Which did you prefer college or secondary school?

coffeelover

I don't know if this is the right place to post but I was wondering for those of you who have experienced both, which did ye prefer? Personally I hate secondary school and can't wait for college

Davidius

Both equally crap.

Insect Overlord

coffeelover wrote: »

I don't know if this is the right place to post but I was wondering for those of you who have experienced both, which did ye prefer? Personally I hate secondary school and can't wait for college

This is definitely the best place for this thread! The Are You Happy With What You're Studying? thread is as much proof as you need for that anyway.

I can't give you a straight answer to your big question though. Which did I prefer? I absolutely despised some aspects of secondary school, and adored others. Similarly, parts of my college experience coincided with some of the worst emotions I've ever felt, while other parts have been incredibly enjoyable/beneficial. This is going to take more than one post, so I'll tell my school story first and post my college story tonight.

I had a rubbish time for the first few years of secondary school. I'd been bullied in primary. Kids who knew me from there spread rumours and stories that ruined any hope I had of making a fresh start. I had people trying to organise fights with me after school. Books were stolen from my locker (the big, expensive Junior Cert history, science and business studies books). I got fruit thrown at me. My bike was vandalised in the yard. It was pretty fecking lousy. I went from being top of the class in primary school, answering every single question the teacher would ask, to being almost invisible in class. I remember being told after Parent/Teacher Meetings that a few teachers were worried because I was so quiet.

Coming up to the JC I started getting a bit better. I went to Irish College for the first time at the end of 2nd Year and came back transformed. I was more confident after meeting new people, making new friends, improving my Irish. I coasted through most of 3rd Year, and put in a few weekends of study-hours only in the six weeks before the exams. Went off to Irish College again, came back feeling even better. By the time I picked up the JC results in September I was buzzing, and I started Transition Year feeling better than ever.

The idea was that I'd milk that year for everything I could. I wanted to do as much as possible to "better myself" that year. I took the option of doing ju-jitsu for P.E. for the year, while most people alternated between swimming and the usual sports/exercises/games. I did the Gaisce Award (Bronze Medal). That gave me a chance to learn to play guitar, train more consistently with the local soccer and GAA teams, volunteer with the local youth club and organise a 20 mile hike with my dad. The school got our whole group to do the Edmund Rice Award as well, and I got 2 weeks voluntary experience in a local home for the elderly. I helped with the school's application for the Green Flag. 4 weeks of work experience during the year convinced me that I wanted to be a teacher (not that it ever worked out in the medium term :pac: ). I started writing poetry as well, and ended up winning Project of the Year for my end-of-year-project: a collection of 12 original poems. It was just an amazing year on every level. And of course I punctuated the summer with another awesome 3 weeks in Inis Oírr.

Around the same time I was introduced to on-line message boards. I got into posting on teenireland.com (which vanished, sadly, about 4 years ago). They organised a few meet-ups and I eventually went along to one in Dublin. I think 8 of us showed up to go bowling, from Limerick, Monaghan and Kildare. I'd started into 5th Year at this stage, and I'd started to feel part of a much larger circle of friends I'd got to know better during TY. People were forgetting the rubbish they'd thought about me from earlier years. My brother and I transferred to a new soccer club and started training with a gang of incredibly talented young players. A broken collar bone from an accident training for GAA at school screwed that up for me just before Christmas time. I ended up going to a New Years Eve party in Kildare dopey on pain-killers with my arm in a sling, while everyone around me got wrecked on vodka. Shortly after that I applied for a youth leadership programme in school, and got picked with 5 other guys to act as group leaders for a special retreat. Our training for that retreat? 8 days in Canada with a group of guys in their final year in Vancouver College. That trip changed my life. I smuggled home a 12-pack of Mountain Dew and a box of Lucky Charms and a load of people called over to my house the day I got back. There was no time for jet-lag! A few of the girls from Kildare were down in Limerick, staying with one of my friends. I ended up kissing one of them that day, not realising I'd end up going out with her for over a year! One month later she came down to Limerick again to watch as Wembley Rovers won the National Under 17s Cup, with my brother setting up the winning goal. And then, for the last time as a student, I went to Irish college in Inis Oírr.

