With the weather set to improve for the weekend, it’s a sure indicator that exam season is kicking into action.

The annual phenomenon of ‘Leaving Cert weather’ ensures every sixth-year student in Ireland faces the same dilemma we all did; stay in and study for exams, or get outside and enjoy the rarity of sunshine.

These teenagers are in a real transition phase; if they put their head down, study hard for a few months, then they can put secondary school behind them, and get on with the rest of their lives.

When you are in the thick of it, it’s easy to forget that there is a life outside the Leaving Cert.

Put yourself in a student’s shoes; for the past two or three years, their whole school career has been centred around these exams in June.

Those of us who have left secondary school often look back on those years with a fondness and nostalgia.

Most of us will remember lunches with friends, graduation day and the final days spent wandering the school corridors.

So, to all Leaving Cert students, take a break away from the books if you can, appreciate the small moments with your friends.

You will never be in Leaving Cert again, that is unless you repeat the year.

The thought may be comforting for some, terrifying for others.

As these young people across the country prepare to move on to the next chapter of their lives, it’s a good time to consider the unnecessary stress these students are under before they move on to third-level education or into the work force.

Each has a different image of what they want their future to look like in their heads; whether they choose to go on to college, join an apprenticeship programme, start working or take a year off.

The pressure faced by these 17- and 18-year olds is mounting every day and it’s ridiculous that young people are expected to know what path they wish to take when the intense school curriculum leaves little time for anything outside of it.

With CAO points rising, young people looking to attend university are facing increasing stress to achieve high grades. Trying to find college accommodation is another string on the bow of students’, and parents’, anxieties.

If you’re a student facing into exam, or have someone in your household facing study stress, it’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of worry.

Take a step back, a deep breath, and spend time doing something you love. Try to forget about the exams for a while.

Just remember that all you can do is your best, and no matter what happens come exam day, you can get to where you want to be in life.

RTÉ in the wars

RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst has certainly been in the wars this week.

His was never a job for the faint-hearted as he stepped in to steer the national broadcaster out of the quagmire of controversy following the Ryan Tubridy pay furore.

At the time he stressed RTÉ’s commitment to reform and the restoration of trust – a pledge he echoed on Wednesday as he appeared before the Oireachtas Committee on Media.

The latest furore erupted after the broadcaster published its highest earners list with Derek Mooney featuring for the first time. On further exploration it emerged that his name should have featured in previous years but he had been categorised as a producer rather than a presenter.

Earlier this week Mr Bakhurst said he ‘was not aware’ of any other anomalies in RTÉ˙’s account keeping. Not the most inspiring of comments but in the interest of all those who work there let’s hope he’s right.

As for his rejection of the term bail-out in reference to the €725m of government funding over three years – most taxpayers and TV licence fee payers would probably disagree.