A-Level results day is here and teenagers around the country will find out how they did.

Scottish Higher results will also be revealed – and as exams were cancelled in 2020, it feels like the pressure is higher than ever. Rather than traditional exams, students did a combination of coursework and mocks, with their results decided by teachers’ estimates.

If you’re finding out your results – be it A-Levels or Scottish Highers, or GCSEs two days later – you’ll likely go through the same whirlwind of emotions. Regardless of whether you’re pleased or disappointed with the outcome, students all tend to follow the same pattern…

Denial

From the minute school ends until a few days (or hours) before results are announced, most students do the sensible thing and completely ignore it. After all, if you try your best to forget about results day, maybe it won’t happen? It’s perhaps not the most adult approach to tough times, but it means you can enjoy the start of your summer in peace.

Fear

Who among us isn’t at least slightly terrified at the prospect of finding out their results? Even if you feel confident in what you’re getting, there’s still a level of uncertainty – what if something went terribly wrong, and you just didn’t realise it?

It’s hard to shake the jangling nerves as you get ready to pick up the envelope holding your fate – you’d have to be a superhuman to feel calm right now.

Impatience

Once you’ve come to terms with the fact you’ll be getting your results, impatience starts to set in. Why can’t you just find out now, and get it over with?

Preparation

So you don’t entirely spin out of control, now is the time to steel yourself. You’ll likely start running through all the possible options in your head, depending on what you get, so you feel ready for whatever comes your way. While preparation is a good thing, we’d advise not overdoing it – you might benefit from calming activities like knitting, or listening to your favourite music on the drive to school.

Relief

Regardless of what results you get, it’s impossible not to feel relief when you finally know them. This means there’s no more uncertainty or nervous waiting – you can get on with things and actually finalise what you want to do next year.

Joy

Whatever happens next – maybe you’re set for a gap year, are heading into clearing or will do your planned course for next year – it’s now party time. It’s been a tough year, and you should be proud you made it through.