Tips to help students deal with results day nerves

Tips to help students deal with results day nerves 

Results day can be nerve-racking. Most of your students will probably get the grades they want and be rewarded for their hard work and many hours of revision. But others 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 to get through this difficult and stressful moment. 

We’ve prepared some tips for you to share with your students to help them deal with results day nerves:

Get some sleep

Staying up late and worrying about the results, or chatting to friends about it can only lead to feeling more anxious and tired. The best thing to do in this situation is to try to relax and get some sleep before the big day. We know it’s easier said than done, but having a good night of sleep will help pupils to keep a clear and rational mind.

Breathe and relax

It might be worth suggesting breathing exercises. Focusing on breathing will not only help your pupils to take their mind off the results, but it will also send a message to their brain to calm down and relax. It will help them to cope with stress and emotions on a day.

Prepare

Knowing what will happen on the day and having a plan for best and worst-case scenarios will make your students feel more in control of the situation and be more prepared for what to do if things don’t go as they had hoped. 

It is important to remind them that exam success doesn’t define them, that everyone copes differently in different situations and that there is a very big chance that they have done well, or even better than they had expected. 

Go with someone to collect results

Another good piece of advice you could give to your students is to have someone with them on the day to offer reassurance, mental support and who can talk them through options if their results are not what they wanted, or celebrate their success. It could be a parent, sibling or a friend.

Do not compare

On results day, there can be a lot of peer pressure for students to open their results at the same time and share what they have received with everyone. Some of them might even share their results on social media and this can lead to comparing their results between each other. 

Let your students know that it’s ok to collect their results and open them at home or with someone they trust. They can also take a break from social media completely for a few days to avoid unhealthy comparisons. If they know they have worked hard for their grades, that’s all that matters and achievements of others should not make them feel less impressed about their results.

Know your worth

Finally and above all, remind your students that their results do not define them. Their good or bad grades are not the end of the world and if they’re not happy with them, they can always resit. They are more than their results.

Good luck to your students and have a great summer break!