Feelings after the matriculation exams

It's been already almost two weeks since the matriculation examinations were finally over, but somehow I at least don't feel so relaxed yet. Maybe it's the admission exams ahead and the summerjob that give me a headache... However, I feel relieved - and unfortunately disappointed,too. I'm relieved, because finally I have some time for myself. I'm also disappointed, because it feels I didn't do even close as well as I could have done. Luckily mother language went really well, and so it compensates for the other subjects that didn't go so well.

Besides my own feelings, I also wanted to know how two of my friends felt after the matriculation examinations.

Veera, 3a

- Well, I did reach my goals, but I still feel stressed. But mostly I just feel relieved, and I'm most satisfied  with English. And I'm so glad I can finally watch tv-series without feeling guilty about not doing something mandatory!

Julia, 3b

- It disappointed me the most that I've worked so hard through my entire high school time, but now when I should've been most efficient I just felt so exhausted, and so it didn't go as well as I'd hoped in every way. I should've slowed down earlier and saved resources mostly for the matriculation examinations. In university this baccalaureate affects quite much besides the entrance examination, and I had wrong kind of strategy for that and that's a shame - and I've been heading for university after all. Because of the matriculations my motivation is lower now , and if it had gone at least a little better I would've had more self-confidence for the entrance exams.

As we can read, the feeling of relief isn't always the only one after the matriculations, expecially when the entrance exams are still ahead. Luckily summer is almost here, and so probably the sun will help us all to survive.

Even though it's been tough few months, we're still able to find joy, like in this cruise right after our school leaving party on Valentine's day.

Written by Janette 3B

Future plans

Matriculation examinations are over, but for most third year students admission exams are still ahead. However, not everyone has very clear plans even now that the time for applications is over -and actually I don't know if people's plans have changed after this interview since it's been already a few months when I asked the questions. However, our students had plans like these at least then:

Iida, 3a

- I've considered the university of applied sciences, or at least I'm not planning to go to university. Helsinki is my first choice, Tampere the second.

-I got the idea to go there from a magazine article about a tv-cameraman actually only about a couple of months ago. I'm planning to study working among the media. Before this I had thought about getting a degree as a bachelor of social services.

-If I don't get in at the first attempt, I'm ready to try again. If I am not lucky even then, I think I'll figure out something else. A year off would also be an okay option.

Mikko, 3b

- I'll probably head for university to study history or social sciences, and it would be an okay option to get a teacher's or a researcher's education. But it's not yet clear. I want to travel a lot, and so I'll apply when it feels right, and I think I'll head for eastern Finland then. A year off sounds good, too!

Jasmin, 3b

- I think I'll have a year off, and I'll use that year for cycling and attending cycling competitions. And depending on what happens, maybe I'll head for the Vierumäki sports institute.

- I am dreaming about becoming a top athlete, and that's been my dream already for a long time. And so, at least I know I would like to do something with sports now.

- If I don't get in at the first attempt, I'm ready to try again, or then I'll try to apply to another sports institute, Varala.

I, the writer, have no very clear plans either. I've been talking about going to a restaurant shcool in Helsinki for about two years now, but I realised recently it's not maybe the best idea - becoming a waitress or a receptionist isn't exactly my dream, and maybe I should take some challenge and at least try to head higher, as so many have suggested. And so, I really did apply for university (in Vaasa) to study English. However, I also applied for the restaurant school.  If I don't get in, I'll just try to make new, better plans. Probably I'll try to apply for university again or for a university of applied sciences (to study travelling/cultural/theatrical studies for example). A year off isn't exactly on my plans, but it sounds good, too. What I really would like to do now is to travel, but I also want to finish my studies for good as soon as possible. But, only future will show me what happens, and how knows, maybe my true dreams will come true!

Now, may the odds be ever in our favor!

By Janette 3B