The leaving cert and why ive taken the "fuck the lc stance" 《a thread 》
#LeavingCert #LeavingCert2020 #cancelthelc

So, my mental health aint great on good days so I did the reasonable thing of taking the easter hols off to just process everything and decided to "get back on the horse" on Monday. Yeah that didnt happen

I set up and went to work at 9am feeling great. But by 12 everything had went to shit and I found myself crying and my thoughts spirialing. I felt like a failure and a disappointed for being unable to simply do my work

I felt guilty for taking a break. I felt like a disappointment for needing a break. I NEEDED a long break to just calm down however I felt horrible as it was only the first day back, why was I already taking breaks??

Then I heard some horrible news that a person (who i dont know personally) died of suicide. I realised that no matter what I needed to stop stigmatising the priotiziation of mental health

There sadly is a stigma surrounding taking care of your mental health if it isnt though exercise or therapy. I am working hard now to ignore this internalised stigma withing my head

I from now out will be taking breaks whenever I feel like things are getting to much. I will be watching netflix to calm down without feeling lazy and I will be crying things out without feeling like a failure becuase the LC isnt worth ruining my head over

Fuck the points fuck college, Id rather not sit the LC at all then put myself in danger (mental issues are more dangerous than the sufferer often realises)

Other LCs I please ask you to also start prioritizing your mental health over the LC because you are not definied by the results you receive. It may feel like your entire world right now but there is more than this to life

I know so many of us have worked so hard for years to keep ontop of our mental health. Please do not sacrifice all the hard work just to get that assignment in on time. Please dont associate taking breaks with failure

And please please please if things get so bad the the point of not being able to sit down to work at all? Talk to someone, anyone at all! Spunout has some great information on their website but my dms are also open for anyone struggling