During the two months that succeeded my AS level exams, it was fairly easy to shut out the nauseous thought of results day and simply enjoy the seemingly endless expanse of the summer holidays. However, all too soon people are rather irritatingly reminding you that it’s “only two weeks to go” – until that dreaded day when all of a sudden you’re standing with a piece of paper in your hand and feeling like you’d rather be anywhere else; preferably a different country.
However, I’ll readily acknowledge that results day for fully fledged A level students must be around ten times worse; one bad result could mean an entire change in career path and a lost university place, which is obviously devastating for the student in question. On the other hand, the feeling of sheer relief and achievement after receiving perfect results must be absolutely fantastic.
For me, true to form, I was still incredibly anxious and not really able to communicate properly with any of my peers. Over the summer, we all agreed that how we performed in May now seemed absolutely catastrophic, compared to how we felt walking out of the exam hall oh-so long ago. The night before I received my AS grades, I felt as though I’d opened my results ten times in my sleep and each time the grades became increasingly worse.
I was almost relieved then, when I arrived back at school to collect my results; two and half months of painful anticipation were very nearly over. And I was pleasantly surprised, I’m pleased to say! The subject of paramount importance, English Literature, could not have been better and I discovered (to my delight) I was able to continue with that, French and Psychology next year after securing A’s in all three. Even after a good three hours worth of hysterically laughing, shouting and crying I can quite safely say that I’m still shocked and not quite certain how I managed that.
It’s hard to believe that now I have to start thinking about “the next big step,” and by that I mean universities. At the moment, it’s relatively effortless to block out the thought of the daunting financial side of further education and look at the whole situation through rose-tinted glasses. Already I feel completely set on an English Literature degree, with any luck at Newcastle University. It’s not only the location of the university, but the general atmosphere and what the course has to offer me personally that has me so enthralled.
Despite this, I’m fully aware just how difficult it’s going to be over the coming year to meet the entry requirements (another three A’s) and have accomplished “a well rounded appreciation of literature” that the University so desires its prospective students to have acquired. But for now, I’m quite content to just live for the moment and celebrate!
by Carole Saville © 2012
Carole Saville is a 17 year old student living in Cullercoats. She is currently studying A level English Literature, French and Psychology at Whitley Bay High School with a view to becoming a writer. Her interests include art, music, reading and writing.
Carole can be contacted by email at cas28@hotmail.co.uk.