Got mediocre results for my 5th Year summer exams, but still started 6th year on a high. I was still writing poems, and there were still parts of school I hated. The rugby clique, the snobby attitude of the lads on the hurling squad, the blatant favouritism shown by the principal and certain teachers. Orwell's quote from Animal Farm summed it up pretty nicely: "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." I put my name forward for the Student Council election and got voted in by the same shower of pricks who had bullied my three/four/five years earlier. 3 of us were voted in to represent 6th Year, and they picked me to be Student Council President. Our biggest issue? The principal removed our access to toilet facilities because a certain group used to smoke in the cubicles. We were told very early in the year that we would not, under any circumstances be having a debs. Four friends of mine formed a committee and organised one independently! I got a lot of credit for that event, but I really had nothing to do with it. I was convinced to sign up to Boards.ie at that time as well. We ran our very first 6th Year Retreat, which was an incredible success. They're still running that retreat two or three times a year now, following in the formula we established after coming back from Vancouver. I got a poem published in a local poetry journal, and was working hard to convince my English teacher that I was above his estimation of "might get a B in the Leaving Cert, if he keeps working at it". We weren't allowed to establish a school GAA team that year either, which also pissed me off, but over-all it was another good year. Broke up with the girlfriend just before the Leaving Cert and did very little for the summer.

I pulled a very decent points tally in the LC, but I know I could have done much better. That said, I wasn't chasing a high points course, so I had no real motivation to break above the 500-point mark anyway. I finished secondary school with a group of about 15 guys I knew I could call friends. I could trust those lads with anything, and I know I still can with most of them. I was on first name terms with another 100 guys who still salute me and come over to talk whenever we bump into each other in Limerick. I got the college course I wanted at the time, but, despite the incredible high I'd been on for three years at that stage, I was feeling pretty low within a few weeks of starting it.

unknown13

College by an absolute country mile. Continuous assesment, no nagging by teachers, no late detentions, much better social life and alot more relaxed. If I could stay in College for 6 years I happily would.

illiop

I don't know. I love college in that I'm a grown up and I make my own decisions (well :rolleyes:) but at the same time school was awesome.

I hated school till 3rd year, TY was ok but 5th and 6th yr were AWESOME.
Also I was good at school, the teachers liked me, I got on with everyone. I had a place, yano? I miss that in college. There's not so much of a community and there is no support...at least, not unless you go looking for it.

Also, nearly anybody who's been to boarding school will tell you that no matter how utterly shíte it most of the time, when it's good it's more fun than you can imagine.


Yeah, so I love college because I get to run my own life, if I don't want to do something I just don't do it. But I miss the structure of school, having my friends around ALL of the time and just being good at stuff!...it was kinda nice having a broad range of subjects too.

...I miss school! :eek::(

sock puppet

unknown13 wrote: »

College by an absolute country mile. Continuous assesment, no nagging by teachers, no late detentions, much better social life and alot more relaxed. If I could stay in College for 6 years I happily would.

Ah I duno. I sort of miss the 2 weeks planning and preparation that had to go into a sesh.

Lawliet

Tough one, I hated secondary school, hated having to do lots of subjects I had no interest in, hated being treated like a kid, and absolutely hated most of the students. But I miss having all my friends in the same place with the same lunch time! That almost made up for all the other crap. I prefer being in college, but I think I was probably happier in secondary school

jumpguy

I've no experience with college, and I won't go on for ages about secondary school (my experience is quite boring, tbh), but I must say I quite liked it, overall. I'm getting kinda tired of it, but perfect timing, eh? Just finishing it!

