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Tiredness and worry can be normal after finishing your assessments. Here, we share steps you can take to help you better manage your thoughts to find balance while you wait for your results.
Now that your assessments are over, it is normal to feel exhausted, worn out or even sad whilst you wait for the results. This happens as all of the cortisol that was helping to keep you going during the assessments stayed in your body after assessment pressure was removed. While you wait for your results, there are things you can do to help you better manage your thoughts and help you find balance.
Congratulate yourself
You have worked so hard throughout the year during this extraordinary time. Remember to keep same confidence, determination and courage to face other challenges of life.
Acknowledge your feelings
It's common to feeling run down, lost or anxious after the assessments and before your results are released. All of these feelings are valid and you are entitled to have them. Remember, in every situation you can make yourself feel a little bit better or a little bit worse. Think, what can you do to take good care of yourself?
Take rest
Take time to get back to your normal sleeping habits and reward yourself with a well-deserved break. Instead of jumping in to summer job-hunting or socialising, take a moment and press pause. You deserve rest and to enjoy your free time. This is a good time to simply have an extra hour of sleep or take that afternoon nap you always wanted to take! Sleep is a first tool that will help you maintain stable mental health and help you recover from post assessment stress. You can also meditate, practice mindfulness or engage in any other relaxing activity. Remember to take time to replenish yourself.
Get back to healthy eating and exercise
It is easy to stop exercising and eating healthy balanced meals during the busy revision period. Start with establishing an exercise routine and the healthy eating habits will follow, as you will no longer want to put junk food into your body that you worked so hard to train. Take notice of how you are fuelling and maintaining your body. An easy way to build new habits is to attach it to the existing ones. For example, ‘I will exercise before breakfast’; ‘I will drink a glass of water with every cup of coffee’. This is known as 'habit stacking'.
Read more on habit stacking by behavioural psychologist, James Clear.
Stress relief
Although waiting for results may feel full of suspense, there are many ways that can help you relieve post assessment stress. Firstly, note that it has already happened and it is in the past. You did everything you could do in the timeframe you had with the resources that were available to you.
- Stay mindful
- Meditate
- Talk to someone you trust
- Maintain stable daily routine
- Exercise
- Take up activities that help you feel you are in control
- Take up new hobbies
- Journal your feelings
Get ready for the results day and plan ahead
First, plan your results day. Think where and with whom you would like to check your results. Will you want to celebrate good results and how? Lastly, how will you react and what support will you have if you do not get the results you have hoped for?
Make enquiries and outweigh your options should you receive results below the expected standard. Speak to your course leads and tutors to make an action plan if you would need to retake any of the assessments and consider timeframes for the revision. Remember, you can choose how to react and what actions you will take next. Do not give up on yourself, you can always pick up where you left off and get back on track.
We are here to support you
Talking to someone can help you clear your mind and improve your mood. If you feel like you need to talk to someone you can get in touch via the UCL 24/7 Student Support Line. To speak to an adviser, call: +44 (0) 808 238 0077. This is a free service for UCL students in the UK and overseas.
If you would like to speak to one of UCL Student Support and Wellbeing advisers, you can book an appointment by opening a new enquiry on askUCL or calling us on 020 7679 0100 on any weekday morning to request a same-day appointment. This will be the quickest way to organise an appointment with an adviser to talk through the support we can put in place for you. A number of 15-20 minute appointments are usually available every weekday between 10am and 12pm and between 2pm and 4pm - these are only available to book on the same day.
Find out more about seeing an adviser to talk about your mental health and wellbeing.
If you feel like you need more support, you can also get in touch with UCL Student Psychological and Counselling Services and enquire about the support that they can provide. Please fill in the form and a member of staff will be in touch.
Take good care of yourself!