SOMETIMES a cliche actually works, and for Alison Collins, Ann Tracey and Sarah Thorn yesterday really was the first day of the rest of their lives.
The three Sion Hill, Dublin, girls will be able to take up the courses of their choice based on the Leaving Certificate results they got at their school yesterday morning.
To the girls of Sion Hill, life was simply wonderful. They compared results and squealed with delight. Alison Collins could hardly contain herself. Yes, she was thrilled to talk to The Irish Times. "We'll be famous," she said; a somewhat apt ambition for one who has been accepted to do a film and television course at Dun Laoghaire College of Art and Design.
Ann Tracey was off to Inchicore to study sport and leisure, while Sarah Thorn was confident she would get into science at TCD.
Ann Marie O'Malley wants to study business and legal studies at UCD and was sure she would be accepted, "if not on the first round of offers, then on the second. I will get in one way or another."
Katie Ingle did not join in the celebrations. She was waiting for a friend before opening her envelope and inspecting the all important green slip inside.
Up the road at Oatlands College, Stillorgan, Hamed Amin Rad arrived for his results. The principal, Mr Michael Madigan, handed him his envelope, and suggested he go around the corner and open it in private.
Suddenly a loud "Yes" was heard. Hamed, the son of the Iranian ambassador to Ireland, had got English, the subject he was most worried about. He was sure he had messed it up. Hamed is still unsure where his future lies. He is thinking of either studying medicine in Pakistan or engineering at Sligo RTC. "I am so happy," he said.
Mr Madigan said the results were good, and the vast majority had got what they wanted. You would be amazed how confident they can be. Most have a very good idea how they will do and are rarely surprised, he said.
In schools all over the country as young people planned their celebrations, some could be seen leaving the school on their own, their classmates embarrassed, because they had not done well.
A number of principals said some of the weaker students would come to the schools later in the morning, or even in the afternoon, in order to avoid their friends and classmates of six years.
In Ballinteer Community School a secretary said most had received their results early. However, she was expecting a bit of a rush over lunchtime.
Eric Dequina, a pupil at Ballinteer, said he was delighted with his results. Asked how he would celebrate, he smiled and said he would be "relaxing". If true, then he would be the only one. Outside southside schools fliers for the Deep Night Club were being handed out announcing Leaving Cert Party Night. Hangover parties are on tonight and tomorrow.