This year (LC year, I didn't do TY) has been definitely one of the best years since I've started. I'm much more relaxed, mature (well...), I have a much better social life and friends I can trust. I'm not 100% what I want to do with myself after anymore, medicine or not, but everyone, lots of my friends and people in my class, are generally on the same boat as me. I've always been a fan of doing something different, if I get the opportunity I might take a year out and work. Enjoy independence a bit, have some money saved up for college, think about what I wanna do, etc.

I don't see academic achievement as my biggest aim in life anymore, I just want to enjoy where I am and not constantly focus on where I'm going. I'm in a good state of mind, and less weight-of-the-world-on-my-shoulders-ey. Life is more balanced and it's all good. Here's hoping college will take it to another, better level!

Slow Show

I can only talk about school and tbh, if this is as good as it gets, that's quite a depressing though.

School's grand. It's not like I'm unhappy. I get pretty good results, I have friends, I laugh a lot but meh, the sameness and mediocrity of it all has just tired me out at this stage. Seeing the same people everyday and hearing the same old stories churned out with different names and places has become dull too. Sometimes I have maaaad craic, but all in all, I just want to be done with school right now. I'm just not into having a regular routine with a regular group of people, I can see how it's appealing to some people but I'm not one of them, hence me bobbing around quite a bit between different friends and wanting to go to college as far away as possible (well, while probably remaining in the confines of the country).

Anywho, I can't wait for college. I have two years to go, but I'm looking forward to it and thinking about it already, and whatever else, I reckon it'll be a lot better than secondary school.

Tl;dr - school's grand, sick of it, bring on college!

Oh, and the real world after college? Ew, I don't even wanna think about it just yet.

QueenOfLeon

I wouldn't go back to school if you paid me :pac:

I love college, I love the freedom of doing whatever you want with your time, I love living so close to so many of my friends and just being able to randomly visit people all the time. School was too structured for me. I like doing what I want on my own time :P

Besides that, the people in school were just never motivated enough, no one was bothered, it was weird to be good at studying or aiming for high points. I like that in college most people are interested in the course and spend time working at it. College suits me in that way as people are there for a reason and not just because they had to be.

I do miss getting A's and B's in school getting 60 or 70% in a test would have been horrendous back then whereas now I would take those gleefully I miss having a syllabus, basically "cover everything that is in this book and nothing extra can possibly come up in the exam". Its not like that in college.

I do also miss maths and my languages but if I really wanted to I could pursue them in some way in college.

coffeelover

Thanks for the replies so far especially Insect Overload keep them coming

School's grand. It's not like I'm unhappy. I get pretty good results, I have friends, I laugh a lot but meh, the sameness and mediocrity of it all has just tired me out at this stage. Seeing the same people everyday and hearing the same old stories churned out with different names and places has become dull too. Sometimes I have maaaad craic, but all in all, I just want to be done with school right now. I'm just not into having a regular routine with a regular group of people, I can see how it's appealing to some people but I'm not one of them, hence me bobbing around quite a bit between different friends and wanting to go to college as far away as possible (well, while probably remaining in the confines of the country).

This is exactly how I feel .. I have many friends that I love but everyday is the same. I actually prefer being in class than at lunch :rolleyes: (how sad I know ).. So for me I hope college will be better.. Gotta get through the Leaving first though.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Hated school. Love college.

Whenever I hear someone talking about what great craic school was, I seriously question their sanity.

EuropeanSon

The issue, for me, is a no-brainer. Secondary school was awful, depressing, and the only way I got through it without reverting to something drastic was the thought that it would be over eventually. There was nobody I could relate to, no more than 2-3 other pupils with whom I could hold a decent, engaging conversation or discussion and I just felt entirely alienated from the rest of the school community and their (to me) meaningless, banal interests.

