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Principal Claire Granados knows that results day can be a very nerve-wracking time, so she has put together some useful tips to help you remain calm and prepare for the day.
- Talk about how you’re feeling
If you’re nervous or anxious, talk about it. Tell your family or friends, or write it down. Don’t be embarrassed – you might think nobody else is feeling this way but chances are they are. Exams are stressful. Talking to someone else about your nerves can help put things in perspective. Bottling up stress can make it worse, so it’s really important not to keep it all inside.
- Make a plan
Be organised – know what time you’ve got to go and pick up your results and where you need to go. Making an action plan for the day will help you feel prepared. Think about what you might need to do if you don’t get the grades you were hoping for so you’re not panicking on the day. For example, if your university place or job offer is dependent on you getting certain results, have their number handy so that you can call them on the day to see if they’re still willing to offer you the place. Plan something nice to do with friends or family later in the day so that you have it to look forward to regardless of what happens.
- Get plenty of rest
Sleep may be the last thing on your mind the evening before results day but it will help to put you in a good frame of mind to face what lies ahead. Get up early the day before rather than having a mammoth lie in and do a bit of exercise at some point so that you’re good and tired when you go to bed. Avoid too much caffeine, especially six hours before you go to bed, and have a nice, relaxing bath in the evening. Resist the urge to go over and over your exams in your head because it won’t help and there’s really nothing you can do about it now. It might also be an idea to stay off social media if exams are all everyone seems to be talking about because it’ll only make you feel worse. Try reading a book or magazine instead to help your mind unwind.
- Don’t go alone
You may not think you want to take your Mum or Dad along with you to school, but you’ll probably really appreciate having a family member with you when you get there and the nerves set in. Being with your friends is all well and good, but it might be best to have a family member there as well. Firstly, if you need to go by car they can drive you (and your bundle of nerves) there and bring you home again. Secondly, if things don’t go according to plan, two heads are better than one when it comes to gathering as much info as possible about your next steps, assessing the options and coming up with a plan of action. Finally, even if they don’t come in handy for either of the above, they might buy you a nice lunch afterwards!
- If you didn’t get the exam results you were hoping for
Don’t panic. You have plenty of options if you didn’t get the exam grades you wanted. Take a deep breath and start talking. Speak to your teacher, careers adviser, and whoever else you can to help you decide what you should do next. Find out as much as you can before making a decision and remember, this is not the end of the world. There are many extremely successful people out there who didn’t get the grades they were hoping for either. There are lots of paths to success so use your disappointment as motivation to find yours. Again, you may want to stay off social media for the day. Chances are there’ll be lots of excited chatter about results that won’t make you feel any better.
- If you got the exam results you wanted
YAY! A massive well done to you - make sure you celebrate your tremendous achievement! But in your excitement remember to be aware that others around you may not have had such happy news – so be sensitive to those who now have some important decisions to make.
No matter what happens, don't forget we are here to help advise you so put our helpline number 020 7233 5957 on speed dial!
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