If I'm honest, it didn't really sink in for several days. I was on a high. I met up with my friends, who were all also delighted with their results. We had all achieved more than we needed for our courses.

The atmosphere was filled with laughter, relief and elation. All the hard work had actually paid off. We all succeeded. With an adrenaline filled giggle, the realisation that our dreams were starting to come true, hit us hard. The photos began, speaking to our teachers and our other friends.

In true celebratory style, the girls and I went for cupcakes and pink lemonade. In between discussions of the debs, CAO offers and finding accommodation, our phones beeped and pinged continuously, receiving texts and phones from relatives in true Irish style. The Leaving Cert consumes the nation as practically everyone knows someone who sat the gruelling exams the previous June.

Grace being the ever supportive friend! Note the lamb with the flower crown - amazing. 

The following Monday the CAO offers were released. CAO basically process all the results and give you an offer based on the courses you applied for. I have wanted to study primary teaching ever since I was in primary school, so primary teaching in Mary Immaculate College was my first choice on my CAO. 

The CAO opened at 6 am on Monday. With baited breath I logged into my account to see an offer from Mary Immaculate College for primary teaching! In that moment, I knew all the hard work and struggles were worth it. I could feel all my worries from over the years lift off me.

Here's my acceptance of my CAO offer - at four minutes past six. I had run into my parents room, shaking and screaming with happiness at 6.02 before I accepted my offer. 

So that's all about my LC results and CAO offer! I'm genuinely still on a high, to know that all of my study paid off is the most wonderful and liberating feeling I have possessed in a long time. If you got your results and an offer, congrats and I wish you the very best on the next stage of your life. We'll walk this new road together. 

The next blog post I'll be writing will be about my debs! Keep an eye out!

Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless!
Aveen xx

'Singing I am your worst, I am your worst nightmare''

Hey Everyone!

It has been a long time to say the least since I have written here. As you may expect, the preparation for the Mocks and ultimately the Leaving Cert does leave me with little time. Time is a luxury few Leaving Cert students can afford. I should probably inform you all about the wondrous and soul-soothing things I've been up to as of late!

As a Sixth Year with Mocks starting on Monday (English Paper Two, along with Irish Paper One) time is truly of the essence so any time I get to relax, I truly savour it. I try to stop studying at around 9.30 on school nights (I need copious amounts of sleep just to function) so I do 3-4 hours of homework and study each school night. Weekends are easily 4 hours a day and then the evenings to relax.

Last Saturday I treated myself to the Divergent DVD and sadly, instead of blogging, watched it instead! I had watched the film when it was in the cinemas but really wanted to watch it again. It's such a rarity to actually sit down for two hours to watch a film and not be plagued by thoughts of the Mocks or Leaving Cert. The exams and hours of study consume your entire life for a school year. It really isn't pleasant but I'm optimistic all these hours of study will be worth it all in the end. (It's the only thing you can hope for, isn't it?)

School has been as can be expected. Talk of Mocks, Debs, Leaving Cert, CAO, all hang over every conversation at The Bench. It genuinely causes you to sit back slightly and think,
 'This is real. This is happening. It's not just my mind thinking that this is happening, it is actually happening.' It is both a source of anxiety and a mixture of reluctant excitement with shock.

We watched for years as Sixth Year groups came and went from the school, leaving us remaining, now it's our turn to leave. Soon we won't even be secondary school students, we'll be finished and moving onto ambitious and life-changing places. It does lead to your breath hitching in your throat occasionally when you think about it.

I'm studying for the Mocks, but I don't want to work so hard that I burn out before the Leaving Cert, if that makes sense. We're told to do well, BUT, not too well. Yet good grades are expected. But if you get an A you'll be marked down. I am planning to aim for a grade below what I'm planning on getting in the real LC. I  think that's reasonable and leaves a sturdy foundation to work on for June.

Down below are some photos (mainly photos I've sent on Snapchat) during the time I have been absent from my blog.

Asking the serious questions whilst wearing a cat onesie.