Then came college, and bliss. I am now among a community where at least 20-30% of people I'm in regular contact with are interesting, engaging and well able to and willing to discuss the most obscure (by comparison to what the guys in school would talk about) of topics, whether it be on philosophy, literature, music, economics and politics, maths, religion, ethics, sport or any one of a huge variety of other things. I have free time I can devote to almost whatever I choose, and have taken up new interests (debating, boxing, University Challenge trials, chess, programming, etc.) which are so much more to my taste than those which were accessible to me previously. I'm doing a subject that I really enjoy, and have made some amazing friends. In short, I can't imagine many ways in which I could be much happier.

Jamie Starr

I tend to look upon my secondary school days as a bit of a wasted opportuinity- should have spent far more time doing silly things- like when I submitted a story about a transexual porn-loving dragon, to our local newspaper for a school's short story compettion. That was a good laugh.

Up until the JC, I thought school was grand, but after that it sort of got boring. Still fun to see friends but depressing to go to class everyday, learning stuff that, two years later, I can barely remember!

As for university, it's a coasters paradise. "What's that, all I need to do is show you twice a month that I'm paying attention? Can do!"

I think a good way to sum up the disparity between secondary school and college is this: imagine you're a KFC chicken. You're kept in immensely crowded, low-light conditions, with a few chickens you like, but the majority you wouldn't care either way if they got deep fried. Out of all the farmers in the compound you like one or two, but years of being force fed by a tube in your throat has left you bloated and overwhemled .

Then, suddenly, you're freed and get to live on a nice big farm with your chicken friends and other nice chickens! They have good farmers who give you whatever chicken feed you like best. Sure, by the time you leave the farm, the current climate suggests there's not going to be a lot left for you (unless you're one o' them fancy Dublin chickens *shakes claw* with their gourmet store contacts and what have you) but you'll have had a great time all the same.

*blinks incongrously*

Ginja Ninja

Well,I assume IO's epic post of legendary length summed it up[don't have time to read it,but it's the longest post in C&H I'd say]

College by far,the courses are more interesting as you choose to do them instead of being forced to.The people are nicer and better friendships are made,not that I'm not mates with people back home,but at least in the country you like people because they are all you are exposed to and you aven't much choice in the matter.Whereas in college the sheer amount of people means any friends you make is because you click as personalities,not just envoirmental factors like where you went to school or what club you played for.
And the flexibility of time is great and college societies are the love of my life

jill_valentine

Hated school with a fiery passion. When I finished, it was like a cloud lifted, and I've never looked back.

College is miles better, but it's no picnic. When I finished school, I worked for a few years before going back to 3rd level, and it made it kind of hard going for me - I'd gotten used to having my own money and independence and all, and I find it frustrating to have "homework" again. I think it might have been a bit easier on me if I'd gone there straight from school.

The moral of the story is still that I've never been nearly as unhappy as I was in school, and by Christ am I glad to be done with it.

Cian92

Hated school. Love College - it is the first time ever that I've thought that the holidays should be shorter. I would never have thought of that in school.

Namlub

What coffeelover and Slow Show said tbh, 'School days are the best days of your life' is a depressing and hopefully horribly inaccurate saying. It's not like I'm desperately unhappy in school or anything but every day's the same and it's so draining; we're not allowed out for lunch so all we do is sit in our classrooms all day, it's grim. I love my friends but I have so much more fun with them outside of school because everyone's just so bored and so tired. It's been five years and I'm at the point where the monotony and lack of freedom is really getting to me, which is why I'm looking forward to college so much. I mean it's not all bad, I'm grateful that I don't struggle with the work like some people do, my year used to have a really bad reputation but now things are ok and you can have chats with the teachers you wouldn't dream of having in first year and I feel comfortable talking to pretty much everyone because there's not one person in the year that I can say is genuinely horrible. I still can't wait to get out and live my life though...

