The Leaving Cert can be a very stressful time for young people, and there is no denying it can negatively affect students' wellbeing. However, with the right preparation and training, the Leaving Cert can also be a huge opportunity for young people to develop resilience and performance skills that stick with them long after the exam clock stops ticking.
If I received a euro for every time I’ve heard a parent or teacher say, “Kids these days just aren't as resilient as my generation,” my piggy bank would be full by now. Thankfully, resilience isn't a fixed trait, but a mental skill you can train for exams, sport, and life! Back in 2013, I was the first active inter-county player to go public about my experience with depression, and since then I’ve learned more about resilience than I ever could have imagined. In my work as a Mental Performance Coach, I’ve worked with championship-winning teams on both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve also supported student-athletes at the NCAA level in the US and inter-county GAA players as they juggle academic commitments with sporting ambitions.
What is resilience?
Resilience is the ability to overcome challenges, adapt, and keep going after something difficult has happened in life. Resilience helps people to bounce back from failure. Resilience also helps us to cope in the face of adversity, trauma, or significant sources of stress - such as relationships, exams, grief, health, sport, or work. Being resilient doesn’t make issues go away, but it can help us see past problems, reach out for help, find enjoyment in life, and handle stress better.
When I began counselling in my early twenties, I learned the hard way that resilience is not about the ‘lifting the cup’ moments. Resilience is more to do with the little things, like how we manage, cope, and respond to our thoughts, feelings, and actions on a day-to-day basis. For example, you might notice the ‘butterflies in your stomach’ feeling on the day of an exam and learn to embrace it as a performance booster, rather than letting it become an unhelpful distraction. It is easier to do that when you learn that the ‘butterflies' sensation is actually just the body’s fight-or-flight response that gets triggered by strong emotions like anxiety, nervousness, or excitement. Understanding that helps performers embrace the feeling, respond to it, and use it to their advantage. Stress is nothing to be scared of, anxiety is not inevitable, and everyone can learn ways to cope more effectively.
How to develop resilience as a student
Building resilience can happen in many different ways, but like all mental skills, becoming more resilient takes time and practice. I often encourage athletes and students that I work with to get into the habit of rating their mood from one to ten, and to think about the resilient actions they can take when the going gets tough. It can be as simple as finding ways to recharge your battery — such as going to the cinema with a friend instead of sitting at home alone watching TV, or going for a walk surrounded by nature instead of lying on the couch.
Another great way to develop resilience is through reflection. Reflection helps us to look into our past to find experiences, evidence, and clues that can guide us in the present and future. Take five deep breaths and think about when you were resilient during a difficult time. What did you do that helped you cope or get through that challenge?
One of the most effective skills I’ve learned on my mental performance journey is the ABC technique.
- What is the ABC technique?
Accept: Whenever I feel stressed or anxious, I ACCEPT it. I often can’t control my thoughts or feelings, but I can control how I react to them. Accepting that helps me take back control from unhelpful thoughts and emotions like anxiety or stress.
- Breathe: I like to breathe in for four seconds, and then breathe out for four seconds. I know others who like to breathe in for four, hold their breath for two seconds, and then breathe out for four. Some like to ensure their exhale is longer than their inhale. Figure out the best way to help you reset so that it feels like second nature if you need it in the exam hall.
- Controllables: All over the world, successful performers talk about controlling their controllables. For example, in an exam setting when the heart rate can spike or butterflies present themselves, try focusing on reading the question a couple of times to fully understand what is being asked, and then jot down 4–5 key bullet points that will guide the answer.
Using technology for good
I believe the environments we create and the systems we provide for young people matter far more than placing blame or responsibility on them for a lack of resilience. In elite sport, theatre, or business, performers rarely succeed on innate talent alone. They prepare, perform, and reflect again and again so they can keep learning and growing. Books and movies often trick us into thinking heroes simply rise to the occasion under pressure, but in the real world, most fall to their level of preparation. I sometimes need to remind myself that resilience is a journey and mindset, not a destination.
While technology is often criticised for its negative impacts on youth wellbeing, and in many cases justifiably so, it can also be harnessed to help students better prepare, perform, and reflect. That is why I joined the examflow project in early 2026 as a Mental Performance Consultant. Driven by Folens, one of the most trusted names in Irish education, the team has created a personalised exam performance coach for Leaving Cert students that supports academic preparation and holistic wellbeing.
We integrated mental performance principles directly into the platform’s study routines and messaging to empower students to be calmer, more confident, and prepared. For example, students may receive gentle reminders to practise the positive breathwork techniques mentioned above, while completing tasks. Instead of spending countless hours flicking through textbooks or a content library, students will be consistently guided through the preparation, performance, and reflection journey and supported to develop calming focus-inducing habits. Crucially, the adaptive learning technology driving examflow will help students focus where they need to, rather than wasting time on topics they’ve already mastered. There is also a well-being check-in tool when they log in to help students develop awareness of their mood and energy, and identify proactive ways they can nourish those.
Pressure is part of the Leaving Cert
Accepting that pressure is part of the journey ahead is half the battle. Think of a soccer player stepping up to take a game-winning penalty kick in front of a noisy crowd. The best in the world pause, control their breathing, slow their heart rate, and focus on the routine they have practised countless times.
An exam is quite similar. When students sit down in the hall, opening the exam paper is their moment to execute their routine: to pause, breathe, read the question, and focus on the controllables. And yes, while some will rise to the occasion, most will fall to their level of preparation.
Preparing for the Leaving Cert isn’t easy, and performing under pressure is challenging. One of the best pieces of advice I can share is to remember that resilience isn't about carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders or pretending everything is fine when it isn't. Tough days are part of the Leaving Cert journey, and sometimes a bad day even turns into a bad week. Being resilient means using practical tools, leaning on good preparation, being honest with family and friends about the ups and downs of the process, and being kind to yourself along the way. Just take it one task at a time, one subject at a time, one day at a time, and one week at a time, because doing that will develop resilience and performance skills that remain beneficial long after the exam clock stops ticking.