Summary
Starting 6th year can make the Leaving Cert suddenly feel very real. Between schoolwork, study, CAO choices and questions about what comes next, it can feel like there’s a lot riding on one year. But you don’t have to have everything figured out straight away.
Starting 6th year can feel like a lot
September can bring a big shift.
You might suddenly be hearing about mock exams, CAO points, study plans, college courses and what everyone wants to do after school.
Maybe your teachers are talking about the Leaving Cert more often. Maybe your friends already seem to know exactly what course they want. Maybe family members keep asking what you’re doing next year.
It can make 6th year feel enormous before it has even really started.
The Leaving Cert is important, but it is still only one part of your life. You don’t have to spend every waking hour studying, know exactly what career you want or have your future mapped out by September.
Take the year one step at a time.
Don’t try to do the whole Leaving Cert in September
You might start 6th year feeling like you suddenly need to study for hours every evening.
That can be difficult to maintain and can quickly leave you exhausted.
Instead, try building a routine gradually. Think about what homework and study you realistically have time for while still getting enough sleep, taking breaks and doing things you enjoy.
A routine you can stick with is usually more helpful than trying to do everything at once.
What if everyone else knows what they want to do?
It can feel like everyone around you already knows what they want to study, where they want to go to college and what career they want afterwards.
But plenty of people are unsure.
You are allowed to explore different options, change your mind or decide that college isn’t the right path for you.
Your guidance counsellor, teachers and trusted adults can help you explore CAO courses, apprenticeships, further education, PLC courses and other options after school.
You don’t need to decide your entire future at 17 or 18.
Try not to compare points and grades
It can be difficult not to compare yourself with friends, especially when people are talking about test results, predicted grades and CAO points.
Someone else’s target doesn’t have to become yours.
Try to focus on your own goals and progress. Everyone has different strengths, subjects they find difficult and plans for what they want to do next.
Your grades are something you achieve. They are not a measure of your value as a person.
Make room for life outside school
6th year can be busy, but your life doesn’t have to become school, homework and study.
Seeing friends, playing sport, listening to music, gaming, exercising or simply having time to yourself can all help you switch off.
Sleep matters too. Staying up late to squeeze in extra study can sometimes make it harder to concentrate the next day.
Rest isn’t something you have to earn after studying. It is part of looking after yourself.
When the pressure starts to feel too much
Some stress around exams is normal, but there may be times when it starts to feel overwhelming.
You might notice that you’re struggling to sleep, constantly worrying about school, avoiding things you usually enjoy or feeling like you can’t switch your brain off.
If that happens, talk to someone.
You could speak to a parent or carer, teacher, year head, guidance counsellor or another adult you trust.
You don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable before asking for support.
Remember there is more than one way forward
The CAO gets a lot of attention during 6th year, but university is not the only option after the Leaving Cert.
There are apprenticeships, further education and training courses, PLCs, work opportunities and many other routes you can take.
Sometimes plans change too.
You might not get the points you hoped for. You might get an offer and realise you want something different. You might take a different route and end up somewhere you never expected.
One set of exams cannot decide the rest of your life.
You are more than your Leaving Cert
It can be easy to forget this when so much of 6th year revolves around exams.
But you are still you.
You are your friendships, personality, interests, kindness, humour, talents and all the things you care about outside school.
The Leaving Cert is something you will do. It is not who you are.
Try to focus on what you can control today rather than carrying the whole year around in your head at once.
One class. One assignment. One study session. One day at a time.
Key takeaways
- You do not need to have your whole future figured out in September.
- Build a realistic routine instead of trying to do everything at once.
- Try not to compare your grades or CAO goals with other people’s.
- Rest, friendships and things you enjoy still matter during 6th year.
- There are many different routes available after school.
- Your Leaving Cert results do not define your worth.
- If school pressure starts to feel overwhelming, talk to someone you trust.
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