Anxious whilst waiting for you results?

Waiting for exam results can be a scary time; it's like you have an appointment with fear! As the hype starts to ratchet up, your stomach may very well start to churn. Of course this is normal. It is to be expected that you feel stressed, nervous, panicky and anxious. You may not even realise that you are feeling the effects of stress.You may not even realise that you are feeling the effects of stress. The stress of waiting for exam results could mean that you are experiencing the following:

• Difficulty in concentrating
• Headaches, abdominal pain, tightness in your chest, pounding heart or breathing difficulties
• Difficulty in getting to sleep at night
• Recurring nightmares
• Abnormal eating habits – eating more than usual or having no appetite for food
• Irritability
• Loss of sense of humour and a feeling that things are out of proportion
• Increased intake of coffee
• Increase in number of cigarettes smoked
• Negative thoughts
• Withdrawal from friends and social situations
• Lack of motivation
• Overly tired despite adequate sleep
• Feeling run-down

What causes stress around exam results time? Apart from the obvious fear of receiving results that are not what you expected, a lot of other factors are at play during this time. These include:

• Wanting to obtain results that reflect the work you put into your studies
• Pressure to fulfil the expectations of others
• The need to obtain results to progress to the next step in your career, the course, university or area of work of your choice
• The fact that these exams results may signify a new phase in your life. You may be leaving home, leaving your friends, leaving the country or changing your normal routine
• The whole uncertainty of your decisions – have you chosen the right course for you, have you made the right decision?
• Wanting to get results similar to your friends and peers
• Fear of failure

What you can do before the exam results?Look after yourself: In the days leading up to the exam results try to allocate some time for relaxation. This is really important as we often are too busy or too worked-up to think about taking a certain amount of time to just do something that relaxes you. This could include a long soak in a bubble bath, a walk by the beach, time spent on your Xbox or Playstation or just listening to your favourite music. It will be different for everyone and that's ok as long as you know what relaxes you and you put the time aside for that activity.Exercise: Exercise is an excellent way of dealing with stress and pressure. You may find it difficult to start exercising but hormones such as endorphins released during exercise help you feel better about yourself and the challenges you face.Talk to your friends: Consider talking to your friends who no doubt are going through similar feelings as you.Acknowledge your feelings: During this time you may feel anxious, nervous, excited, hopeless, nauseous or down. It's important that you recognise how you are feeling and express those feelings. If you feel you don't want to talk to someone about them, consider keeping a journal or expressing it through art. Check out our Art from the Heart section that allows you to express your feelings anonymously through art.Realise your own expectations: Take time to realistically consider your expectations for your exam results. Find out what results you would be happy with based on your own targets and not on the expectations of others. What subjects are you good at? What results are you hoping for in that subject? What subjects are you not so strong at? And what results would you be happy with in these subjects? Remember everyone has strengths and weaknesses.Address the unrealistic expectations of others: If you feel your stress is the result of the unrealistic expectations of others, sit them down and talk to them about what you feel is realistic and why. Dealing with the unrealistic expectations of others can be very difficult to cope with. Once this expectation is discussed and managed properly, it can be a huge relief.Consult a GP: If you feel like the stress you are experiencing is impacting negatively on your daily life and normal activities, consult a GP for further advice and treatment.How to manage stress after you get your exam resultsOnce you get your exam results, the immediate stress may be reduced. Congratulations! The wait is over and now you can consider your next step. Some people will be celebrating; others may be a bit disappointed but it is important to consider the following:After you receive your exams results, trust yourself and have the confidence to know you did your best: It can be easy to look back over your study time and think 'I could have done more' but this is not a very useful thing to do. Retrospective thinking may not always be realistic thinking.One person's disappointment is another person's success: Remember that everyone has different expectations of themselves and goals in life. Be aware of this during the exam results period.Put your results into perspective: Whether you have achieved the results you expected or not, remember that exams are stepping stones to something bigger. Exams are not always goals in themselves; they can be a means to a goal. Stepping stones can be of different sizes and sometimes may be difficult but the important thing is for them to be used productively to reach where you want to be. Marks should not be the goal; they only help you reach the next class or a level closer to your desired career. If you are disappointed about your results, your goal does not need to change but how you reach that goal may be different. Check out the goal setting fact sheet in the well-being section.Learn to disassociate your performances from who you are: Everyone is made up of a lot of abilities and skills. Exams judge skills and knowledge; they are not a judgement about a person or a reflection of a person's self-worth. Remember this, it is important. If you find yourself thinking negatively recently, check out the Noticing Unhelpful Thinking and Changing Unhelpful Thinking modules in the Self Help section.Treat yourself: The exam results are a stressful time and the hours of work put into achieving them deserves a reward. Whether you are delighted or disappointed with your results, allow yourself the time to treat yourself. If big celebrations are planned, be careful around your alcohol intake. Visit www.drinkaware.ie for more information.How can I prepare mentally for receiving my Leaving Cert results?Looking after your general mental health is something we should always do but especially around stressful periods. There are a lot of things you can do to prepare mentally for your leaving cert results. Set aside relaxation time and include rest in your daily schedule. Do not allow other obligations to take up time set aside for relaxation. This is your time to take a break from all responsibilities and to recharge your batteries.

