The nervous wait is finally over for thousands of Aberdeen school pupils as they received their exam results this morning.
More than 140,000 teenagers across Scotland learned their fate through text message, or the old-fashioned dreaded envelope.
Nearly 1,300 more city students sat National 5 exams compared to last year. And 275 more sat Highers.
Pass rates and results comparisons with previous years are still being worked out.
The P&J spoke to pupils from several city schools, just minutes after they found out their Higher results.
Here’s how they did:
A ‘nerve-wracking’ exam results day for Murray from Lochside
Murray Scott from Lochside Academy achieved five Highers at AAABC. He starts an apprenticeship as a restructuring accountant at Johnston Carmichael in two weeks.
“It was nerve-wracking opening the envelope,” said Murray.
“I felt okay during the summer, but when you get to that last two weeks before results day you start getting nervous.
“It feels much better now. I’m pretty happy with my results to be honest, it’s what I expected.
“When you walk out the exam room you think, have I done enough, did I revise enough?
“You do doubt yourself a little bit. But it all paid off in the end.
“I’ve enjoyed school, but I’m happy to move on, and excited to start my apprenticeship.”
‘I couldn’t be happier’ says Calum from Grammar
Calum Angus leaves Aberdeen Grammar School with five Highers at ABBCD. He plans to study sport at Stirling or RGU.
“When you’re sat there with the letter, yeah, it’s stressful, you do feel it,” said Calum.
“But afterwards you’re just filled with relief.
“I couldn’t be happier with my results – it’s what I needed.
“It’s difficult to enjoy your summer when you know the day is coming when you’re going to see what your future holds. I did try to enjoy my summer, but it’s been difficult.
“There were moments when I left an exam and thought ‘that didn’t go well’, or when I was sat revising thinking ‘nothing’s going in’.
“But at the end of the day, if you just do your best, what more can you do?”
‘Huge flurry of emotions’ for Cults Academy pupil Deya
High-flying Cults Academy pupil Deya Kidder was celebrating a full house of five As.
Her goal? To study medicine, at Glasgow, Edinburgh, or Aberdeen Universities.
Deya described opening the envelope as “the scariest thing you can do, knowing that basically, your whole future lies in this piece of paper.
“It’s exciting as well, but yeah, a huge flurry of emotions.
“The second I saw my results I thought how silly I was for doubting myself on this exam, that exam.
“After the maths exam in particular, I came out thinking I’d not done well enough, that I’d done all that revising for nothing.
“People tend to doubt themselves a lot, but at the end of the day, we’re capable of a lot more than we think we are.
“I’ve been trying to enjoy myself during the summer. My parents actually sent me on holiday so I could try not to stress so much. I’m just happy I can finally relax for a little bit.”
‘It’s a lot of waiting’ says Katie from St Machar
St Machar Academy’s Katie Watson is taking a gap year to get ‘job and life experience’ before studying creative writing at UHI Moray.
She gained three Highers at ABD.
“Although I wasn’t totally happy with my results initially, people told me that it was actually pretty good for what it was,” said Katie.
“Now that I’ve had time to think about things, I’d say I’m pretty happy with them.
“You don’t realize how big the gap between the exams and the results is, it’s a lot of waiting. But somehow I was able to switch off, at least until results day approached.”
When it doesn’t go to plan: Shannon ‘quite upset’ with her results
Fellow St Machar Academy pupil Shannon Thomson was left “upset” with her results but is taking a stoic view of things after gaining a C and a D.
Her plan is to return to school after the holidays to try and get more Highers during S6, with the aim of becoming a primary school teacher.
“I was quite upset with my results to be honest,” said Shannon. “They weren’t as good as I was expecting.
“You just have to push through it, it’s what I’ve got, I just have to go again next year and try and improve and change things.
“I’m going to put in a lot more effort next year than I did this year.
“I did get good marks for my Foundation Apprenticeship in children and young people. Which is good, because I want to study to be a primary teacher after school.”
Her message to others who were left disappointed with their results?
“You’ll panic, you’ll be annoyed, but it’ll be ok.
“You’ll feel bad for yourself, and that’s fine, that’s normal.
“But you just have to keep going and try harder next time, that’s all there is to it really.”
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