If you achieved or exceeded the grades you were expecting; a massive congratulations to you. There is no better feeling than getting grades you are proud of.
For those of you who didn’t, I know it feels like it now, but it isn’t the end of the world. I truly believe everything happens for a reason anyway, but regardless, carry on reading..
I LOVED school, for as long as I remember. I have always liked learning. I had shining school reports and could always cope well in an ‘exam setting’. Going back to year 6 - aged 10 - I remember getting the best ‘levels’ possible in the SATs test. I went on to passing the 11+ exam and went to my first choice Grammar School. From there, I went from being top of my primary school...to very mediocre in my secondary school that was full of people that had also been the top of their primary schools for years. But I coped, and I worked hard.
I was a straight A/A* student at GCSE, getting my target grade or surprised by a grade much higher. I was over the moon, and prepared for my A Levels at the same sixth form.
Not too relevant yet, but it was then I became unwell. Luckily, I was able to complete those 2 years (albeit by changing sixth forms and doing my exams from my hospital bed). Again, I worked and revised hard, and averages A grades, which was the requirements that my first place Uni asked for to enable me to do a degree in Law.
I went to Uni, but after 3 attempts and deteriorating health, I had no option but to give up. I was spending more time in hospital than at home, and I was too unwell to study at that point. I’m lucky that the Law School at my chosen Uni have been amazing and have helped me beyond belief; I am still working towards that Law degree from home. My estimated graduation is over double the amount of years the course is to start with.
You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you about this. It’s for 2 reasons:
1. No one expected this year to be plagued with Covid-19. No one truly knows what grade you would have got if you’d been given the chance to sit your exams. Generally, a fair amount of revision and a good memory would get you through most exams. This is the first time that mock grades have been taken as seriously as they have been by everyone, and the fact that they were sat before schools closed and exams were cancelled is not a true reflection of your ability. If my mock grades were taken, although I would have passed everything, I very much doubt I would have passed them all at grade ‘A’, so don’t think that the list of letters or numbers you’ve received is a reflection of you. Nobody was expecting this year to turn out as it has. It’s been scary for the best of us, but to be in the position of you - those in year 11 & 13, I can’t imagine the anxiety that this unexpected, uncertain and unprecedented times must have caused. The outcome of this year - the grades you were predicted - in no way define you, and I PROMISE it’ll be fine in the end; it’ll all fall into place.
2. The second (and most important) reason, and the thing I really want to stress, is that studying, exams, and grades are far from the most important thing in life, and I only realised that since I’ve been sick. Without your health, you have nothing. Without family and friends, you have nothing. Without happiness, you have nothing. And none of those things can be achieved with some exam grades.
I received my GCSE results 8 years ago, and my A level results 6 years ago. What’s happened since?
Recalling the past 6 years, I’ve been completely bed-bound for nearly 3 of them, and bed/reclined wheelchair bound for the rest. I have 24 hour care, 365 days per year.
Ive been in hospital more than not, have had more operations and procedures than I can count, put the life of some of my family on hold with their focus only being on me, whilst not seeing other members of my family for years. I’ve pushed my parents to their absolute limits in caring for me, both physically and mentally - did their school grades lead to the development of my chronic illnesses? Did they need a qualification to look after me when I was unwell and scared for my life? Without good exam results, would they have not put on the brave face they have for me, and fought continuously for the care I need and deserve? Or would it have got me through times that I was critically ill in ITU, stop the need for the operations I’ve needed left, right and centre. Would it have meant that they wouldn’t have suffered themselves? If they’d have got the best exam results at school, would life be different now?
What I’m trying to say, is that your future isn’t ruined if you didn’t receive the grades you were hoping for. There are always alternatives, but more importantly, there are bigger things to life than grades on a piece of paper. Live for today; nobody knows just what’s round the corner.
So, congratulations to you all. Be proud of yourself for being you.