• Connect with others. Spend time with positive people who enhance your life. A strong support system will buffer you from the negative effects of stress.
• Do something you enjoy every day. Make time for leisure activities that bring you joy, whether it be exercising, listening to music or dancing or any of the suggestions listed above.
• Keep your sense of humour. This includes the ability to laugh at yourself. The act of laughing helps your body fight stress in a number of ways.

Learn the relaxation responseYou can control your stress levels with relaxation techniques that evoke the body's relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response. Regularly practicing these techniques will build your physical and emotional resilience.Adopt a healthy lifestyleYou can increase your resistance to stress by strengthening your physical health. The following can help with strengthening your physical health:

• Exercise regularly. Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress. Make time for at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times per week. Nothing beats aerobic exercise for releasing pent-up stress and tension.
• Eat a healthy diet. Well-nourished bodies are better prepared to cope with stress, so be mindful of what you eat. Start your day right with breakfast, and keep your energy up and your mind clear with balanced, nutritious meals throughout the day.
• Reduce caffeine and sugar. The temporary "highs" caffeine and sugar provide often end with a crash in mood and energy. By reducing the amount of coffee, soft drinks, chocolate, and sugar snacks in your diet, you will feel more relaxed and you will sleep better.
• Avoid alcohol, cigarettes, and drugs. Self-medicating with alcohol or drugs may provide an easy escape from stress, but the relief is only temporary. Don't avoid or mask the issue at hand; deal with problems head on and with a clear mind.
• Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep fuels your mind, as well as your body. Feeling tired will increase your stress because it may cause you to think irrationally.

How can I relieve the stress of exams results day?In the build-up to receiving your Leaving Cert results there are many things you can do to ensure that you are as stress-free as possible. If you have been keeping a stress diary, you will know what type of things stresses you out, how you react to stress and how to best deal with stress.If you have not been keeping a stress diary, you can still benefit from stress relief techniques. There are many healthy ways to manage and cope with stress. You can either change the situation or change your reaction. When deciding which option to choose, it's helpful to think of the four As: Avoid, Alter, Adapt, or Accept.Avoid the stressor, which means changing the situationAlter the stressor, which means changing certain aspects of the stressorAdapt to the stressor, which means changing your reaction to the stressorAccept the stressor, which means accepting the stressful issue in your life and learning from it.You cannot change the fact that the Leaving Cert results will arrive but you can alter the stressor, adapt the stressor or accept the stressor. For example, if the idea of going into the school to collect your results, meet your teachers and friends causes you stress then get your results online or via telephone.In order to adapt the stressor you could adapt how you think about the Leaving Cert results. Instead of seeing them as a major milestone, view them as one step to where you want to be in your future life and career.In order to accept the stressor, just acknowledge that getting exams results is a stressful time but something that a lot of people go through in order to get to the next point in their lives.Suppose all my friends do better than me, how can I show that I am happy for them if I'm disappointed with my results?It can be difficult experiencing mixed emotions. On one hand you are disappointed with your own results but happy for your friends. Remember these people are your friends. Just tell them how you feel. Honest conversations between friends are what keep friendships alive. Don't let this situation be any different from others.Are there any physical signs to show that I'm stressed? How do I deal with these?There are some physical signs that may indicate that you are stressed. These include some of the following:

• Headaches
• Aches and pains
• Indigestion
• Feeling faint
• Constant fatigue
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Nausea, dizziness
• Chest pain, rapid heartbeat, tightness in chest
• Loss of sex drive
• Frequent colds

If these physical symptoms are persistent, consult your GP.What are the emotional symptoms that indicate I'm stressed? How do I deal with these?Some of the emotional symptoms of stress include the following:

• Moodiness
• Irritability or short temper
• Agitation, inability to relax
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Sense of loneliness and isolation
• Depression or general unhappiness

In order to deal with these symptoms, take some time to relax and look after yourself. Do something you enjoy and that takes your mind off all your worries. Talk to someone you can trust and tell them exactly how you are feeling.  

ISSU Launch Project Maths Survey

  The ISSU are doing a survey to examine students' opinions about project maths at both Junior Cert and Leaving Cert level. It only takes 2 minutes, so please click here to do the survey now!  