Watching 'Divergent' and crushing on Ansel Elgort, as you do.

Waiting for pizza when The Parents and The Sibling travel to Limerick and you have a study day.

Home alone on a Sunday. Fun, fun fun. 

The most delicious drink ever. 

Oranges look so happy. Keeping up with my Vitamin C during study. 

My 'To-Do' list last week.. Oh the joys.

I might have mentioned it, but I've been listening to Fall Out Boy non-stop lately! (Along with Taylor Swift and Hozier) This weeks title comes from the Fall Out Boy song 'Novocaine'

So that's about it for this week, tomorrow the mass cramming resumes! 

Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless!
Aveen xx

''And The Sky Turned Black Like A Perfect Storm''

Hey Everyone!

Another week has come and gone. It's startling how fast time has been going by as of late.


My life has mainly consisted of waking up, school, homework, study, food and sleep. It's alright I suppose, yet I crave more meaning in my life. I find I'm constantly reminding myself that the Leaving Cert will be over in June and I just have to deal with these next six months of pain until then. I saw someone compare it to ''A year of pain for extra gain.'' Which is startlingly accurate in my opinion.

Enough with my existential crisis and craving for substance and meaning to my existence! I went to the Open Day for Mary Immaculate College on Saturday morning in Limerick. It's a two and a half hour-ish drive from where I live (Aka The Sunny South East) so I was equipped with my music and earphones. I'm used to driving to Limerick occasionally as my brother is in UL so the city doesn't seem like an alien concept to me.

We left early on Saturday morning as the Open Day started at 11am and we wanted to be there on time. The weather was utterly treacherous. From Stradbally onwards, it was a winter wonderland with snow covering the cars. I have to commend all the road gritters from the various counties we journeyed through, all the roads were gritted. We were on the motorway just before Moneygall (The place obsessed with Obama with the Obama Plaza and all sorts!) and it was a really, really dangerous bend. We saw a lane was closed with ambulances and fire brigades with flashing lights.

The bend was horrifically slushy and a car was overturned and flipped on its roof in the ditch. It was genuinely terrifying, especially as when the firemen were directing us and the other cars, we all starting slipping in the slush! However, luckily we were fine and took even more care on the way to Mary I.

At 10.50 we parked outside. We knew the way as I visited the campus briefly in the Summer on another day. We walked to the building where the Open Day was being held and attended one of the talks about the courses at Mary I. To say that I fangirled when I noticed the lecturer had an Orla Kiely bag was an understatement! (Mine was standing proudly on the desk too)

The talk was extremely informative and soothed any concerns my parents had about different aspects of the course. Afterwards we went on a tour of the campus and the accommodation available on-campus. There was a strange mix of people at the Open Day, the majority were girls and some lads. On the tour of the campus a mother and her son (A TY we presume as she asked him if he wanted to go to the college ''when his time came'') were horrifically pushy and literally shoved me into a wall in a bid to keep up with the tour guide! (Bit eccentric, especially as the child isn't even doing his LC this year)

Apart from that, I had a brilliant morning in Mary I and learnt lots about the course I'm considering. Afterwards we ran some errands in the city, had lunch and headed back onto the treacherous roads whilst counting 'Eddie Stobart'' lorries as they passed (We saw 16)

This week will be exciting, I think. On Monday myself and three others from my History class are representing the school at the Senior History Quiz. The lads were on the team last year (and won) so I am determined to contribute my best effort!

I finally caught up on all of my homework and now have the time to study for the mocks! I am feeling relieved that I now have the opportunity to study and actually prepare for the exams. There's a Strike Day on Thursday so I can catch up on sleep too! *Parties in the corner*

*Title: Lyric from Taylor Swift - Clean

 Photos from my week

''Hey Aveen, how's your life these days?''

On the road home from Limerick, the scenery was breathtaking!

All my snaps as of late.

So that's about all from me,

Stay Strong, Happy & Fearless!

Aveen xx

The Transition Of Seasons

Summer turns to Autumn. 

