Results day preparation

Descriptive transcript

[Everyone] Welcome back!

[Kelly] Before we start, congratulations on completing your very first online semester! It really has been one heck of a ride.

[Rebecca] So we wanted to make this a special episode and have all four podcasters today: Rachel, Kelly, Avi and myself, Rebecca.

[Avi + Rachel + Kelly] Hi everyone.

[Rebecca] Hi, I can't believe we've reached the end of this semester's podcast series already. How are you guys feeling after your assessments and exams?

[Rachel] I am so happy that we wrapped up the semester and I'm keen to see how I've done in my exams!

[Avi] I'm a bit nervous because I'm not too sure how well I've done.

[Kelly] Pretty excited. I've made plans for my break! And... I'm a little nervous for Monday the 13th of July as that is results day.

[Rebecca] Don't worry! We've got you all covered. In this last part of the Exam Series, we're talking about Results Day Preparation Plan.

[Music] [Upbeat music plays briefly.]

[Rachel] Results day will happen on 13th July, but before that happens, how are you preparing yourself?

[Rebecca] Often I'd have a rough idea of what I'll get from the assessment marks, and to combat nervousness, I'd add up all my marks together, tell myself I've done the best I could, especially in this semester.

Don't forget your marks will be assessed differently this time around. If you receive a 'Fail' grade with a final mark between 35 and 44, your grade will be changed to 'Withdrawn'. If you receive a final mark between 45 and 49, you can either attempt a centrally-conducted supplementary exam or faculty-based supplementary exam, depending on your situation. Not sure what your grade status is? More information about marks and grades will be listed in the FAQ page linked below.

[Rachel] I'm trying not to be pessimistic, but I think it's likely that the marks I get aren't going to be as good as I'd hoped. I'm trying to remember that it's been a really chaotic semester and I'm proud of myself for how well I did cope with everything.

I actually remember feeling really stressed out during my online finals, since it was something I wasn't familiar with. For that, I made an agreement with myself not to obsess over the marks I'll be getting.

As many of us on TikTok have been saying, "it is what it is." We tried our best and whatever's going to follow, will follow.

What we experienced during Autumn 2020 has been new, stressful and out of the blue, so let's give ourselves some credit and not worry about whether we have achieved the HDs we had in mind.

[Rebecca] That's right. I used to stress out so much nearing results day, but I find talking to friends and organising other activities really helps take my mind off the stress of feeling like I haven't done enough for the exams and assessments.

For me, it's meeting up with friends over food and taking pictures around. What about you guys? We'd love to hear what your plans are in the comments section on our Instagram page.

[Rachel] If you think that you won't be able to cope with the pressure of seeing your marks, you can always reach out to UTS Counselling, who will be more than happy to hear you out.

[Kelly] Results are out on Monday 13th July. Whether they are good or bad, next semester, starting on the 27th of July, is going to be another rollercoaster ride.

It is natural to be sad about marks which fall short of our expectations and get hung up over them. But what about after that?

My answer is to shift your focus to next semester by setting out a rough plan, by figuring out what went well and not so well this semester. You can either focus on a specific area to improve in, or be general.

[Avi] So where do we start making this plan? Start by asking yourself questions such as: What helped me gain motivation back when all I wanted to do was take a nap? What did I do when I did not understand something? What helped me make the most of my time?

For my plan, I am focusing on making more use of my free time across uni and work. I noticed that I never really gave myself a proper break during the semester. So my plan is to leave some time to work on my hobbies and staying fit.

[Rachel] Very good point, Avi! I'm also planning on taking the time to relax and do the things I couldn't do before, like watch Netflix shows, minus the guilt. I notice that a little bit of self-care really does make a difference before a new semester starts.

[Kelly] That sounds amazing, Rachel! Keep in mind this is a rough plan, which means making sure your plan is flexible as we cannot predict future events. It is okay if this rough plan does not end up working. Revise it, keep things that are working and try again.

It is important to be able to adapt and learn when being thrown into new environments, especially as we're living in unprecedented times.

Once again, extra resources are listed below to help you get back on track.

[Music] [Upbeat music plays briefly.]

[Kelly] And that wraps up UTS Student Hacks for the 2020 Autumn Session! I hope these podcasts have helped improve your uni life.

Remember, your results do not define who you are, and it is better to focus on improving from where you are currently.

[Avi] Just a heads up that results day is on Monday, 13th of July.

[Rebecca] Spring Session will start on July 27th. Thank you everyone for supporting us thus far.

[Rachel] Until next semester,

[Everyone] Stay healthy.