Results Day: Please Have Some Empathy
I know everyone is excited today, and genuinely, congratulations to everyone who got the results they wanted. You worked hard and you absolutely deserve to celebrate that.
But honestly, scrolling through this subreddit right now and seeing people post straight As and A\*s and then ask, “Is this good?” is getting a little difficult for those who didn’t get the results they hoped for.
I completely understand the pressure from parents and families. I understand that even amazing grades can feel like a disappointment when someone expected something different. But please remember that there are also students here who may have worked incredibly hard and still didn’t get the grades they deserved or wanted.
Some of us came here today looking for a little bit of comfort. Maybe to find someone who had a similar result. Maybe just to feel like we’re not the only ones struggling. I’ve actually met a few people through Reddit today whose experiences I could relate to, and honestly, they made me feel a little less alone and reminded me that I’m not a failure just because my results weren’t perfect.
I got a U in one of my subjects. I’m still really upset about it, and I’m allowed to be upset about it. But connecting with people who understood what I was feeling genuinely helped.
And honestly, if any of you have ever gotten a U, failed a subject, had a terrible results day, but still managed to move forward with life and eventually made it through, please share your stories too. Your experience could genuinely encourage someone who is sitting here today thinking that their entire future is ruined. Sometimes hearing from someone who has been in the exact same position and is now okay can make a huge difference.
So please, celebrate your achievements. Post your results, be proud of yourselves, and talk about them. You deserve that. But at the same time, please try to encourage people who didn’t get what they wanted. A simple “you’ll be okay” or “this doesn’t define you” can mean so much to someone today.
A lot of students are already dealing with pressure from their parents, relatives, teachers, and sometimes incredibly toxic expectations. You genuinely never know what someone reading your post is going through.
Please just make this subreddit feel like a safe place for everyone today. Results are important, but they’re not someone’s entire future or worth.
Please don’t let someone’s results make them feel like there’s no way forward. There is always a next step, even if you don’t know what it is yet.
And please, if your results weren’t what you deserved or hoped for, you can reply to this post. You’re not alone.
Congratulations to everyone who got the results they wanted, and to everyone who didn’t: please be gentle with yourself today.