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Category: Information and resources

Navigating Leaving Cert result stress

Posted on by eve

On Friday, 25 August, young people will be getting their Leaving Cert results.

The wait beforehand can be an anxious and stressful time for many. Here we share helpful tips and advice gathered from our team of mental health professionals and other young people who have been there.

Remember to give yourself credit

No matter how your results turn out, you deserve to celebrate your hard work. And remember, your exams do not define your worth.

Take your time

Moving forward is personal. Don’t rush. Give yourself space to figure things out. Check in with yourself now and again about how you are feeling. If you are worried or stressed sometimes, that is OK. It is normal to feel that way. But don’t be afraid to seek help if you feel you need it.

Dealing with self-criticism

Posted on by fiona

Too many of us are quietly, privately, hard on ourselves. We walk around with an inner critic, telling us we’re not ‘good enough’ and never amount to anything.

Sometimes we feel so much pressure to achieve, self-criticism seems like a necessity. Lockdown has kept us cooped up and in many cases with more free time. We may feel especially guilty if we’ve not been ‘productive’.

We’ve all seen people who ‘achieved’ despite the difficulties of the pandemic. Marathons run in backyards, new languages learned, what seems like hundreds of books read. It’s difficult not to compare ourselves and put pressure on ourselves too.

There’s a myth we can hang on to that a harsh inner critic is useful to get where we want in life.

In this article, you will find:

Feeling down

Posted on by linda

We all feel down now and again. We can feel tired or listless or just ‘meh’ about everything. With the effects of the pandemic still around, it’s understandable to feel down at the moment. 

Feeling low or feeling down is not pleasant, but it is very common. In fact, it is one of the biggest reasons young people come to Jigsaw.

In this article, you will find:

 

Problems at school

Posted on by rebecca

Everyone has a different experience of school.

Most students go through some ups and downs throughout the year. Experiencing problems at school is not unusual for many young people.

When difficulties get on top of us, it can be like a domino effect. One domino falls over and all the rest seem to pile up. It’s OK to have mixed feelings about school, as everyone has their good days and bad days. Whether you’re having problems with schoolwork, friends, or fitting in, you are not alone.

Some common problems in school and solutions:

Goal setting

Posted on by holly

We are often asked about our ‘goals in life’ when it comes to careers or discussions about the future. ‘Squad goals’ or ‘couple goals’ appear in many Instagram posts, but what does this really mean? Are personal goals something we want to be, or want to have?

In this article, you will find help to set and achieve your goals: