Crying in the Art Room

(Note on title:  I’m aware that it sounds like it could have been thought up by mid-naughties emo band. hXc)

To elabourate on the title, I did actually cry during the craftwork exam. I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but as it is a blog about the Leaving Cert and the craftwork exam comes under the Leaving Cert umbrella and I am a sickeningly honest human being…yeah.

I chose the poster option which I thoroughly prepared. I entered the art room with my little preparatory sheet, covered in pictures of Alexander McQueen and Chanel collections, and got to work. The majority of the day went unexcitingly, until about 2 o’clock, when I realised I had about an hour and a half to actually make the poster and stop messing around with the lettering. I got frustrated, then panicky, then weepy.

Looking back on it now, it was lolarious. At the time, however, I was wild with terror. What if I didn’t get finished? What would happen? I’d fail my art then of course I’d fail the Leaving and then everyone would tut and then I’d cry more and then the world would explode and – well, I completely lost sight of the forest for the trees, as they say.
My project wasn’t bad, per se. It wasn’t that good either. Thankfully, the still life and life drawing went far far far better. I’m happy to have it all out of the way.
To make matters a little worse my totalitiarian dictator of an Irish teacher is “disappointed” in the Art students in the class for a) missing class and b) not getting the homework. Oh I’m sorry Miss, how could I even dream of missing your class to go to an exam worth over 50% of my Leaving Cert Art. Y’know, cos Irish is the only subject I’m really doing an exam on. All the other classes I’m doing for the craic. *shakes fist* (It is clear that the stress is beginning to affect me.)

How did everyone’s Art go? Better than mine I hope…

So we have around a month to get our shit together and make this Leaving Cert thing happen.
Some days I feel confident in my abilities, others not so much. I didn’t get accepted to English and Drama in Trinity, which was quite a knock to my positive Shiny Happy May approach, but I have to soldier on.

I love English. I like the English course, which seems to be quite unusual for a Leaving Certer. Yeah it stifles creativity, but what subject in the Leaving doesn’t? It’s fair to everyone, in my opinion. People who like poetry/theatre/novels can read up more about the poets and playwrights in their own time if they’re interested, and people who don’t just learn what they are given and do the exam. Obviously I’d love to take the question “Write a personal response to the poetry of Blah Von Blather” and tell them exactly what I think of it, but that’s not going to get us the marks. The course is the course, and it won’t change until the bigwigs in the Department deem it necessary. Though it seems if Fine Gael ever gain power in the government, they’re going to do away with the Leaving Cert altogether…can’t say I’d miss it. 🙂

Til next time (unless I have a complete mental breakdown during the coming week),

Valerie