Results day will soon be upon us. For many students across the country, it will mark the end of one journey and the start of a new one. Many will achieve the grades they’ve been dreaming of and be rewarded for the many hours of revision and hard work. But some will fall short of their expectations and have to make important decisions about what to do next.
Teachers are often the first point of call to help navigate the difficult moment that is results day, and we’ve got some top tips that can help ensure you are offering students the best support possible.
Read on to find out the following about results day:
- How students can avoid becoming overwhelmed on results day
- What techniques are useful for reframing setbacks
- What popular techniques may actually be damaging for mental health
1. Failure need not to be fatal
There is a fantastic scene in Charlie Wilson’s War where Philip Seymour Hoffman tries to explain to a rather drunk and jubilant Tom Hanks that it is a mistake to get too high after a success or too low after a failure, as you can never be sure what either will lead to.
For many students, disappointing exam results may well be life-altering, but they need not be life-defining. It may even be the making of an unexpected but wonderful future. A study by the University of Gloucestershire suggests that those who have experienced some setbacks in their life often perform better under pressure than those who haven’t been fully tested.
Try encouraging students to reflect on how well they prepared for their exams, what they would do differently next time and what they want to achieve in the future – regardless of what grades they achieve. In doing so, students are more likely to see failure as a stepping stone and an experience they can learn from to do better next time.
2. A sense of perspective
Keeping a sense of perspective is essential to success, according to a study on student resilience, especially on results day. The key is to consider the bigger picture as well as the small details. Keeping the end goal in mind, after exams and university, can help you to stay motivated even when things don’t go your way. It helps you focus on the next steps to move forward instead of overthinking the present.
Keeping a sense of perspective is also helped by being flexible.
“The human capacity for burden is like a bamboo – far more flexible than you’d ever believe at first glance”
– Jodi Picoult, My Sister’s Keeper
This flexibility is not only helpful when it comes to results day, but also can be a life skill long after they leave school.
So, if your students did not receive the results they were hoping for on results day, make sure they are keeping their end goal in mind and work with them to map out their next steps. Remind them that they shouldn’t just stop, but instead adapt their strategy to achieve that end goal.
3. Positive visualisation may not help
Most self-help or pop psychology books encourage people to visualise their dream outcome as a way of managing any nerves or doubts. But when researchers from the University of California put this to the test, they found that those who visualised a positive outcome were more likely to report higher levels of anxiety. Similar studies have found that students who visualise their dream job after school were less likely to receive a high number of job offers and were paid less once in employment.
Excessive time spent fantasising about an ideal outcome can often lead to being ill-equipped to handle setbacks. Alternatively, strategic planning around “hoping for the best but planning for the worst” can ensure a balanced approach and leave individuals assured that they have a backup plan. If you get the chance before results day, it may be worth having a session with students to discuss potential implications of different results and give them a clear plan of action of who to call if they haven’t achieved their goals.
4. View decisions as active choices, not sacrifices
Viewing setbacks and alternative paths as sacrifices can be incredibly detrimental to students’ motivation and resilience. Individuals can end up focusing more on what they are missing out on, rather than what they are trying to achieve in the long run.
Some students won’t get to continue down the path they envisioned for themselves. But try encouraging them to see an alternative option as an active decision to explore a different but valuable experience, rather than a forced compromise.
5. Don’t do it alone
The more we isolate ourselves after hardship, the more likely we are to dwell on the negative and become overwhelmed. This leads to an increase in stress and frustration. However, when we surround ourselves with good people and ask for help, we are often much better equipped to handle stressful situations.
Students can often see asking for help as a sign of weakness, but encouraging them to use the support available may help them see things from another perspective and make more informed decisions at this crucial point in their lives. Whether they use career advisors, teachers, parents, or even online forums, knowing where to find guidance can make all the difference in maintaining a positive outlook.
Final thoughts on results day
Results day can be a pivotal moment in a student’s journey but it can be difficult for them to make informed decisions, especially when they don’t have the options that they were hoping for. However, by encouraging a mindset that fosters resilience, adaptability and confidence in themselves, teachers and mentors can give students the tools they need to make the best possible choices.
If you’re already thinking ahead to the next round of exams, why not check out our blog 5 Proven Hacks to Help Students Tackle Revision?
