Anxiousness, eagerness, stress and perhaps a bit of panic are normal emotions to feel in the lead up to D-day. All across the country thousands of students like you and I – A Level students, undergraduates and postgraduates – are experiencing the same sentiments.
What’s done is done. There is something relieving about this reality. We cannot change the past so the worst thing we could do right now is to mull over the could-haves, would-haves and should-haves. What is crucial to remember here is that there are ways to move the situation in a positive way if things don’t go to plan.
Making a proactive plan
Telling yourself to not worry about results is far easier said than done. What I have found to work for me is to plan the next steps should things go my way or not. As someone who is about to graduate, my strategy is this: with my undergraduate degree under my belt I shall take a gap year in employment. During this time, I can save up and build my CV credentials.
At the same time, I will be using some of the money I have saved up for a holiday somewhere exotic. If I had a penny for each time I’ve had someone say to me “Travel after you finish university – you may never have the chance again,” I would be able to pay for my air fares! Although I don’t believe this will be my only chance to travel, I do agree that seeing the world at this young and formative age would be beneficial for my personal and professional growth. As such, I look forward to going somewhere…different.
Afterwards, I will apply for a Masters degree. My plan can work whether or not I get my goal of a 2:1 grade. With added work experience on my CV, not only will there be a better chance for me to get into a Masters course should Results Day not go my way.
After my Masters I feel like I will have more experience and thus will be more than ready to apply for a graduate scheme.
This plan is specific for my personal journey and it is by no means a universal template for everyone. For example, if you’re an A Level student hoping to get the grades for your conditional offer, be proactive and inform yourself about the next steps. If you don’t get the grades, get to know the Clearing process and have some numbers handy to call on Results Day.
If you do get your grades, well, that’s fantastic! Start your reading, sort out money matters and make a list of what to pack! My fellow blogger Alexandra has written a practical packing list of what to bring to uni which you may find handy.
What matters is that having a proactive strategy that can adapt to all types of situations is the best way to calm anxiety. For now, I’m focusing on sending job applications while I work part time in retail.
Ending my uni career with glam at the Graduation Ball 2016! This event sure did help ease Results Day nerves.
To find out more about this memorable evening held at the beautiful O2 Guildhall in the centre of Southampton City, you can read fellow blogger Ben’s post. Photo courtesy of Union Southampton (formerly SUSU).
The night before
You might find it a good idea to stay off social media the night before Results Day. Focus on eating right, on your hobbies and most importantly, getting some much-needed sleep! Don’t make your anxiety worse by feeding everyone else’s anxiety into yours. If you find it hard to sleep, those elusive forty winks can come your way by waking up early the morning before and doing exercise throughout the day. Besides, exercise is a good way to de-stress.
The waiting game is challenging. Uncertainty leads to the need for closure and it’s completely human to ruminate over outcomes. However, the worst thing you can do is to have the mind-set that you cannot control what happens next when you get bad news.
As someone who has just completed an undergraduate degree and is about to get a full statement of my performance over the last three years, it is tough. I must have bitten off more nail beds than I could ever imagine. But I have found that it helps to cope by having a realistic plan whatever happens on D-Day.
Good luck with your results everyone!
Rylyn