QueenOfLeon

Reading this has reminded me how glad I am to be in college...:D :P Sorry anyone who's still in school...:pac:

A Neurotic

COLLEGE

KnifeWRENCH

In terms of personal development or whatever, I'd definitely say college. I have way more friends now than I did in school. I'm still a bit shy and awkward but am slowly getting over that. I've had some amazing nights out, learned a lot, become much less naive and definitely feel more "grown up". How much of that was solely down to getting older, I'm not sure. But being in a laid back social environment around like-minded people definitely helped shape it.

In academic terms....I'd honestly have to say I was happier in school. I was usually top of my class, had no major difficulty with any subject and just found things clicked much quicker with me. I went from believing I was quite intelligent to feeling like an absolute academic idiot in the space of a few years. I'm not sure if other people in my course are much smarter than I am, or if they only do better because they study more than I do and are more passionate about physics (ugh) than I am. But either way, college is tough academically and I find myself struggling much more than I ever thought I would. (Again, some of that is down to personal problems and my general FML attitude...but I can't blame everything on that.)

johnmcdnl

college is so amazing compared to secondary school...

and I used love the craic in secondary school so that does say a lot - but college is the best craic ever

really don't want to finish ever

Cian92 wrote: »

Hated school. Love College - it is the first time ever that I've thought that the holidays should be shorter. I would never have thought of that in school.

that actually sums college up to the last

jill_valentine

KnifeWRENCH wrote: »

In terms of personal development or whatever, I'd definitely say college. I have way more friends now than I did in school. I'm still a bit shy and awkward but am slowly getting over that. I've had some amazing nights out, learned a lot, become much less naive and definitely feel more "grown up". How much of that was solely down to getting older, I'm not sure. But being in a laid back social environment around like-minded people definitely helped shape it.

In academic terms....I'd honestly have to say I was happier in school. I was usually top of my class, had no major difficulty with any subject and just found things clicked much quicker with me. I went from believing I was quite intelligent to feeling like an absolute academic idiot in the space of a few years. I'm not sure if other people in my course are much smarter than I am, or if they only do better because they study more than I do and are more passionate about physics (ugh) than I am. But either way, college is tough academically and I find myself struggling much more than I ever thought I would. (Again, some of that is down to personal problems and my general FML attitude...but I can't blame everything on that.)

I'd agree with a lot of this. I was pretty naturally bright, so I more or less coasted through my schoolwork. College demands a bit more commitment, and it's not something I'd ever needed to do before.

Insect Overlord

Aaaand now for something completely different totally the same!
Scroll up/return to page #1 to read about my school story.
For contrast, see here for the happy story of my MA year so far.

Right, college. As I stated 20-odd posts ago, parts of my college experience coincided with some of the worst emotions I've ever felt, while other parts have been incredibly enjoyable/beneficial. I'll probably take quotes from my old blog posts to help keep this fairly accurate.

I started into Mary Immaculate College in Limerick in September 2007, coming off the back of a bad break-up in May, a very decent return in the Leaving Cert in June and meeting a new girl in August. I missed out on my first choice (Primary Teaching with Psychology) by 30 points, but I'd never really put in the work to get that course anyway. Instead I got my second choice, the Bachelor of Education degree. By Christmas time I was sitting in the college counsellor's office wishing I could be anywhere else.

Looking back now, it's easier for me to see where I went wrong. I went in to register on the very first morning, signed some forms, got my photo taken for my I.D. card and then left again straight away. I didn't hang around to chat with anyone else. I didn't check out what events were planned for Freshers' Week. I didn't ask anybody about what clubs and societies were in the college, or when training would be starting.

Then lectures started. Many of these were "sign-in" or "roll-call" lectures. Some of them were held in a room designed to perfectly resemble an Infants class-room. I think it's room G37. Think badly-drawn pictures, multi-coloured posters, labels on everything and boxes of bricks/straws/lego/toys, etc. on the shelves. I was in First Year, but it felt like I was being treated like a 5 year old again. The lecturers even snapped at students as if they were bold children, tried to confiscate mobile phones and gave out if people were sketching/doodling during lectures. It was pathetic. And not liking the lecturers meant I didn't want to do any work for them. I'd safely say I did less than 10% of the required reading for First Year.