Not all at once, but through a 

Transition of Moments. 

The balmy Summer nights, 

Bright as a firework, adrenaline fuelling the light.

Turning increasingly darker until you pull the curtains at 7pm, 

Darkness already fallen and the daylight long since passed. 

The 99's, once so comforting and relaxing on the beach. 

The sand was warm and soft between your toes as you gazed into the scorching sunshine.

Waves lapping up the beach, the smell of salt in every breath,

Is replaced with endless cups of coffee

And pumpkin spice lattes 

As hot steam swirls gently upwards from the cup .

The denim shorts and cotton t-shirts, 

Once stuck to your skin with humidity,

Are substituted with woolly jumpers, hats and scarves

To warm you against the sudden Autumnal Chill 

As the brown and red leaves crunch softly with every step you take

On the dry, cracked pavements. 

Breaths that were once filled with mugginess, 

Now appear as white steam through the atmosphere and condensation to windows. 

Life, once going by quicker than a stopwatch, 

Slows, 

To the pace of a stroll in the park. 

Frost, Dew and Hope linger in places unexpected. 

Leítír Móir, Galway. 

''She Ran Away To Chase Her Dreams, And They Said She Wouldn't Make It Far.''

Hey Everyone!

As you may know, it's been nearly two weeks since I last posted here. I genuinely do have reason(s) for this, however the main one is just Sixth Year/Leaving Cert. I always knew it was going to be a gruelling and difficult year, especially when you choose to do all Honours subjects.

Most nights now consist of going home from school, starting my homework, dinner, back to homework and study, sleep and repeat. There have been days where I haven't touched my laptop and just check some notifications in the morning on my phone running out the door.

I've also developed a wonderful coffee addiction. I was expecting this to happen, after all when you study/do homework for 4+ hours each night, you do need a nice dose of caffeine. So now each morning begins with dragging myself to get a cup of coffee (2 shots) which still doesn't quite make me feel awake for some reason.

I do occasionally leave my bedroom by the way, last Sunday I travelled to Limerick city.
My brother goes to the University there and I plan hopefully to study in another college in the city too. We visited UL and Mary Immaculate College, for primary teaching. (Bonus points if you figured out what I want to do!)  As my brother has attended the Uni for a number of years, we've made frequent trips to Limerick (despite taking over 3 hours to get there!)

While we visited, the 'Granny' was also there. The streets were absolutely covered in confetti and as the All-Ireland hurling final was that day, there was a lot of Tipperary jerseys (#TippToWinTheReplay #AnyoneButKilkenny) We also went to one of my favourite places, Penneys! I'll have a Autumn Haul pretty soon, so stay tuned for that!

The photos below are from my trip to Limerick, there was also meant to be a photo of a horse on the green grass area of a housing estate in Limerick which unfortunately didn't upload (probably because it's a stereotype of what Limerick is supposedly like)

Sitting in campus in UL 

Sorry for how brief this post is, I just wanted to write SOMETHING as soon as I could. I have two further blog posts for the next few days planned so check my Twitter for updates! 

Stay Strong, Happy and Fearless!
Aveen xx

PS, you know you are a Leaving Cert student when all the LC Meme's and accounts follow you on Twitter! How terrifying. 

Lyrics: 5 Seconds of Summer ~ Social Casualty 

My 2013, a review of The Life Of Me.

Hey Everyone!

So it's the end of 2013, another time span of 365 days has passed. This year has been a really intriguing year for me, but as Augustus Water said ''I'm on a roller coaster that only goes up my friend'' and I feel that this year was similar for me, things only went up, even when others were trying to bring it down. I feel I really matured this year and learnt a lot of life lessons. I even started properly blogging on this blog in 2013 which is a huge thing for me, blogging is just one of my favourite hobbies now!

