How to stay positive ahead of Results Day – expert tips from Coventry University psychologist

As A level, AS level and T Level results day approaches on 14 August, both students and parents may be feeling nervous about what the future holds.

While students have been working hard all year, parents and guardians have been there to support them. With such a build-up to results day, it can feel overwhelming — not just because of what the grades might be but also because of what comes next.

Parents might be coming to terms with their child leaving home, managing their child’s disappointment if things don’t go to plan and working out a plan B, and students might be worried about leaving home, starting a new job or just the unknown.

To help ease pre-results nerves, Dr Katherine Hall, Assistant Professor in Psychology at Coventry University, has shared her top five tips for keeping calm and staying positive in the run-up to the big day.

Find joy in the here and now

It’s easy to get stuck replaying “what if” scenarios in your mind. Instead, give yourself permission to enjoy the present. Meet up with friends, get outside or pick up a hobby you haven’t had time for during revision.

Taking a break from the pressure of results can help you feel more balanced and remind you how much more there is to life than just one day.

Open up to others

Bottling up your feelings only makes them worse. Talk to someone you trust, it could be a friend, parent, teacher or even a careers adviser. Chances are they’ve been through something similar.

Just saying how you’re feeling out loud can often ease the burden and help you see your situation more clearly. Parents can play a big part too, by listening without judgement and offering quiet reassurance.

Make space for yourself

While it’s good to lean on others, it’s also okay to step back and have some time alone. Take a walk, journal your thoughts or just sit quietly and breathe. Giving yourself room to think can help you understand what you’re feeling and what really matters to you going forward.

Reflect on what you really want

Results day is a chance to think bigger than just grades. What are your ambitions? What kind of life do you want to build? If your plans change because of your results, that doesn’t mean failure, it just means finding a new way forward. Take time to reassess your goals and remember: your worth isn’t defined by exam scores.

Stay positive about what’s next

Even if things don’t go exactly as you’d hoped, there are always options, from university places through Clearing to apprenticeships, gap years, resits or something completely different. By exploring your choices now, you can feel more confident that you’ll find the right path, whatever the outcome.

While results day is an important milestone, it’s not the whole story of who you are or what comes next. One day’s results won’t decide the rest of your life, but how you handle it can show just how resilient and resourceful you already are.

Find out more about Clearing at Coventry University.