How to look after your wellbeing on GCSE results day 2024

This article was last updated on 29 February 2024.

GCSE results day can be a worrying time for many, especially with all the disruptions you'll have experienced over the last few years.

Broadcaster Dr Radha has put together some tips and advice to help make GCSE results day as stress free as possible.

Dr Radha standing in front of a yellow background. She is wearing a pink sweater and is smiling with her arms crossed.

How to prepare for results day

Take a moment to congratulate yourself on getting through your exams. Reflect on all the challenges you've overcome these past few years. No matter what your results are, you absolutely deserve to be proud of yourself for getting this far. Stop, take a moment, write down a list of all of your achievements – say well done to yourself and reward yourself with a treat.
Your exams are done and you've done the best you could. Worries will come up, but don’t try to push them away or ignore them – notice they are there and what they are, and then use a strategy to help yourself. It might be writing them down, it might be talking to someone about them, or it might be just noticing those thoughts, taking a deep belly breath in and out and taking your attention elsewhere. Gradually the worrying thoughts will pass – try to recognise that all worry does is drain you of valuable energy – it doesn't solve anything, but make sure you don't ignore it, as that can make it worse.
Look after yourself. Try wherever possible to get a good sleep, to eat healthy food, to keep active and to socialise. You need to enjoy yourself. Your reserves are low and so you need to build them up again and have some fun after months of studying and working. Be kind to yourself. Keep busy and interested. Start a new hobby and meet new people. Have some fun!

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A student standing outside near a building. She is holding a piece of paper which has her exam results on it. She is smiling and holding her chest as if in disbelief.

Staying calm on results day

The day before results day is always nerve-wracking. The best thing you can do is to try and keep busy. Plan something fun to do with friends or family. Avoid talking to or meeting friends who might make you stressed or talk about things that worry you. If you're busy during the day, you're then more likely to sleep well and a good night's sleep is what you need for results day itself. Try to occupy yourself the evening before – watch a film, have a bath, read a book. Tell yourself you've done everything you can. Remember, whatever results you get there are always options and always people who are there to support you – your teachers, parents, carers and friends. You will be ok.
Have a think about who you want to receive your results with. Choose who you want to have around you when you do receive your results – choose calm, kind and supportive people who you feel comfortable with. Get someone to help you work out a plan if you don’t get the grades you want so you can swing into practical action mode. Write down the telephone numbers you might need. Information is power, so get all the information you need.
You are likely to have all kinds of feelings on results day. The most important thing is that you let an adult you trust know how you're feeling so they can help and support you. Remember, they have likely been through results days too and will understand and want to help you. Don’t keep your feelings inside. Take your time – you don’t have to announce your results to everyone. Choose who you contact on results day and be kind to yourself. If you need some time away from conversations on social media or text, then have it.

A student looking at camera smiling and holding his hands up as if to frame a photograph. There are trees in the background.

How to stay on track after results day

Remember you are so much more than your grades. Yes, grades are important and there will have been expectations that you had for yourself or others had for you, but your emotional and mental wellbeing are so much more important. The people around you who love you just want you to be ok. Your self-worth and value are not related to what grades you get – it’s about who you are and you don’t have to ‘achieve’ anything to be loved and to be amazing.
Know there are always options. We often have a rigid idea of how things ‘should be’ and what we want to happen. But life rarely happens how we think it will and we can’t control everything – the pandemic showed us all that. The main thing that we can do is take control of the things that we do have control over. Focus on problem solving, information gathering, working out an alternative plan and a different approach if you need to. Ask someone to help you do this. The best things often come from the ‘best laid plans’ not working out, but it never feels like that at the time!
Celebrate yourself – no matter what. If you got the grades you wanted then celebrate yourself, if you didn’t get the grades you wanted…celebrate yourself anyway!

If you need support

You should always tell someone about the things you’re worried about. You can tell a friend, parent, guardian, teacher, or another trusted adult. If you're struggling with your mental health, going to your GP can be a good place to start to find help. Your GP can let you know what support is available to you, suggest different types of treatment and offer regular check-ups to see how you’re doing.

If you’re in need of in-the-moment support you can contact , where you can speak to a counsellor. Their lines are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

There are more links to helpful organisations on 91�ȱ� Action Line.