Exam results day is stressful for everyone, whether you sat the exams yourself or care about someone who did.
It’s normal to feel upset, disappointed and anxious if you didn’t get the results you hoped for. Know where to get help if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Dealing with results anxiety
Don’t let your anxiety take over. Take positive steps to deal with how you are feeling.
Put yourself first
Don’t compare your results to how other people in your class or course have done. Stay away from social media if you find posts about results triggering.
Put it into perspective
Failing an exam, or doing worse than you expected, doesn’t mean you are a failure. You’ll still be able to achieve your goals. You may just need to take another path.
Stay calm
Think about what you can do to stay calm. Exercises like mindful breathing can help you manage stress and anxiety.
Do something you enjoy
Take your mind off your results by doing something that you enjoy. Watch a movie, play a game, meet with friends who aren’t affected by results day.
Talk to someone
Talk to someone about how you’re feeling. Choose someone who is a good listener and who won’t add to your stress or negative feelings.
Talk to these organisations if you’re struggling after getting your results
Missing out on your expected grades
Missing out on your expected grades isn’t the end of the world, even though it might feel like that now.
If you didn’t get the results you’d expected you should talk to your lecturer, tutor or course adviser. There may be options to help you stay on track.
There are plenty of positive success stories of people who changed course in their personal and professional lives when things didn’t go as expected. It’s okay to feel disappointed, but don’t feel disillusioned.