Preparing for Results Day and dealing with results day stress
Results day can be a big deal because they can affect your next steps in school or work, which can feel pretty stressful.
A lot of the stress comes from not knowing what to expect or feeling like there’s nothing you can do to change things. When you’ve finished an exam, it’s hard to know how well you did, and you can’t go back and fix any mistakes you think you made. That uncertainty can make the stress even worse.
In the lead up to results day there are a number of things you can do to try to help reduce any stress you may be feeling and at this time it is important that you take time to look after yourself and find what works for you to reduce stress. You can find tips for coping with stress by clicking here to visit the Childline website and AQA have some helpful information for both young people and parents/carers on managing stress when waiting for results which you can find by clicking here.
YoungMinds have a helpful blog post from another young person who has been through results day and who shares tips to help you prepare for the day, from the night before to the day of and after. Click here to access the post.
Dealing with disappointing exam results
Although you may be disappointed with your exam results it is important to remember that your results don’t define you; your worth extends beyond your grades and there are always options for you, whatever you have achieved in your exams.
It is important to remember that if your results are not what you expected and you are unsure of where to go from here, you can access careers advice to help decide on options following GCSE, A Level and Nationals results days from the National Careers Service. Click here to find out more and to reach out.
If you are feeling disappointed with your results, there are lots of things you can do to help yourself start to feel better, including speaking to people around you, focusing on your own achievements and taking part in calming activities. You can access tips for what you can do if you’re feeling disappointed with your results on the Childline website by clicking here.
Supporting your child
If you are worried about your child and any stress they may be feeling in the lead up to exam results day, or disappointment they may be feeling about their results, you can access useful information on how you can help your child, and where you can get additional support, including the Parent Helpline on the YoungMinds website by clicking here.
