Support for Exam Results Day
This week and next is exam results day for many young people (A levels, GCSE’s…). I can remember these days myself (although a very long time ago). It can feel like your whole life and world relies on this day. The nerves, the being seen as a grade – not a person, the comparing ourselves to others, the destiny it may lead to or not.
So I wanted to share a little piece to help our young people feel grounded on this day. If you are a young person I hope this speaks to you and offers a moment of support. If you are a parent of a young person or know someone who is getting their results, please pass this on:
On results day try to remember a few things:
- You are good enough. You did the best you could do at the time, in the circumstances you were in.
- There is always a way, if you did not get the results you needed to get into that university or do those subjects, find another way. Ask for help with this. There is always another route for your learning and this route will be your actual destiny. Trust yourself and trust the process!
- Most of all please try to approach the day with this Iceberg image in mind:
What people see on the surface is just this one grade. What they do not see is ALL the things below the surface:
- Your efforts;
- Your dedication to studying even the subjects you disliked or even hated and struggled with;
- Your ability to show up each day to the exams no matter what was going on with you mentally, emotionally, physically. Be it you were consumed by stress or anxiety, after a sleepless night, for girls it may have been your first day of your period;
- Failing in the past or being told your not good enough yet still you kept trying. This is resilience and perseverance;
- Your ability to focus in time when there are so many distractions (mostly social media);
- Finding your own way to focus, learn and study. School does not offer lessons in how to study and focus. You had to do this yourself and find your own unique process. Yay you! 🙂
- Sacrificing things you love so you can fit in more time to study.
Your grades do not define you, but all these things below the surface that you did not get marked on are life-long skills; things you will carry with you onwards in life.
I am with you and thinking of you all.
Nikki is a Youth Coach with Newman Tuition. To book a session with her, or one of our other excellent tutors, please call us on 020 3198 8006, email us at [email protected], or complete the form on the ‘Contact Us’ page