Don’t let your Leaving Cert results define you

As the summer comes to an end there is one big event that a tonne of people are waiting for, and no it isn’t Penneys end of summer sale. The Leaving Cert results. It’s both a daunting and exciting time for Irish teenagers, but one thing you must remember is that your results do not define you.

The stress and fear about results day tends to cloud our view of the day itself. It’s a day of celebration. It’s a day that should fill you with pride and joy. Irish teenagers spend five or six years in secondary school writing essays about the character development in Macbeth, solving quadratic equations and stressing over French grammar. They put so much time and effort into their studies. Completing the Leaving Certificate is a huge accomplishment and it is important to remember that, regardless of how many points you get.

Another thing to remember on results day is to not compare yourself to others. The worst thing you can do is belittle your results by focusing on someone who may have got higher points than you. We are all different and our talents come in all shapes and sizes. Some people are great at writing and will get the highest grades in English, others will excel in Math and others will find speaking another language as easy as pie. What you need to realise is that what matters most is how you do personally, your results are what matter most to you on this day. It’s okay for us to be good at certain things and not so great at others. Focus on your results and avoid comparing yourself to your fellow classmates. Comparing yourself to others will only take the spotlight off of your achievements.

Something else you should focus on is that these results belong to you. You do not need to share them with anyone or post the number of points you got on Facebook or show anyone your results sheet. They are your personal results and it is your decision whether you want to share them with people. You are not obliged to share how many points you got in a Facebook status or post a Snapchat of your results. You can share them with whoever you want and if you don’t feel like sharing them there is nothing wrong with keeping them to yourself. Remember that these results belong to you.

Results day can be draining and all the excitement surrounding the day can take it’s toll on you so it’s necessary to get a good night's sleep the night before. I know it’s easier said than done because results day is a nerve wrecking time for everyone, but making a cup of tea and reading a book in bed will be the best thing for you to do the night before. If you’re nerves are getting the better of you, meditation is a good option. A ten-minute meditation session will help you relax. As well as meditation, walking, listening to music and exercising are other great ways to beat stress. Don’t let the stress overwhelm you, there are so many ways to tackle it.

Receiving your Leaving Certificate results is a big moment so make sure you enjoy it and embrace the moment. Don’t let the nerves dampen this big achievement. Be proud that you completed the exams and don’t let your results define you.

“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” – Walt Disney.