Justine Clare
King's Hospital
Well it's that time of year when the sixth formers are busy preparing
for those Christmas exams. Going home immediately after school and getting
down to the books, looking forward to the testing week that will reveal
how much we have managed to soak up of the leaving certificate course
so far.
I would just like to apologise for the whopping great lie that I have
just told you.
Right now we are imagining ourselves on that golden beach, the wind in
our hair and pina coladas and bikinis everywhere. Instead of going to
the library, we are heading to the travel agents to pick up brochures
that we will spend hours studying, looking for that perfect place to relax
and unwind after the strenuous sleep . . . I mean study that we did for
the Leaving Certificate.
"All the work will pay off you know", say the most knowledgeable
on the subject. They have been researching since the start of September
'98 (we are in awe and respect them greatly).
"I mean, you don't want to be stuck on some island surrounded by
American pensioners saying things like "Hank, isn't that big grey
rock amazing?" or trapped in some kicking town where the curfew is
seven o' clock in the evening."
And they're right. Except that you do know we actually have to sit the
Leaving Certificate first?
I think preparing the holiday is a form of denial. Instead of looking
to June and the exams, we bypass that to a more attractive thought of
sun, sea and that strenuous activity of lying on a beach all day doing
absolutely nothing.
Of course finding that perfect place is a bit of a dicey business. After
one girl told us of her tragic experience in Portugal where she actually
had to walk to the beach, Portugal had to go.
Another person's idea of a mad time in Kerry was not found to be amusing.
When it comes down to it, the world just isn't big enough. Of course,
all our problems would be solved if we could afford to go to Hawaii or
Haiti, but the budget doesn't stretch quite that far and apparently it's
difficult getting a loan from the bank for that purpose. Don't ask me
why, it's an educational experience combining both Geography and a bit
of Biology, (if you're lucky . . . ).
Anyway, we are going to be students and we must get into the habit of
scrimping, saving and okay, blowing the lot on a girl's night out because
this is the real world, not a hallucination.
And I'm assuming we will be students come September. I mean, wouldn't
it be awful, if we didn't get into college?
I think I' d better go and do some study now and read the brochures later.
Back to the top |