ISSU NSE Declaration

National Student Executive Results Declaration 2013 - 2014

PRESIDENTMark Caffrey, Ratoath CollegeDEPUTY PRESIDENTDeclan Burgess, Cashel Community SchoolEDUCATION OFFICERRobert C O’ Donnell, St. Ailbe's Secondary SchoolEQUALITY OFFICERConor Lynott, Coláiste Eamonn RisINTERNATIONAL OFFICERRobert F O’ Donnell, Abbey CBSOIFIGEACH NA GAEILGEDonnagh Crowe, Abbey CBSSECRETARYAoife Kennedy, Larkin Community CollegePUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICERNathan O’ Connor, Colaiste Eamonn RisSTUDENT COUNCIL SUPPORT OFFICERAsha Aisling Doris, Confey Community CollegeWELFARE OFFICERShahed Warreth, Maryfield College In line with the provisions as outlined in the ISSU Constitution, I hereby return DYLAN GRACE as honorary president of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union for 2013-2014.

Minister Ruairi Quinn to Address Irish Second-Level Students' Union AGM

Minister Ruairi Quinn to Address Irish Second-Level Students' Union AGM

The Annual General Meeting of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union is taking place this Wednesday March 27^th; from 11am until 4pm, in the Clocktower Building, Dept. Of Education and Skills, Marlborough Street, Dublin1. Second-level students from across the country will meet together to discuss issue which affect them, with a particular focus this year on bullying in schools. Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn will deliver the keynote address at 3pm, and former governor of Mountjoy will address delegates about tackling bullying in schools at 2:40pm.ISSU President and Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh student, Dylan Grace said; ‘When students are consulted on matters affecting them, the conversation changes. We have seen over the past year, that nodding to student voice is ineffective and is a barrier to real change, and engaging with the student voice leads to a better education system for everyone. The ISSU has now proven than we can and should be trusted as a partner in education and achieving this is a key goal for our organisation.  I am delighted that Minister Ruairi Quinn will address today’s AGM, and hope that he recognises the importance of engaging with students in a meaningful way in all aspects of second-level education reform.’ 

Irish Second-Level Students' Union Welcomes Action Plan on Bullying

The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) welcomes the Government’s “Action Plan on Bullying”, which was launched in the Department of Education today. The ISSU has been strongly involved in developing this plan, with Equality Officer Mark Caffrey sitting on the Anti-Bullying Working Group which helped to develop it, and he is looking forward to its full implementation. ISSU Equality Officer, Mark Caffrey said; ‘Bullying is something which we know affects our students hugely – around one quarter of students are likely to have experienced some form of bullying in the past couple of months, and I’m delighted that an action plan to tackle this head on has been launched today.  Bullying is a serious problem, so it needs to be taken seriously. ‘Schools need to be given the necessary supports in order to manage and prevent bullying in all forms, and we need to make sure that parents are aware of the role they can plan in both preventing bullying, and intervening in an appropriate way where it is occurring.  Tackling homophobic bullying and cyber bullying are key focuses of this action plan, and we look forward to working with other partners to see it implemented’. ISSU President, Dylan Grace said; ‘Bullying can have very serious consequences and it’s important that everyone involved in education play their part in stopping bullying.  The Action Plan on Bullying is very thorough in its approach and recommendations, and I am very encouraged by the commitment shown by the Department of Education and Skills and our other education partners in tackling the scourge of bullying in our schools’. The Action Plan is available here.

Safter Internet Day 2013 Video Guidelines

Remember when we came up with these statements? 

Cyberbullying won’t go away if we do nothing about it.What are you waiting for? Are you going to wait around for more sadness or another tragedy before doing something about it?It’s up to us to make a stand and say we not going to do nothing while someone else gets hurt.

 Well now it’s time to walk the talk by recording your own message on the topic and sharing it. Do this with your friends, your enemies, your family, or your class. The more we get the better. Don’t worry about producing something worthy of Speilberg. Hearing your voice is the most important thing. It doesn’t matter if you use a using a webcam, tablet, laptop, camera or phone; use whatever you have to record a statement. Then go to the “Get Involved” page on watchyourspace.ie and post a link to your content or email it to us at internetsafety@pdst.ie As Safer Internet Day is getting close, we’d really appreciate it if you guys could get us some videos as soon as you can – maybe by the middle of next week. You’ve been unbelievable so far – and your ideas have contributed to what we think is one of the best SID campaigns around - but we need a final push to make sure that #SID2013 is one to remember. If you are looking for a few pointers: 

Shorter is better than longer – try to keep it to less than 90 seconds.Keep it simple: imagine you are talking to a friend. Don’t use complex words where simple ones will do. Be yourselfIt is an idea to put together a script or at least give yourself a few pointers on what you are going to say.We’ll try to include all the videos on the site. So don’t be disappointed if it’s not on there straight away, we’ll add it at some stage.We will also share it on our social media channels, so don’t send us anything unless you are happy for us to share it widely.

