Exam Stress
I was out last night with friends of mine who have teenage kids. Talk turned to the exam results and one story really made me laugh.
A. is a very clever girl, expected to get 1s or at the very least 2s in her standard grades. She was away on holiday with her parents on the day the results came out and didn’t trust going onto the internet to find out how she had got on. Subsqeuently her gran had been despatched to her house and instructed to call her and tell her how she had done.
The fateful day arrived and A. was on tenterhooks. She had studied hard and just knew that all her friends would have done really well and she just couldn’t be seen to have done badly. Not only that but she was on holiday with two of her friends who had already found out that they had done well by accessing the internet on the previous day. As an aside I thought that everyone under the age of 25 was fully comfortable with the internet these days but it just goes to show.
The phone rang and A. dived for it, breathless and barely able to contain herself.
“So gran, how did I do?"
“You did really well dear you got, now let me see, I’ll just adjust my specs and, oh here we are, yes.”
“Come on gran, what did I get?”
“You did really well dear, like I said you got a 5 for everything.”
“WHAT!!!! A five! That’s a fail. How? That’s not possible, it can’t be."
By this time young A. was in hysterics.
“This can’t be happening. What will all my friends think? My life is over? All fives, and I studied so hard.”
“Well dear” continued her gran “That’s what it says here. I thought that a 6 must be the highest mark and so I thought that you had done really well."
“What, so as well as telling me how badly I have done you also think that I wouldn’t have got the highest mark. Just what are you trying to say here? Do you have any idea that my life is now officially over. I’ll have to leave school. I’ll be destitute. What am I going to do?"
By this point A. had got so hysterical that her mum intervened and a voice of a little more reason spoke to gran.
“So mum, not good news then? Can you read me out what it says exactly.”
“Gran starts to read from the sheet - French Standard 5, History Standard 5 etc etc.”
As she does so a little lightbulb had come on in A’s mums head.
“Are there any other numbers after the 5’s on the list?” she asked.
“Now you come to mention it, yes there are. Now let’s have a look, French Standard 5 and then there’s a little 1, History Standard 5 then a 2. Does that mean anything?”
“Well yes, it means the difference between my daughter consigning herself to the scrapheap or not. Those are her actual grades Mum. 5 refers to the Standard Grade Level she sat not the grade she got in the exam.”
“Oh dear” said Gran “I hope I haven’t upset her too much then.”
“No, nothing that the right information and some chocolate won’t cure. Thanks Mum. You’ve given me a good laugh today if nothing else. I’d better go and let A. know.
I believe that Gran’s now back in the good books, but come A’s highers she may not be asked to repeat the same “favour”.
A. is a very clever girl, expected to get 1s or at the very least 2s in her standard grades. She was away on holiday with her parents on the day the results came out and didn’t trust going onto the internet to find out how she had got on. Subsqeuently her gran had been despatched to her house and instructed to call her and tell her how she had done.
The fateful day arrived and A. was on tenterhooks. She had studied hard and just knew that all her friends would have done really well and she just couldn’t be seen to have done badly. Not only that but she was on holiday with two of her friends who had already found out that they had done well by accessing the internet on the previous day. As an aside I thought that everyone under the age of 25 was fully comfortable with the internet these days but it just goes to show.
The phone rang and A. dived for it, breathless and barely able to contain herself.
“So gran, how did I do?"
“You did really well dear you got, now let me see, I’ll just adjust my specs and, oh here we are, yes.”
“Come on gran, what did I get?”
“You did really well dear, like I said you got a 5 for everything.”
“WHAT!!!! A five! That’s a fail. How? That’s not possible, it can’t be."
By this time young A. was in hysterics.
“This can’t be happening. What will all my friends think? My life is over? All fives, and I studied so hard.”
“Well dear” continued her gran “That’s what it says here. I thought that a 6 must be the highest mark and so I thought that you had done really well."
“What, so as well as telling me how badly I have done you also think that I wouldn’t have got the highest mark. Just what are you trying to say here? Do you have any idea that my life is now officially over. I’ll have to leave school. I’ll be destitute. What am I going to do?"
By this point A. had got so hysterical that her mum intervened and a voice of a little more reason spoke to gran.
“So mum, not good news then? Can you read me out what it says exactly.”
“Gran starts to read from the sheet - French Standard 5, History Standard 5 etc etc.”
As she does so a little lightbulb had come on in A’s mums head.
“Are there any other numbers after the 5’s on the list?” she asked.
“Now you come to mention it, yes there are. Now let’s have a look, French Standard 5 and then there’s a little 1, History Standard 5 then a 2. Does that mean anything?”
“Well yes, it means the difference between my daughter consigning herself to the scrapheap or not. Those are her actual grades Mum. 5 refers to the Standard Grade Level she sat not the grade she got in the exam.”
“Oh dear” said Gran “I hope I haven’t upset her too much then.”
“No, nothing that the right information and some chocolate won’t cure. Thanks Mum. You’ve given me a good laugh today if nothing else. I’d better go and let A. know.
I believe that Gran’s now back in the good books, but come A’s highers she may not be asked to repeat the same “favour”.
11 comments:
Love it !!!
My school made it into the top 500 after our a level results so I will be looking forward to the cream cakes on our in service days, thank you to all you lovely tax payers out there !!! ( ps that does include me)
auntiegwen x
Thanks Auntie Gwen. Enjoy your cream cake on me!!
I remember when I thought grades were important. I wish I'd known that no employer was ever going care whether I got As or Ds in school.
Thank God I just got my results through the post like everyone else at the time! Poor A - hope she's recovered.
Good story, and a funny blog. I came here via the Andrew Collins blog. (Near) Glasgow rules!
ryan
The words 'exam' and 'results' still make me feel sick and wobbly.....
I remember the fear, but I don't actually remember any of my grades. Not that it matters anymore.
My wee sister sat the first part of her "baccalauréat" (french A levels) this year and it brought back all the fears and worries for me!
She was actually the calmest of us all on results day. Glad to report she did extremely well. Oh the pride of the big sister, talk about a pushy family!
Hi Katie
That's absolutely true. Personality and attitude are far more important in the work place but teenagers don't realise this.
Hi Mo. In a way it was much better when results came through the post at the same time for everyone. I think A has recovered now but it was a close run thing!
Thanks for your visit Cerebusboy. Please visit again. Near Glasgow most certainly does rule!!
Hi Kelly. It certainly is a big fear and I too remember it well. I'm very glad that those days are long behind me.
The fear is very real at the time five centres but as you say, in the "wonderful" world of work it doesn't matter a jot what grades you got. Personality and attitude are far more important but teenagers are still made to believe that grades and going to university are all that matters.
Well done to your wee sister Pepette. I'm glad that she did well. The fact that she was so calm would tend to bode well for her in the future. Best of luck to her.
exams & results, horrid. poor kids having so much pressure put on them.
I would agree Muddy Boots. I think it is very tough having exams and so much pressure at that age.
Post a Comment