Caoimhe Pollard was a First Year student in our largest school, the Abbey Vocational School in Donegal Town in September 2023. As she enters second year, she reflects back on what she expected when she moved to a bigger school, what she found and offers some tips for new first years.
My primary school was Scoil Aodh Rua agus Nuala, which was a medium sized school. There were about 30 students in my 6th Class. I liked primary school because I knew everyone in my class well and got to do lots of fun activities while I was there.
Before I started in the Abbey Vocational School (AVS), I went to an open day with all the other new 1st years and an open night with my parents. During the open day, I got to try out most of the choice subjects and food from the canteen. I was mixed in with people from different schools. I really enjoyed the open day because it gave me an idea of which subjects I would like.
Before I joined, I thought the Abbey Vocational School would be really big, crowded and hard to get around. On the open night, I walked around the school with my parents and went into classrooms where I got to see work from other students, meet teachers and look at some textbooks. I’m really glad I waited until after the open day and night to choose my subjects because I had a much better idea of what the subject was about. It’s also important to remember that the work you do on the open day is not exactly like what you do in class, and that you will also have to do theory as well as practical work.
When I first started in the Abbey Vocational School, it was a bit difficult to find my classes because I had no idea where any rooms were, but after about a week, I knew where to go. The school isn’t as crowded as I thought it would be, but sometimes it can be quite busy in between classes. There is quite a lot more homework than I got in primary school, but not all homework has to be done in one night, and for a lot of classes you will have two or three days to get it done. I really loved how there were new people in the AVS, and I found a group of people who I enjoyed spending time with really quickly.
Here are some tips for starting in the AVS:
- It’s a good idea to stick together with friends in your class when you’re trying to find a room because you can help each other out, and if you need to, use the map in your homework journal.
- Try not to leave your homework until the last minute to avoid stress, and focus first on the homework that’s due the soonest.
- Talk to the people in your class and year and soon you’ll find similar people who you enjoy spending time with.
- Try your best to pay attention in class so you aren’t confused later in the year or during your summer exams.
I really enjoyed First Year and hopefully you do too.