A bad mark doesn’t make a bad student

Even the most dedicated students will, at some point or another, get a bad or disappointing mark for an exam. It is how you respond to the low mark that counts. Do you drown yourself in self-pity or do you dust yourself off and move forward with even more determination than you had before?

If you are the kind of person that struggles to bounce back after getting a disappointing mark, here are five important tips to help you see the bigger picture:

Tip 1: Take the time to learn from a poor result

Go through your exam and review your answers. It is important to see where you went wrong so that you don’t make the same mistakes again. If there is anything you don’t understand, take it to your teacher and ask them to explain it to you. If you can’t get help from a teacher, speak to one of your friends that achieved better marks.

Tip 2: Recover quickly and move on

The sooner you accept the results and move on, the better. Remind yourself that you are human, and humans make mistakes. Don’t be too hard on yourself. It isn’t good for your self-confidence and will also do nothing to help you for future exams.

Tip 3: Don’t allow yourself and your future to be derailed by a few bad results

Regardless of how badly you did, it is not the end of the world. You still have time to recover. Worst case scenario, you don’t pass the term. It doesn’t mean that you can’t go further. There are always other options to consider. You could try speaking to your teacher to see if you could rewrite. If not, work much harder for the next term. Spend more time on your projects and speeches. Just don’t ever give up.

Tip 4: Always keep perspective

Exams are not the benchmark of what your future holds. It is important to remember that not all students are academic. Some are practical, some are creative, some are leaders, some are workers, some are entrepreneurial, some are logical. No two students will ever be the same. School exams are only a good reflection on academic students – because that is what they excel at. Like Einstein said, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid”. Many times, the more average school students become very successful once they leave school because they find themselves in an environment that they blossom in.

Tip 5: Choose your friends wisely

Always hang out with people who are positive, who build you up, who stand up for you, who encourage you and who are there for you when times are tough. Your friends have more influence over you than you realise. If your friends are studying regularly, chances are you will fall in line and study regularly too. The opposite is also true. If they are constantly looking for the next party, they will distract you from your studies.