Our Youth Ambassador Jake wrote about his GCSE results day(s) and his advice for anyone about to get their results!
The gap between your last exam and results day can often feel very long; the two or so months are an an anxious wait to see how you fared in an intense period of examination that have been the culmination of hard work over the school year. For people in year 11, it can be your first taste of public examinations, the results of which are a stepping stone for further education. For those taking A-levels, the consequences are more serious, with predicted grades for A2 and University places at stake.
My first results day experience was, in fact, at the end of year 10 – I had done my Punjabi GCSE a year earlier to ease the pressure for the following year. This move, however, backfired; I walked away with a D grade, falling just 5 UMS short of a C. Whilst at the time it was a big disappointment, it proved to be a valuable experience in that it helped me throughout the whole of year 11. This time round, I fared much better, with my mock results being one of the best in our school year – 5 A*’s earned me a trip to the head teacher’s office along with my peers who also performed very well. It was at this discussion I realised how serious these results were. Whilst bad results weren’t the end of the world, we were reminded that similar results to our mocks would go a long way. This, along with some strange last minute revision, certainly helped me achieve 7 A*’s in my GCSE’s (along with a pass in my Punjabi exam).
But when it comes to this year, my feeling is that last year’s heroics will not be repeated. Indeed, many people will feel very anxious, nervous and stressed; a stark contrast to the joys that greeted the end of the exam period. But if your results don’t turn out to be as good as you hoped, that can often be the worst part.
That’s why I’ve written about my experience. Although not the most inspiring, it’s certainly a vital lesson – use failure as a springboard for future success. Listening to people say ‘it wasn’t meant to be’ is probably the last thing you want to hear, but it is difficult to find encouragement in times like this. Whilst my advice is limited to those who do GCSE’s, I know something that applies to everyone; don’t worry about what you can’t control. You’ve done all the hard work prior to results day, but stressing about it won’t change your grades.
Good Luck!
