5 Steps To Handling Bad Results

Got your results? You’re probably experiencing one of four reactions.

1. You’re over the moon! You’ve managed to achieve a grade A or higher than you thought.
2. You’re pretty happy that the grade you received compliments the work you put in.
3. Dissatisfaction when you realised you’ve missed the mark.
4. The utter shock and/or sadness at a less-than-ideal grade.

Usually, the first two reactions are the result of you putting in some effort. But if you’ve received a result that has disappointed, chances are you are not alone. Here are some ways to cope with the bad news.

After you’ve calmed down, double check the result

It’s very rare that a bad result is due to an error in the marking process. Still, it can happen. Your teacher may have missed a page of your assignment or potentially marked it incorrectly. Teachers do have a lot of assignments to mark and are subject to getting tired so, if you’re sure that number can’t be right, a remark is often worth it.

Learn from it and move on

If you want to make sure that bad grade doesn’t repeat itself, it’s worth asking your teacher to go through your exam or essay with you. If you can look at it as an experience that will improve your work ethic then your grades will improve.

Talk to someone about it

Most of the time, one of the best ways to deal with bad results is by talking to someone. Whether it’s a friend or a teacher, having someone listen without passing any judgements allows you to see the situation from an outside perspective. It’s free therapy – use it!

Pick a study method that works for you

Or think of ways to improve your essay writing. You should want to walk away from every exam or essay with the belief that you did everything possible to get the best grade.

Think of what you can do to improve next time. Maybe you need to change the way you study and take notes. Self-reflection is a crucial part of learning, so let it become a part of the routine.

Go over what you don’t understand

Go over your notes and if you still don’t understand them then try and get extra tuition. Analysing your mistakes is the best way to make improvements.

Try and break things down into various categories. For example, are you making careless errors or do you harbour conceptual misunderstandings? Are you misreading the question or forgetting the answer or not revising the right topics? Once you’ve found what the issues are, try and fix it.

Finally, stop dwelling on what’s already happened and focus on the now. The more you think about the result, the worse it will make you feel, so take time to have some fun. Look forward to the future and all the possibilities that will come your way. Remember, you are more than just a grade.

The only way to go is onwards and upwards.

Inspiring Interns is a graduate recruitment agency which specialises in sourcing candidates for marketing internship roles and giving out graduate careers advice. To browse graduate jobs and graduate jobs Manchester, visit their website.