The worst parts of first year were my Visual Arts lecturer, and Micro-teaching in Semester 1. She wasn't just condescending; she was abusive. It should have been my favourite part of the timetable, but by week five or six I felt absolutely miserable because of her. I couldn't chat with the people around me, or even crack a smile, without her launching into a tirade. Once she decided she didn't like me, none of my work was good enough for her either.
Micro-teaching involved doing very short lessons with very small groups of very young children! We did 5 sessions over 12 weeks, which were recorded on video. The idea was that we'd go back and watch over the videos and self-criticise our performances. this was supposed to be done with a partner, who would give some more objective criticism. Even after a month into the year I didn't know anybody well enough, so I had to write my own "partner" critique myself. By Christmas time I was lonely in college, not seeing enough of my old school friends and doing no work. The one highlight was a creative weekend in County Tyrone with three 2nd Year students. I'd probably have dropped out if not for that.

Second semester was a bit better. The break did me good! I was less shy around people and I was starting games for the Freshers' Gaelic Football team. I think we made it all the way to the national semi-final for our division. Not bad for a panel of only 18 players! There were different lecturers for most subjects too. I passed my first Teaching Practice experience, somehow. We had to go to Irish college for 3 weeks at the end of first year and I ended up in a house in Minaird, between Anascaul and Dingle, with 14 other lads. Of all the true friends I made in college, all but one were in that house with me. The other one used to spam post here in C&H... >_> I also spent 6 weeks working in the Irish College in Inis Oírr that summer.

Second Year kicked arse. And I mean, like, TOTALLY, roysh?! The course material included philosophy, 2 psychology modules and a History of Education module. I picked Gaeilge for my Arts subject and so did most of the lads who'd shared the house in Kerry. Only one or two lecturers maintained the sign-in policy. On the negative side, we were still spending far too much time studying Religion (a constant issue across all 3 years) and the man-hating Sociology lecturer alienated the men in the hall whenever we bothered showing up for her lectures. I passed my driving test early in 2009, which was a massive confidence-boost. I'd also completed the Gatekeeper: Suicide Awareness and Prevention course around the same time. The kick in the teeth came at the end of the year when I got the very same Sociology lecturer as my Infant TP Supervisor. The woman has never taught in a primary school classroom in her life, and there she was, responsible for my grade for the biggest module of second year. I passed anyway. Which was nice.

Anyway, along came the summer holidays. I'd secured another 3 weeks of work in Inis Oírr. In 2008 I was lucky enough to work as an Ardchinnire for six weeks, three of which I did alongside D4RK ONION. In 2009 I arrived on the island with tonsillitis, unable to speak and a full stone lighter than I had been a week before the course. On the bright side, my colleague was one of my best friends from Secondary School. You'd be very lucky to meet a nicer guy. It was also coming up to my 2nd Anniversary with the girl I'd met just after my Leaving Cert. She dumped me a week before the big celebration. The break-up coincided with some other shocking news: my colleague from the second summer course in 2008 had gone on a stabbing spree, killing himself and another young man. I went into a slump that lasted about six months, including a spell when I dropped out of my 5 week Home Teaching Practice module after only 3 weeks. I was very, very lucky to have some fantastic support from a number of different departments in college. I got away with all sorts, getting rules bent for me and everything. A great many people helped me sort myself out, and again, somehow, I passed the first semester. I started moderating C&H at the start of that semester as well, and having that gave me a sense of responsibility that helped me get through everything else.

