After the holiday high and the dreaded winter exam season, comes the equally nerve-racking results period. I think I can safely speak for majority of readers in saying that exam grades do not always go as planned, regardless of the time, effort, sleepless nights and agonising anxiety filled hours you spend revising, planning, and writing. It’s a feeling I know all too well – spending weeks stressing over a particular exam or essay due, actually putting in the effort to do the work research, planning, proofreading, revising, and yet still not getting what you hoped for. But this article is here to prove to you you’re not alone in this initial period of disappointment, and offer you some ways to brush it off, take it in stride, and just apply yourself to the next challenge that comes along.
It may sound a little dramatic, but like the five stages of grief I believe there’s a similar framework for dealing with less than ideal grades. You go through similar emotional cycles of trying to come to terms with how you feel. It may begin with an initial shock, followed by denial trying to find a mistake somehow in the markers grading or comments, then anger/sadness, until you reach an eventual acceptance. Trust me, I’ve been through them all. It’s perfectly understandable to not be in the best spirits after receiving disappointing results, but it’s important to not be so hard on yourself. Whether you spent days, weeks, or months preparing for an assessment you have the right to feel upset, but it’s also important to know when it’s time to move on and brush it off.
TAKE SOME TIME
The initial grade may come as a surprise or be around what you were expecting anyway, but regardless, take some time to internalise the reality of it. Some people process bad news better on their own while others prefer to confide in those closest to them. Wallow for some time if you need to – take a personal day, have a cosy night in, get some comfort food- whatever you think will lift your spirits. But your exam grades are not the be all and end all so you can’t spend all your time wallowing in regret or self-pity.
A NUMBER DOES NOT DEFINE YOUR INTELLIGENCE
All throughout our school years, so much emphasis was put on the importance of achieving high scores in assessments as an indicator of your future success, but that’s not the case. While I’ve mostly left the indoctrination of exam significance behind me since entering University, that doesn’t mean that I don’t get effected when met with a less than ideal score. It’s easy to fall back into that toxic mentality believing that my intelligence is only worth as much as a number on a final essay grade, so I often find myself needing reminding that a simple number is just that – a number. It doesn’t prove anything. For many, exams are not accurate representations of their knowledge. Likewise, with essays, sometimes you take a risk on a unique take on a topic that doesn’t quite land well with lecturers marking them. And that’s okay. You are no less deserving of having your ideas taken seriously, nor are you any less smart for not getting a grade you wanted.
ASK FOR FEEDBACK
Talking to the markers who gave you the disappointing mark to begin with may be last on your list of ideal things to do for the week, but don’t be afraid to ask for feedback or advice. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about with your marks, and at the end of the day tutors and lecturers are there to help you do well. Reaching out for advice on what went to wrong may help to give you some piece of mind, but also to understand what exactly went wrong, making it less likely for you to repeat similar mistakes in future. They are not there to belittle or judge you, and going to speak to them about a grade may be just what you need to get it off your mind, ready to turn your focus to whatever comes next.
YOU WONT ALWAYS GET IT RIGHT. AND THAT’S OKAY.
Something I especially struggled to come to terms in University is having to accept the fact that just because I chose to study a specific subject does not necessarily mean I’m going to do well on every piece of assessment. It took some time for me to come to terms with this simple fact: it’s okay for you to get things wrong, even in a subject you chose and know you’re good at. It can take a knock on your pride and confidence in yourself within the subject but it doesn’t need to. Its perfectly normal to not get it right all the time, and getting it wrong doesn’t mean you’re any less deserving of your place in university or of your knowledge on the subject itself.
Essentially, the key take-away from this article is simply the fact that a bad grade is not the end of the world. It says nothing about you as person, or about how people view you and your work ethic, talent, or intelligence. Don’t keep it all bottled up – confiding in someone and reaching out for help or advice are key in overcoming feelings of disappointment to help remind you that one bad grade means very little in the grand scheme of things. At the end of the day, you’re still learning so its normal to not get it all right all of the time, regardless of what you chose to study at University.