How to navigate Leaving Cert exam result day

A memory many of us share is our Leaving Cert results day. The many emotions during the days leading up to it, the nervousness on the morning of the results, and where we were and who we were with when we opened them.

This can be a time of relief and joy for some, disappointment for others.

Regardless of what students want to achieve in their Leaving Cert, this can be a very stressful time. Whether you want to just pass the exams or get top marks, results are relative to each individual and success is dependent on the points you get in many cases.

Whatever the scenario, it’s important that students take steps to take care of themselves and manage the ups and downs of the days leading up to the exam results as best they can. There are a number of things that anyone feeling stressed or anxious can do to help.

Plan normal activities

Many of us when we feel stressed retreat socially and stop doing the things we enjoy. Instead, we ruminate on all the possible scenarios around an upcoming event and try to distract ourselves in unhealthy ways like eating, scrolling on our phones or binge watching TV.

Although there are times when these things, done in moderation, can help us pass the time, when we spend too much time, we become more frustrated, easily angered and unable to regulate our emotions.

Stress and anxiety require action, they are our bodies natural alarm systems telling us that what we are thinking and feeling requires us to do something about the negative emotions we are feeling. To alleviate these feelings physical exercise of any type can be very helpful. It’s important for our physical and mental health to exercise regularly but especially so during times of high stress.

If we don’t channel our stress through movement, we will become increasingly frustrated and find it more difficult to regulate our emotional state, making it much more difficult to manage stress and more likely to lash out at those closest to us.

Making sure that you make time to exercise and stay connected with friends and family at this time can be challenging but it will help to distract from the worry that many students are feeling.

The day of the results

It’s important to plan for the day of the Leaving Cert results. Students now get their results through the candidate self-service portal online, however they are also invited back to school to celebrate and share their results with their teachers and classmates. For some this is something to look forward to for others it is another stressful event. It’s important to remember that you get to decide what to do and not to feel obligated to share your results or meet up with friends in school.

However, I believe that it is important to decide how you are going to open your results. There will be many people also worried about how you are going to do in the exams and will want to know as soon as possible how you did. Opening the results with family or friends can put a lot of pressure on people. for some it can be important to take a few minutes alone to open the results and take time to process them before sharing them.

For others the excitement of having people around them to support them will help them through the process. However, you decide to do it, make sure you choose a way that will allow you to process your results in the best way possible for you.

Parents role

It can be challenging being the parent of a Leaving Cert student. The stress of the year gone by with all its ups and downs, results day can be both stressful and a relief for parents. On the day of the results parents can be as nervous and eager to find out what the results are as their child.

However, in many cases remaining as calm as possible and allowing them space if needed is extremely important.

Discussing a plan for the day with your child on how they want to open their results and what they would like to do afterwards can help show your support in a non-invasive way. It can be difficult to show support to stressed teenagers but an overarching message that you are proud of their effort regardless of results can help them feel reassured and whatever happens next you will support them through the next stage of their education whatever that might be.

As thousands of young people receive their results on Friday it’s important to wish them all good luck but also to remember that whatever happens they are not defined by their results and that the leaving cert is only the first step into their adult lives and that with support and encouragement they will find their way whatever that may be.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alan White is a second level teacher, 6th Year Head, and wellbeing author at Bishop stown Community School. He also facilitates wellbeing workshops for companies and organisations. For more information, visit linkedin Alan White or Changes Wellbeing on Facebook.