Looking After Your Mental Health On Results Day

Yup, it’s finally here… GCSE results day 2023. For anyone who needs to hear this right now: it’s totally normal (and expected!) to be feeling all the feels, be it stress, anxiety, worry, pride, joy, sadness, or a whole random mix of emotions all rising up at the same time! Results day is almost certain to be one of those days. So we wanted to share some advice on how to care for your mental health.

Follow your usual routine
Not sure what to do on results day? It often feels like a day of total unknowns because you don’t yet know what results you’ll get, or how you’ll feel about those results. Whenever you’re faced with a lot of uncertainty and unknowns, experts advise trying to stick to your usual routine. Whether that’s getting out of bed at your normal time, eating your usual breakfast, or doing the same exercises as you normally do — sticking to these little routines can help bring a bit of normalcy to an otherwise bonkers day.

Feel your feelings 
You’re human, so whatever results you get, you’re gonna have feelings about it. And it’s important to feel those feelings. Whether there’s joy, disappointment, frustration, or feeling kinda numb — there’s no right or wrong way to feel. So don’t assume you need to put on a brave face! Your feelings are 100% valid, so allow yourself some time to simply feel whatever emotions come up for you.

Talk about your feelings
If there’s someone who you trust to listen (rather than judge or dismiss your feelings!), then talking things over with them can help you to not get too overwhelmed by all the swirling thoughts and emotions. So many people go through life feeling like they’re the only one who feels a certain way, but once we start talking to other people we often realise we’re not the only one who’s disappointed with our grades, or who feels angry at the pandemic for making studying difficult. 

Repeating this, because it’s so important: Your feelings are valid. And you deserve to have those feelings heard and seen. If you don’t have someone who you trust to support you, you can text the word SHOUT to 85258 — they’re a free and confidential text messaging support service and they’re happy to support anyone struggling to cope with their results. 

Let go of comparison
There’s a saying, ‘Comparison is the thief of joy’. Once you start comparing your GCSE results with those of others, it can change how you feel about your own grades. So do your best not to compare yourself with others. It is often easier said than done! But give it a go. If someone else got higher grades than you, that’s simply their results — it doesn’t need to change how you feel about your own results. 

And remember, everyone’s experience is different. Your grades won’t always reflect your enthusiasm, your effort, or your resilience. And they don’t take into account if you’ve had to deal with illness, stress or anxiety, learning difficulties, struggles at home, or low self-confidence. So try to see your GCSE results in the context of that bigger picture.

Celebrate!
Whatever results you get, you deserve to celebrate. You showed up and did your best in what might have been difficult circumstances. So celebrate yourself — whether that’s a party with friends, or treating yourself to a big tub of your favourite ice cream!

Practice self-care
Today is one of those days when it’s wise to shower yourself with a little extra love! So chuck on your comfiest hoodie. Recite your positive affirmations. Or chill out and listen to your fave podcast — whatever brings you pleasure and relaxation, today is a good day to make time for it.

See the bigger picture
Remember that, although your GCSE results are important, you’ve got your whole life ahead of you. There are so many people who failed their GCSEs and still went on to achieve great success in life — because life is more than grades and sitting exams, it’s about connecting with what you love, building your confidence, learning to be resilient, forming strong relationships, and caring for yourself and others. So keep your eye on the bigger picture and, even if your results aren’t what you hoped for, know that there are so many opportunities lying ahead of you!