Opinion: Don’t worry, be happy: A letter to my Leaving Cert self! - Kilkenny Live

As teenagers receive their Leaving Cert results, Mary Cody reflects on how the paths in chosen careers can have many twists and turns

I remember the Leaving Cert well, looking back I think I had a false sense of my academic prowess, having been told by teachers along the way that I was more than capable and able when it came to the curriculum.

Focusing on this I applied myself well and studied in sixth year, up to that point, homework and schoolwork were often put on the back boiler to enable me to nourish and develop the social side of my life.

I remember filling out the CAO form, only to change it as teachers seemed to think that I would achieve higher points than was needed for my first choice. Looking back I never really got the logic of that, I had initially put down an arts degree as my first choice of a college place but subsequently changed it to law.

I muddled through law, really enjoying certain aspects of the degree such as criminal law, evidence and jurisprudence but strongly disliking other subjects such as property and company law.

My point is that what I studied didn’t really matter that much. I have ended up working full time in journalism, since graduating from law back in 2002.

There are different pathways into all careers, all it takes is a passion to want to do something and then the determination to find a way.

So to all the young people waiting on CAO offers, do not worry if you don’t get your ‘first choice’. What your 17 or 18 year old self thinks they want to do and what you end up pursuing as your line of work may well be two very different things. Not getting what you think you want now might well be a blessing in disguise, a cloud with a very silver lining.

I wished that I had travelled more when I was younger. I went down the well trodden path of school, college, work and managed to force myself up onto the property ladder at the tender age of 26 and at the height of the boom which ruled out any long term travel for literally decades of my adult life.

Life is often simple and beautiful when you are young and the quasi tragic part is often we don’t realise and truly appreciate it.

Don’t get me wrong, life at any age is wonderful especially if you have your health, but the commitments do tend to mount up as you get older. It just seems to get more complicated and with age that exuberant freedom that prevails in your younger years seems to wane.

So all you young folk my advice would be not to worry, take the time out now if you can because none of us know what the future holds and I have never heard of anyone who regretted going away to explore the world and learn about themselves and others.

School can be long and tedious and in Ireland for some reason as a society we have never really embraced the idea of a gap year or two or three. There is a lot to be said for getting a job, saving some money and then heading off into the sunset for a bit. The big decisions (which are not really that big in the end!) will be here for you when and if you return and more than likely you might make a better and wiser choice. Also with age comes maturity and from meeting people over the years quite often the older student seems to get more fulfillment and enjoyment out of academia, maybe because to return after a break away feels like more of a conscious choice rather than just moving onto the next chapter.

Take the time to enjoy your time while you can and the rest will work itself out!