Results Day Reflections

Caitlyn Woodbury

caitlyn.gabsbitesizeblogs@gmail.com

Results Day Reflections:

As almost every 17/18 year old across England and Wales knows, today is A-Level results day. This means that it has been a year since my own results day, so, I just wanted to reflect on it. I hope as well that this can give any reassurance to those who worry about their future.

I remember the weeks leading up to results day as absolute torture. I was very lucky enough to be able to keep myself busy with family holidays and work, but, it was forever at the back of my mind. Every spare minute was spent looking at universities that I would want to apply to via clearing, looking at the uni I wanted to go to, or, looking up how to do well at university. The week of results day was the worst of it. I couldn’t sleep, I was throwing up from the stress (which I have never done before), panic attacks were common.

Now, I am not saying that this was justified: this was very unhealthy and I should have found more ways to make those weeks easier. However, I was stressed because I knew my exams had not gone well- and I did not get what I wanted. When I had applied to UCAS in the previous October, I was predicted A*A*A and was applying to the top universities, including Oxford. By the time that exams had come around I was so burnt out that my final results were BBC. Looking back now, especially with my autism diagnosis, these are good grades. It may not be where I wanted to be, but I am still the first in my family to attend university, and I am still getting a good education.

The university I currently attend was never on my radar. Year 12 me was very cocky, applying to only the top uni's, with even my backup still being a Russell Group (which I do not currently attend). Then, when I got the sense that clearing was my future, I looked at universities with much lower grades. I now go somewhere that was in the middle, and was suggested to me on a whim by my mum on results day. It was not on my clearing list, but I thought I would try anyway: it was a great uni with a beautiful campus. If they said no, I can just add it to my list from that day.

Despite my grades not matching their requirements, I still got accepted and am about to go into my second year. And I do believe that everything has worked out well. I have gained good friends, good stories, and memories to last a lifetime- and I still have 3 years to go!

One year ago today, I thought that I had let myself down, that I did not reach my full potential and would suffer the consequences for the rest of my life. But if these are my consequences, then I would do it all over again to get to where I am now. I hope that this gives reassurance to other students, and if you have any questions about clearing or university in general, I’m only an email away ❤️