My final semester as an under-grad started just over a year ago. It was mixed, but grand overall. I had some good friends, some really interesting modules and I was starting to get to know people on C&H a bit better. One poster in particular had made a great impression on me during the Christmas holidays. I've been going out with her for over 13 months now! I gave up soccer and Gaelic Football in 2010 and returned to ju-jitsu after a 5 year gap. I also moved out of home for the first time, giving me a chance to shop and cook for myself. Alas, I stopped writing poetry. Not by any choice, but because I had lost all sense of inspiration for it. I got through the last semester with some great nights out, some last-minute essays and a bit of luck. Once the exams were done, I had to get straight back to work to prepare for my Home TP repeat. That nearly wiped me out again. I only had to do 4 weeks, due to having completed 3 weeks during the first attempt. I think I averaged four hours sleep per night over that month. My supervisor was much, much better than the other woman who'd supervised me a year earlier. It's a shame I hadn't met someone like her earlier. She pointed out so many areas where I had room to improve, and it was a great shame I only got that guidance at the end of my time in the course. I just couldn't improve so many flaws in such a short space of time. I got the minimum grade needed to pass the module, and, therefore, a poor grade on my degree after three years.

Looking back, I believe now that I should have dropped out early in First Year. Either that or looked for a transfer over to Arts. The word that best sums up two thirds of my college experience? Torture. To describe the other third takes a few more words. It was all about getting to know the right people. When I was with friends, the bad stuff became tolerable. Without them, there was nothing to hide just how much was wrong with the place.

Commiserations to anyone who actually read this entire post!

Up-n-atom!

I'd say college. Couldn't wait to get out of school, then didn't want to leave collge. As jill valentine said, you're usually studying something you've chosen, rather than participating in a rat-race for points. The social side of college is just as important as the academic, and you have a much more relaxed relationship with your superiors. I had a pretty mixed experience with secondary school - I was smart but I didn't work as hard as I should have, and I was bullied for the first year or so, so I didn't have the best introduction. Saying that, I'm still friends with more people from school than college. By the time I got to college I was determind to make the most of it and work hard - only regret is that I didn't move up near college sooner and participate in clubs and societies more.

Adriatic

I much prefer college to secondary school, to say school is the best time of your life is a lie and a big one at that.

In secondary school I was very shy although I did improve a little as the years went on but still I felt people never really knew the real me other than the fact that I was a swot. I did very well in the Junior Certificate, in fact I got the best results in my year. I remember reading absolutely everything I had to learn and having a binoculars at the window to look out at a robin feeding it's young in the garden, because just the year previously I saw blue tits hatch and leave their nest in a gate pole in the front garden which spawned my interest in photography (more on that later). I was very into it and enjoyed even the school work although being shy made the social aspect quite difficult at times.

Then along came the leaving cert and the opportunity to go on a Ski Trip. I had some of the deposit paid and for whatever reason I got it into my head that I wanted to buy a gaming PC but my parents decided they only had enough money for either the PC or the Ski trip and I went for the PC thinking it would be a long term investment and get my ski trip deposit back, one of the worst decisions of my life! I joined boards looking for broadband so I could play Call of Duty and got it a week before my Christmas exams in fifth year. It went downhill from there, I became addicted and got very little sleep, was always wrecked in school and chose subjects I hated but did them because they were the best for college options according to a guidance counsellor. So instead of finding myself in my final years of school, I was addicted to some game that was making me lose interest in school altogether.

I did pretty average in the Leaving Cert and still got Runner up student of the year in sixth year which I kind of saw as a throwback to the Junior Cert days because I was undeserving of it in the Leaving Cert alone.

At the time I decided Computers were for me and got computer science in DIT. I decided I was going to go for it and start afresh, be less shy and quit gaming for good, which I did. However I hadn't a clue about programming and was led to believe I would be told everything from scratch which wasn't true and I didn't have the knack for it.

