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We were on a group call, counting down the minutes until 00:00. We talked and laughed about all sorts of things, just to lighten up the mood.
The days beforehand were tense. I remember having nightmares that I had failed mathematics. I woke up in a panic, “It’s just a dream!”.
It's now a few minutes before 00:00.
"Guys, I got an SMS," one friend says.
What?! I wasn't prepared to see my results prematurely! I had mentally prepared myself for 00:00 [well, as prepared as I could have been].
Most friends started to drop off the group call. I stayed. An SMS popped up and I immediately went into it. The last thing I wanted to do was to build suspense. I did not want to prolong the wait.
When I saw my marks for the first time, I felt relief and disappointment. I did well, just not as great as I hoped. To be blunt, I knew that my family and I expected better. Truthfully, I wanted to be the academic, the one who got many distinctions. You know, the stars on TV the morning of Result Day, how everyone oohs and aahs. I wanted to be that. Maybe I just wanted the attention. Either way, it didn’t happen.
I'm still on the call. My friend expresses disappointment, almost crying. He hadn’t done well.
Throughout the next few days, I came to realize that Result Day was just the beginning. I didn't know how fast I'd have to make decisions. One university wanted a reply in 3 days, while the other university would only release acceptances in 5 days. Should I take the risk and decline? Or should I just accept what I've been offered.
Result Day was the end of one chapter, but it was also the beginning of another. It was as if, as the seconds ticked down to 00:00, someone said,
"Ready...
Set...
Go!" [Opens Results, what do you want to do for the next 4 years of your life?]
My intention is not to make anyone panic. My intention is so that you read this and have an idea of what to expect. Remember, my experience may be completely different to other people. Also, this was the year after the pandemic began, so things may have been more chaotic.
In the end, it works out beautifully. Whilst there is still urgency required, there is no need to make haphazard decisions. As the series continues, I would like to talk about the hype surrounding Result Day. It's made to be this huge thing that determines the rest of your life, whilst forgetting that there are second changes, there is hope, and that failure on Result Day is NOT the end.
Comment Question
How did you feel before you got your results, when you saw your results for the first time, and how was your experience during the days afterwards? You can talk about any of these stages or all three.