I started this year in a bad place, let's be honest! I have discussed this in a blog post here about my mental health and how negative my thoughts were(how wonderfully optimistic).But this not dominating this blog post. I started this year in denial, unsure about what my future held in store for me, I had dreams yes, but I had no idea how to achieve them or if I ever would. I eventually figured out that I had a future, I'd been scared I would never ''achieve my potential'' A bright future had been promised for me for years by teachers and so many more people. I was terrified I would amount to very little in life. I eventually saw the light in late May (ironically the end of the school year I was in, I'm saying nothing) I contribute this milestone to obviously my family and friends, but also to writing on this blog helped so much, so I'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone who reads my blog and supports me through everything. (Don't worry this entire blog post isn't a sob story)

I know my peers slag off my blog at every possible opportunity (please stop lying to my face thanks) but another life lesson I learnt is to not care about what everyone else thinks of you. What's more important is how you view yourself, if you view yourself negatively, then everyone else will too, that's not right. View yourself as a good, positive person. You can only be yourself and you might as well accept who you are instead of constantly changing to please everyone around you. Over this year my self image has improved tremendously, I feel much more comfortable in myself and I'm so glad about that. I used to be so self conscious (I still am at times, nobody is perfect but it's nowhere near as bad as I was) and I used to worry about what everyone in school would say about me and think about me. I thought how other people viewed me was more important than how I viewed myself, which is wrong. Now, it doesn't bother me, if you hate me, it's your problem. (Wow Aveen, such a nice thing to say in your 2013 review)

Of course, this year hasn't only been about peasant fighting and inner turmoil, I feel that I have achieved a lot this year. I went all over Ireland and even to London! I began properly blogging in March 2013 and it's something I truly love. I've always wanted to write, but I felt I was too young to write a book/novel (I've several idea's written down in notebooks and whatnot) so blogging is a way for me to constantly write and even receive feedback and get to know other bloggers all over Ireland, the UK and even further away. It also helped me see what I was doing with my life during a time when I had no idea what the future held for me. I now know exactly what I want in life and I'm edging closer and closer everyday to achieving the dreams I've dreamt for as long as I can remember.

It's been an interesting year, but I wouldn't take back anything for the world. Every experience, both positive and negative, builds our character and our coping mechanisms for the future, I feel fearless in ways,I even jumped on a zip wire when I'm afraid of heights! I also learnt that people have ulterior motives and I have to stop taking people at face value. I read about these kind of people in books, but I never experienced anyone like that until this year, but it's a good life lesson to know people like that, so it won't happen again in the future. I've learnt that everybody isn't your friend, but you shouldn't jump to conclusions about people, and I shouldn't judge everyone by their cover as I hate when people judge me by mine.

I also joined the school public speaking team which was a huge leap for me. I've always loved public speaking for some reason, the thrill of the audience has always enthralled me. It was my first speech in years, we had to have a ''speak off '' for the four places on the team and the topic was mental health. It was a huge feeling for me to be discussing mental health, I couldn't believe it when I made the team. At our first competition the topic was mental health. I was our first speaker which was a huge thing for me, you have no idea! As a girl who isolated herself from everyone for months, pretending to be fine and became socially awkward, speaking in front of an audience was an adrenaline rush of excitement and fear, and one I relive and feel happy about.

As you will see below, I had a tin in the shape of a London bus with random pieces of paper. From January 1st to late March approx, every time I had a happy memory, anything that made me happy during that time, I wrote it down on a scrap of paper and put it into the tin. I eventually stopped as I felt I didn't need to cling as much to these pieces of paper. Yesterday, for the first time since March, I opened the tin and I read every single piece of paper. It was quite interesting and it showed to me how far I've come this year and I felt slightly proud of that. It really hit me when I saw one dated as ''January 1st 2013'' and two words ''Be Strong'' it was quite a shock for me, this year I feel I became strong, happy and fearless.

 Through blogging, I've met so many new people who I would have never met unless I started blogging, huge shout out to all my blogging friends and to the blogs I read, you all know who you are and I'd be afraid I would forget someone if I tried listing everyone! The Life Of Me has opened a huge new corner of the Internet to me, a community filled with lovely genuine people who I've never met in real life and share similar interests and hobbies, but make me feel as though I do know really well outside the computer screen. *Coughs, you all know who you are, even if we've only tweeted once or twice, I still consider you a bloggy friend!*

With Grace of Dainty Sprinkles! 