I dropped out a day before the deadline to get the €1500 fee back with the idea that I would make a photography portfolio, I joined a camera club too. The real life changing turnaround was when I got a place in Cavan Institute to do a FETAC Art, Craft and Design course. Despite missing two months I worked flat out and never missed a single day other than portfolio submission days. I did this course at first so I wouldn't be sitting hopelessly at home doing nothing, but I discovered or rediscovered my love of art, which I did right through secondary school. I made an art portfolio in this course and began to seriously think of doing art instead of photography. I lugged a massive A1 art portfolio and A3 photography portfolio to nearly all the colleges that would take them. I was sort of shy in this course at first but I really changed, everyone was friendly and the whole nature of the course and place was very sociable meaning I left that place very satisfied and was delighted with practically all my portfolio results getting some of the highest results in my class in the art portfolio and the FETAC award.

Two days before the CAO deadline I switched the order and put Fine Art and Visual Communications above photography because I saw photography as something I could do myself without the help, a backup plan if you will.

I got Visual Communications in round 0 with my FETAC and portfolio which I accepted and then Fine Art in round 1 with my leaving cert and portfolio which I accepted as my final decision.

So I'm studying fine art now and absolutely love it, I haven't missed a single day and quite often try and find things to do so I don't have to go home to my digs early. It's a far cry from studying computer science which I hated let alone secondary school. The craic in class is unbelievable because we all work together or at the same time and have the ability to do whatever we want in the studios, I only have lectures on a Monday and the rest is practical stuff in studios and workshops, so many actions or events happen to or between students that I feel other courses miss out on and lots of the lecturers are genuinely hilarious, I guess craziness manifests itself well in the art world. Little did I ever think I'd learn something like how to weld in sculpture even a year ago! I've made some of the best friends I've ever had, laughed the most I've ever laughed and you would have a hard time telling I was once very shy. I also did very well in assessment which was the final seal that I had found what was for me.

I can't emphasise this enough, if you don't like the course leave, I was gutted when I did but I'm in a much better place now than I ever was, if I could make the decision for everything to happen again a hundred times over since I started computer science I would do it every time because otherwise I would not be where I am now, I've changed for the better. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened had I picked visual communications, the more sought after course (higher points) but I believe I made the right choice. My story goes off topic slightly but now you have got my two cents on the whole transition and PLC/FETAC courses are invaluable.

SarahBeep!

I point blank hated school. I spent 5 years completely miserable and nobody seemed to care.

Being on teaching practice in an all girls secondary school is reminding me just how much I hated it and I can see that since I did my LC on 2009 NOTHING has changed. The same people are still being ignored at the expence of the people who can't even stay sitting down nevermind open a book and pick up a pen. :mad:

But on the flip side, I can't even explain how much I love college
I've met some people I know I'm gonna be friends with until I kick the bucket! I'm doing a course I love (Science Education) and I'm involved in some pretty cool stuff.

I'm at that stage where I'm pretty sure I wanna do a masters straight after my degree and I think I wanna do one in UL based on Drug and Alcohol abuse. If I could, I'd never ever leave college! Ever.

ohthebaby

I really, really like college for the freedom and stuff but I think I was a lot happier in myself in school.

I loved school, well from TY onwards anyway. I was friends with everybody and there was always somebody there to have the craic with or talk to or whatever. Lunch times were fun, the teachers were fun, everybody knew each other so well and I wasn't really that shy or quiet in school.

Now I'm in second year in college and I still miss all that. I know I'm really quiet up here. I still feel as if I haven't really made that many friends. Everybody's always going off to lunch with people or going out with them and I'm, well, not. It's lonely sometimes. I don't know, it's just not how I imagined it would be. I'm trying to get better at not being such a shy loser so hopefully it'll get better eventually.

In academic terms the difference is hilarious. I was absolute top of everything in school, and I don't mean this to sound conceited or whatever cos it's not meant to be, but I didn't have to put too much effort into anything really. Except chemistry, that nearly killed me. I just kind of sailed through everything and got on pretty well. But up here I'm the dumbest person in about 90% of my classes. I put so much effort into everything now but it doesn't really pay off. It used to bother me last year but now I just don't care. I think it's kind of funny now.