For the class of 2021, today marks the start of the Leaving Cert examination process as politicians scramble to wish them well.
Earlier today, Minister for Education Norma Foley urged Leaving Cert students to follow the public health guidelines that have been introduced to classrooms.
For the second year running, students will have the option of predicted grades as well as their exam results and while this structure is very different to previous years, there's one thing that's common to everyone that has done the Leaving Cert: the nightmares!
Yep, even if you've finished secondary school 20 years ago, plenty of people still have that horrible recurring dream where they're sitting down to take a Leaving Cert exam and they're completely unprepared.
In fact, Tanaiste Leo Varadkar even said that he still has vivid memories of his own Leaving Cert exam.
"Wishing everyone sitting the LC the very best of luck today. I know it's been particularly hard for this year’s 6th years with so much disruption. Still remember doing my LC, especially maths paper II! Remember you've done all the hard work and no matter what you have options," said the Fine Gael leader.
Varadkar wasn't the only person to relive some trauma today.
"Good luck in the Leaving Cert! You'll be grand! It doesn't even matter anyway! Also, it is so stressful that you will have nightmares about forgetting your log tables and suffer from low-level PTSD probably for the rest of your life," is how one person summarised things.
"Still have nightmares of the history paper or variations of sitting the Irish/French exams (having not studied them since 2002) What is it about the Leaving Cert??" and "It's been 16 years since I sat the Leaving Cert and I still have the recurring nightmare of sleeping in and missing half of English paper one. Talk about trauma," were the very relevant opionins of two people online.
"It’s been 5 years and I’m still having nightmares about sitting my Leaving Cert, lord, please have mercy on my soul!" and "I'm 34 and I still have the Leaving Cert nightmare at least 3 times a year. I could probably sue the state at this point for the sustained trauma," were some of the other comments made by those still 'scared' by the experience.
To the class of 2021, the very best of luck and the nightmares are real!
