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Nearly
everybody has to experience the stress of taking GCSEs and we all
know what a relief it is when the exams are finally over but the stress
of the results will still linger over us until results day.
The
pressure of waiting begins as soon as you leave the exam room and
is exaggerated by discussions with friends about the answers.
Students
tell each other what answers they put to certain questions and this
can cause panic and worry if they haven't put the same.
 Fail
to prepare and prepare to fail!
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| Julia
McCarroll |
This
was the case for me when I left a dreaded science exam and found
out that I put a different answer to my friend on a question that
we both had practiced so many times!
Is
it really worth all the worry? If failure is the case, there is
always the option of retake and it's reassuring knowing that there's
always another chance.
However,
some subjects are easier to retake than others. English and Maths
retakes are easy to take up, but what about the other subjects?
Most
schools don't offer many subjects for retake and so students only
have the option of retaking subjects at college.
This
can be a problem as students may not have the time to go to college
after school. They may lack transport and most importantly, motivation!
Getting
Away
Sometimes
the best thing for a student to do in a situation like this is to
take their mind off the waiting.
For
example, going away on holiday with family or spending time with
friends in the same situation and just doing things you enjoy. I
was lucky enough to escape to Spain with my family but returning
the night before results day meant a sleepless night filled with
concern for me!
If
you can't escape the anticipation of results, you should tell yourself,
'I did the best I could' and you will get what you've worked for.
Fail to prepare and prepare to fail!
Expectations
What
makes the waiting worse is that sometimes, students have not only
got their own expectations to live up to, but those of their parents
or relatives as well.
This
just adds to the mounting pressure so my message to mums and dads
is 'stand by your children and reassure them that you'll love them
whether they pass or fail'.
GCSEs
have the potential to affect future career plans but as long as
you gain five or more A* to C grades, the next step is in reach,
which is A Level or Apprenticeships.
All
these daunting aspects can lead to stress and restless nights but
in my opinion, it isn't worth it! If you pass, the relief is overwhelming
and definitely worth a celebration or two, but if you fail, there
is always a second chance.
You
can retake some subjects at school the next year and take the others
up as evening classes at your local college but nobody ever does
as badly as they expect. It isn't as bad as we lead ourselves to
believe!
This
article contains user-generated content (ie external contribution)
expressing a personal opinion, not the views of ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Gloucestershire.
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then you can email us at: gloucestershire@bbc.co.uk
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Julia
McCarroll, a sixth former at Beaufort Community School remembers the
nail-biting waiting well because last year it was her! Here's her
advice for the run-up to results and beyond.
