November proved to be slightly less depressing than I had expected down to one reason, The X factor! Everyone has abandoned their social lives on a Saturday night to join in the company of Simon, Cheryl, Danni and our own handsome Louis Walsh! Therefore no one is making us leaving certs feel jealous about the events of their crazy weekend antics and everyone is using it as an excuse ”Nah don’t think I’ll go out, I want to see the X Factor”. I too find myself nodding in agreement ”Yeah, think I’ll stay in” as if I HAVE a choice! Nevertheless ‘choosing’ to stay in sounds much more cool. Another reason for not going out that suits leaving certs well, is the fact that everyone has gone Anglo (COMPLETELY.BROKE.) The upside of all the doom and gloom is that everyone (Unless you’re Sean Fitzpatrick) is in the same position. Perfect excuse for your non existent social life, you’re broke & you’d prefer to see the X Factor anyway. A very minor positive side, but these days we’ll take what we can get!
I’m not going to harp on about the economy or the awkward moment when you have to ask Europe for 90 billion! Yet as a leaving cert student I can’t ignore these issues that will have an influential impact on our future. In Irish the other day we had to write an essay about the problems of young people. Our class gave the usual suggestions, drugs, peer pressure , the points race etc. Our Irish teacher however was much more depressing. ”Will your parents have enough money to send you to college? If you need a grant WILL you get one? Will you get your course with the increase in mature students? Even if you DO get your course, will there BE a job at the end of it? Will you HAVE TO emigrate?” Needless to say we had all left the class with the weight of the world on our shoulders. For the sake of an essay my teacher had given those points, but they were all relevant and true. Being a leaving cert student in 2011 is much more difficult than any other time previous to this. Minimum wage is cut, the dole is cut, college fees are increased. There is not one career that is a guaranteed safe job, maybe a few years ago it was primary teaching or architecture, engineering or surveying. The students of this generation are in a time of sheer uncertainty and we can joke about Brian ”Biffo” Cowen forever but all jokes aside, it’s really scary.
In a way we’re actually in a good position when we consider that we’re going to be in college for the next 3, 4, 5 or 6 years for some of you. It’s like going into hibernation for a long winter. We occupy ourselves until it’s Spring time, and when Spring rolls around again we’ll emerge into the new Ireland when the horror story of the recession is over. We need to think positively and no matter who or what depresses us about talk of going into the workforce, we’re not entering the workforce for another number of years. Economies go through phases, from bust to boom, it will be over and we’ll never make the same mistakes again. I was happy to see the new inspiring ad telling us about the achievements of Irish people over the years. ” We designed the white house, the Beaufort scale..” We are pretty amazing in all fairness, we just need to believe it!
Laters leaving certs,
Tara. G