Leaving Certificate Economics
Craig - Higher Level 
A nice paper but quite abstract - it was quite difficult to know just what they were looking for. That's how I'd sum up Economics Higher Level 2016. As predicted, there was a focus on elasticity, national income and appearance. Labour popped up as a factor of production and Oligopoly was the market structure.Aside from those topics - we had a very "waffle-able" macro section - whereby a large part of Question 7 was do-able without text book knowledge. Not very typical of an economics exam and for those who did it will either excel or fail terribly - it'll be interesting to see how nice and/or broad the marking scheme is for that section.I took Questions 1 , 2 , 3 and 5. The short questions were handy so I'm not going to go into them.Question one was on Supply and Elasticity. The first question was quite nice, however I blanked on how to show a movement along a supply curve. The part b really demanded personal thinking- a theme prevalent throughout the entire paper. The 2nd part asking if PED was inelastic in the long run - I said it was , because consumers develop a loyalty to the good. Part C was based on personal thinking - this was very welcome.Question two based itself off Oligopoly, as predicted. Most students would have had this and perfect known to a T - the first question was quite unusual but very welcoming. There was however a very abstract question in the piece where it asked to show the curve facing a firm in this market. Now a kinked demand curve is split three ways, kinked, kinked equilibrium, long run kinked equilibrium - I drew the latter two, many other drew the first - it didn't specifically say what was needed but I hope I took the right choice, if it was meant to be the first - this was an extremely easy question.Labour/Employment popped up in Question 3 thank god, and this was quite nice aside from one or two definitions I may have messed up on. Then as the question got on we got to look at trends facing labour in Ireland. I thought this was very good and really rewarded students with a knowledge of current affairs.Finally, National Income was mashed up with employment- this was perfect for those who acted off predictions, as both were topics expected to come up, however if one didn't touch the employment subject, and only focused on national income this would've been a nasty loss of 30 marks. The national income question was pretty handy asking for very basic knowledge. Finally the effect of an oil spill and an increase in child benefit found its way on to the part c - continuing the trend of genuine skill application - this is a very welcome tactic to assessing .And that's it. At this stage I could get 300, 450 or 500 and I genuinely don't care. I'm done and I hope ye have all got something out of reading these blogs. I'd like to thank ISSU for the opportunity and the work they've done, and opportunities they provide young people with; if you're looking to get involved with them - do!Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Junior Certificate Music (Listening, Composing & General Study)
Isobel - Higher Level 
After having a few days off since my previous exam, I felt well rested and ready for my music exam. I was fairly happy with how my practical exam went, apart from a few slip-ups due to nerves. I played two songs on the piano and two songs on the ukulele.Overall I thought it was a good paper. Question 1 was set songs, in which me and my classmates nearly started laughing when our favourite funny song came up, "Click go the Shears". Hoe-Down from Rodeo came up in the set works question. I was hoping that Peer Gynt would come up, but I think I dealt with the questions fairly well. I was really happy when I saw we had to write about a collector of Irish Music in question 3, and I wrote about Edward Bunting. Next was good old dictation, (everyone's favourite... not!) I've never really been confident about it but I think it was slightly easier than the mocks, and I'm hoping that I've picked some marks up for the rhythm, bar lines and end note. Some familiar songs were played in question 5, including a Glee cover of Imagine, a U2 song, and Eye of The Tiger!I found the triads question and the answering phrase question fine, however I thought that the chord progression question was a little tricky. Question 10 went well for me, as you weren't asked to write about 3 specific features of the songs you've studied, instead they asked you to just write a general account of the songs and include information about the features.All in all, I'm happy with how it went, and I hope everyone has a great Summer. We did it!Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Leaving Certificate Chemistry
Liam - Higher Level 
Questions that I did: 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 & 10 (b) & (c).La chimie! Chemistry and I have come to the mutual understanding that it's best for both parties if the test is neither too difficult nor too 'doable', safe to say, Ceimic, you've lived up to our deal.Question 1, the titration. I was hoping the water titration would come up, just so it could ask me what EDTA stood for (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, for those not who have not yet seen how great water is). Alas it was not meant to be! The vinegar acid-base titration came up, which I was delighted about! Loads of calculations, so that was good!On to 3 afterwards, and all I can say is I spent enough time on this question to deduce that the graph is worth 4.5% of the exam. The question wasn't the hardest, I found it okay.I managed to somehow answer 8 of the necessary short questions in question 4, they were alright too. I've had worse!Questions 5, 6, 7 and 9 were all okay. They all had stuff that I knew reasonably well so I was satisfied after doing them, as you can tell I don't like to dwell on chemistry too much!10 was the option. I did the re dox balancing one, (b). Here's to hoping I did it right! And the second one was (c). If I didn't make it clear with physics, I like radioactivity, so that half question on it was nice !Overall, I'm reasonably satisfied with the paper. I mean I can never tell with chemistry how I do so all I can say is, we'll know in August. Cya Friday peeps!
Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Junior Certificate Metalwork (Materials & Technology)
Shane - Higher Level 
Ah, my last exam! I went in not worried because I love Metalwork and made sure my project and day practical were perfect so I could get as close as I could to that 75%.Today went great! It was a lovely paper and very manageable. I answered all parts of Q1 A and left out the second last part of Q1 B. Then I did Q2 which asked you to design a bus stop. I love Q2’s so I actually enjoyed this. Then I did Q3 and there was no surprise as a Blast Furnace came up. Then I did Q4 and discovered I still had an hour or so left.Out of the remaining 5, 6 and 7, I did Q6 because it was the best. I then went back and went over the paper several times just so I could hear “Time’s up” for the last time. So I am finished! The Junior Cert was as I expected and I feel I did really well in reflection! I wish everyone the best for their remaining exams and want to wish you the best for the summer and in 5th Year or TY!
Joe - Higher Level 
It is the final count down to my very last exam. Today I was in high spirits as I enjoy metal work but more than that I won't have to do another state exam for three years.The pick and mix question, aka question 1 was formatted the same as most years with question on engines, circuits and about the design of the trike.Question 4, the furnace question, was a blast and bronze came up in the question too.The metal work exam unlike many others doesn't have great time restraints, which allowed me to spend way too much time drawing a bus shelter and then a bench for question 2.Then question 5 was interesting, half on drones the other on gears. I've always had an interest in drones so I enjoyed the first half but was a small bit lost when it came to gears and I just couldn't connect.I am so glad to be done and best of luck to anyone with exams left!Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Leaving Certificate Spanish
Cárthach - Higher Level 
Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie
Junior Certificate Materials Technology (Wood)
Joe - Higher Level
Woodwork is my favourite subject so I was confident going into this exam.I started with the shirt question and they took less than half an hour and I was happy with them.I moved onto question one then. You had to draw an elevation and end view of a laptop stand. As I do tech graph as well, this question suited me. For the final part of the question I suggested using a finger joint.I then did question five A on the lathe next. You had to list parts, list safety precautions, say how to bore a hole in a lamp and suggest a clear applied finish. It wasn't that difficult and went well.I left my favourite until last, the question two on design. I drew a box with wheels and handles. For the last part of the question and then sketched in chamfered for safety and a bunny done with marquetry for appearance.
Chloe - Higher Level 
Okay so anybody that they could predict this exam was in for a shock today. Only for the fact that I got up early today to study more than what I had predicted I would have been in so much trouble in this exam. Woodwork is my least favourite subject and I absolutely hate the theory for the simple reason that I have absolutely no interest in it! Unfortunately I wasn’t gifted with an artistic streak either and so I have always avoided the Q1 and Q2 in this exam.So before going into the exam I was set on doing Q3, Q4 and Q5B. All of my study since Friday revolved around these questions and I had never crammed so much in all of my life for a subject, I should have won an award!I started with Q3 which was grand, not as straight forward as usual at all but doable. Next on my list was Q4. I swear if you asked me to identify a selection of any other type of hand tool I could have done it but I was kicking myself that I hadn’t looked at chisels. I hadn’t a notion and I just had to move onto Q5B and I would come back to it. Q5B was just not appealing me to me whatsoever and I chose to do Q5A instead which went well enough.So then it was time to choose a third question I was left with Q2 as my only other choice as I wouldn’t know where to start with a working drawing. I think it went well apart from the sketches which I made a huge effort with but I’m not joking when I say I can’t draw, so drawing something without tracing was really pushing the boat far out into the water for me!Before this exam I would have been a firm believer in that you should never try something in an exam that you haven’t done before, but after today I guess sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the most marks as possible !I hope you guys had a better run at this than me but hey maybe not!This is my last exam blog and I’d just like to say thanks to all that have read the blogs and to all of you that have written them as well. I have enjoyed reading other opinions just as much as I have writing my own!Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.Zeminar is an event for Generation Z, particularly those aged between 15 and 19, and their parents, teachers, mentors and coaches. It will take place from 11th - 13th of October 2016. For more information see www.zeminar.ie