All the scraps of 'happy memories' from January to March, I stopped after the London trip.

The very first.

In January, I attended the NUI Maynooth Essay Law Competition, I came fourth (I think) in the category of cyber-bullying, they even quoted me ! 

It snowed for like two hours that one day.

Accurate (Source Tumblr ~ KickThePJ)

The first photo of myself I posted on my blog! Oh the memories! 

The Lovely Dan Howell (Danisnotonfire) whose videos made me laugh so much my stomach hurt, thank you.

The mental health group Project Smilier (we were to help increase positive mental health in the community, my life is one ironic moment I swear)

This year I became obsessed with Tumblr and these two! Phil Lester and Dan Howell, if you know me IRL or stalk my Tumblr, you'll understand the depth of my love for these two YouTubers

Siobhan and I on the London Eye, March 2013. 

Tower bridge (this was my laptop screen saver for months)

Big Ben and Houses of Parliament, I went to London on a school trip and I'd love to go back there again, I simply adored London!

The photo of me that seems to be everywhere..

A group of people who also went on the group, this was on our last night after we saw Stomp in the West End.

Posing outside a phone box with my cousin Olivia 

With Emer in London

I have to admit, this wasn't taken in Downing Street, it's from the Churchill Museum ssh!

I won a certificate from the Seanad (Senate in Ireland) for my speech about ''The Challenges That Face Ireland And Does My Future Lie Here?'' 

                  

A photo of Project Smilier on the set of Fair City with Jim Breen of Cycle Against Suicide, we even made the newspaper! 

On the same day with Colm Hayes (of 2FM), Jim Breen and the other student leaders of CAS. 

At the Leaders On Our Level conference in Croke Park with Colm ''The Gooch'' Cooper! He's a Gaelic footballer and a pure legend. At the conference I also met people like Enda McNulty (who now follows me on Twitter, holla) and lots more interesting people.

Two of my friends Maeve & Caítlín with the model Roz Purcell (she's so lovely in real life)

Always very mature.. 

Caítlín & Maeve on the last day of TY in May

My current profile picture on nearly every single social networking site I'm on!

With my crazy cousins Owen and Oisin! 

The John Green book shrine! 

With Grace from Dainty Sprinkles!! 

My name (in Irish) during the Coca Cola epidemic of names on bottles.. 

RAWR! 

On my 17th with Tara :) 

With Mary, Grace, myself, Tara and Viv for my 17th in September! 

With Aoileann in Tayto Park with the Irish club :)

Grace and I recording one of our YouTube videos

A meme made by the lovely Grace ! (Several others were not suitable for public viewing) haha

Beside the Catching Fire poster! 

Halloween! In a cow onesie.. oh dear. 

Another meme! 

Testing out my tripod (FredOrGeorge)

With my friend Emily at the Spleodar (Irish club) Christmas dinner

With Shannon at the Spleodar Christmas dinner (In Irish of course)

With my friend Maeve of Maeve's Fashion ! 

With Grace filming another YouTube video! 

We're normal people I swear. 

Christmas Eve!

Selfies beside the silage pit

One of the MANY quotes that I live by.

(Source Google Images)

With Harry Styles (ahem he's real I swear)

Christmas Day with my cousin Owen :) 

So I guess that's it for now! Let 2014 begin! 

If you're wondering why this blog post is before New Year's Day, it's due to Sherlock season 3 starting on New Year's Day and I doubt I would be in a calm state to blog on the day. #SherlockLives if you're a Sherlockian check out my Tumblr and we can squeal over Benedict Cumberbatch together! 

A huge thank you to everyone who reads my blog, it's a huge support. I wish every single one of you a brilliant 2014 and the wealth of health and happiness.

Stay Strong, Happy and Fearless! 

Aveen xx