 Ideas for what to say:As you know, this year’s campaign is centred on encouraging bystanders to intervene positively in online bullying situations. Under the banner of Watch Your Space, with the call to action of “It’s Up To Us” #Up2Us. In your piece, you can use anecdotes of situations you are aware of where online bullying has been resolved positively and where bystanders have had a role. However, be sure that people are not identifiable, and try not to be too personal. Below are some of the key tips for the campaign which we will be promoting. It’s advisable to use these when you are coming up with your script. You should be creative too, come up with your own twist on these and try to steer clear of using these word for word as it will lend credibility to the message. Don’t forget that your audience will be your peers and people younger than you. We want to encourage everyone to connect with respect and change their attitudes to online bullying. You are not speaking to victims or to bullies, but to the majority of people who can bring about a new attitude and atmosphere where online bullying does not succeed. And remember to finish off your piece strongly. For example, you can use the campaign call to action: “It’s Up To Us”. The idea is, is that you encourage others to do the same and to pledge their support for the campaign. Tips for witnesses to online bullying: Bullying or Banter? Without body language and facial expressions, it’s often hard to know the difference. What might be intended as a bit of banter can often cause offence and vice-versa.  As a rule, if you see something on screen that you think might cause someone to lose confidence, get upset, angry or fearful, it’s likely that you are witnessing cyberbullying. Just Ask: Asking for help requires strength. If you see someone who is isolated or having a hard time, you can make a difference by directing them to the  reputable organisations out there who provide advice and support. Check out WatchYourSpace.ie for a whole host of useful links to groups like Aware, Bodywhys, Childline, SpunOut, Headsup.ie, BeLong, the Samartians and more. Report incidents: Whether it’s online, at home, or in school, it’s your responsibility to report bullying incidents when you see them. You might not always be able to fix it, but you can always do the right thing – and that means reporting. First off, you can report to websites like Twitter and Facebook. They take these reports seriously, remove anything abusive and even cancel accounts when warnings are ignored. Remember, they never reveal the identity of the person making the report. It doesn’t stop there. Most schools and clubs have ways for you to report incidents, find out what they are and use them when you need to. Serious cases, where someone is at risk of harm, should be reported to the Gardaí. Tell an adult: Talking to someone you trust is usually the first step in dealing with any issue. If a friend confides in you, encourage them to tell and adult they can trust such as a Parent or Teacher. Research has shown that it almost always takes an adult to stop bullying. Share your Know-how? Check out WatchYourSpace.ie for video tutorials on how to take screengrabs (settings a skill which will help you make a record of cyberbullying behaviour), report incidents to popular websites, and how to configure your privacy. Once you’ve become an expert, show someone else how to do it. Dislike: Young people have found themselves in trouble for simply liking, sharing, or commenting on content on Facebook, Tumblr or for following and retweeting messages from a fake Twitter accounts. Don’t put up with bullying; leave, unlike and unfollow it. Do IT Yourself. Bullying won’t go away if we do nothing! But it can if you do something. It’s up to us to shape the spaces that we spend our time in. Let’s make them positive and friendly.  Often the more people who see something happen, the less likely each individual is to do something about it. Don’t leave it up to someone else to make a difference. Be Counted: A lot of bullying online is anonymous and this can make it especially difficult to deal with. Imagine how it feels to go into school when everyone you meet could be the person harassing you. It’s easy to withdraw from friends and be suspicious of everyone. If you know someone in this situation, reach out to them and tell them that you are on their side. Do it Now. Online bullying can escalate very quickly; people experiencing it can be completely overwhelmed by it. Sometimes just one message of support is enough to change the tide. Your offer of support can be the light at the end of the tunnel. What are you waiting for? Be a Hero not a Martyr. You can make a big difference without putting yourself at risk. It’s very admirable to stand up to bullying but directly confronting someone who is being aggressive or hurtful is not always the best way to go about it. Who’s the Bully? Bullying is never right and you shouldn’t ever accept it. But don’t cross the line and bully the bully. It’s ok to point out that cyberbullying should stop, but it’s not ok to start sending abusive message to the bully. Put yourself in the shoes of a victim of online bullying. Imagine how it would feel to face constant online harassment and abuse alone.  Now imagine what it would be like to have your peers support you. Be a hero, not a martyr. Fueling the fire of bullying by taking part in bullying will just make the problem worse. You can be assertive and positive and it always works best. ‘Nuff said.