Results Day. You have two weeks left of torture. This time last year I'd convinced myself that there was no way I was going to be moving away in September... I already had stationary ready and tins of food piled up in my bedroom. I was working full time and doing my best to be able to save up some spare cash in case I needed it. I had chosen where I would live if I got in and was dreading waking up on that Thursday morning, going into my college and opening up my envelope with all my friends. Luckily, for me, there was no need for the panic that can come with not getting your first choice. I remember waking up incredibly early because I just couldn't sleep. I checked my emails and there it was: 'Something on your application has changed.' I was terrified and already crying. It turned out to be the best moment of my life. I'd gotten into the university of my dreams and I didn't even know how I'd done in my A Levels yet. None of it mattered though. I was moving to Cornwall and phoned everybody up in tears.
The general gist of how to get through your own results day is to be prepared for the two ways it could go. If you're application was strong and you were likely to get into your first choice, well done, it's probably going to be an easy day for you. But if there are any serious doubts in your mind you need to be prepared for the very worst. Here are a few of the things I did last year, just in case:
Have a clear idea of your second choice university.
When it came down to selecting your wanted institutions you made a second choice for this reason - in case you didn't get into your chosen university on results day. Hopefully, you've already visited this university and got a feel for what it would be like. But by results day make sure that you have researched the university and the course they will provide you with.
Be prepared for clearing.
If one exam really didn't go as planned or circumstances meant that you just didn't do enough to get into either of your chosen universities, make sure to have noted other universities that provide a similar course to the one you would like to do. They will have phone numbers ready for clearing and clearing will go live the morning of results day. So choose a few 'just in case' universities you would see yourself applying to if you had to. Go into your college or school with numbers of these universities and the name of the course so you can give them your results and ask for a place if need be.
Accept your place
If results day does go as planned and you wake up to an email off UCAS like I did, get ready to accept their offer. Well done, you did it!
Either way, I assure you that university will be fun. One of my best friends ended up at Falmouth after it being her second choice university and she loves it. It was a bit more of a struggle for her to sort out accommodation as halls were all already booked, but her rent was much cheaper which made walking the extra fifteen minutes to university wasn't all that bad!
I wish you all get what you deserve and have a happy results day. Get ready to celebrate and have fun in the evening as many clubs do put on special events. If you have any questions or worries, be sure to comment below! Good Luck! :-)
Em x