The Student Guide: How To Celebrate On A-level Results Day

Thursday 13th August is the big day for students waiting for A-level Results Day.

There are a few different things you need to know about A-level Results Day, which we’ve covered before to help you out.

Once you’ve received your results and worked out the basics about what it means for your future, whether you’re going to university this year or after a gap year, it’s time to celebrate.

You’ve worked really hard over the last couple of years, studying, writing, revising, meeting coursework deadlines, and working under the pressure of exam stress.

Now is the time to party with friends, relax on your own, thank your family, or whatever you feel is right to do at this time.

A-level Results Day is fast approaching, so take inspiration from our guide for how to celebrate.

Go for a Meal with Your Family

One of the best ways to celebrate A-level Results Day is to go out for a big, fancy meal with your family.

If there’s an expensive restaurant that mum and dad have always said should be left for special occasions, surely this is it.

Wherever you decide to eat, make sure it’s your favourite cuisine, and order all the dishes, starters, and sides you want.

Get your granny and your aunts and uncles there too, and make the most of a celebration.

These are the times you’ll look back on fondly as you get older, a memory of home to cherish once you’re away at university.

Take advantage of restaurant offers

Many restaurants run special offers around A-level Results Day. Take a look around and see what’s available where you are. Some places will give a free meal or drink, a discounted meal for the student, or other offers to bring big parties in for the night.

If you find a good offer somewhere you already like, it’s a winner. Just remember to bring your UNiDAYS account or college ID, as some places may ask for it.

Go on a Holiday Abroad

Another thing you definitely deserve is a holiday after all the hard work you’ve put in.

A holiday abroad is a rite of passage for many teenagers, especially once they’ve hit 18 and finished school. You’ve got a glorious summer ahead of you before university and life continues, and for some it’s a chance to really relax and get some rays.

You could go away on a holiday with a group of friends. Or maybe you’d rather explore art and culture while interrailing through Europe this summer.

Other people prefer a holiday spent by the pool or on the beach all day, drink in one hand and a book in the other.

Take this moment to go on holiday, maybe even the day of or the day after results day, and celebrate in style.

Go Camping for the Weekend

Pack up a tent, some sleeping bags and a portable stove, and away you go.

Once you’ve seen your results, there are few better things to do than get out into the wild for a long weekend with friends. Camping in the countryside, or along the coast depending on where you live, is a great escape after the stress of the days running up to results day.

Sitting around a campfire with friends, taking in the fresh air and forgetting about the hustle and bustle of life for a couple of days, is invigorating.

Go to a Music Festival

There’s still plenty of the festival calendar left to come after results day this year. Green Man Festival runs from 20 to 23 August in the Brecon Beacons, All Points East continues in London’s Victoria Park through to 30 August, and both Reading and Leeds, along with Creamfields, run from 27 to 30 August over the August bank holiday weekend.

Whatever your music taste, there’s a festival to match. Why not treat yourself and your friends on results day by booking a festival weekend away?

Dance the day and night away, in a field, with the summer sun overhead. Life doesn’t get much better than that.

Go on a Shopping Spree

You’ve probably got a long list of things you’ve wanted to buy for months but have been saving up for until you’ve got your results.

Now is the time to treat yourself to a shopping spree for the day. There’s a good chance relatives will have given you cards and some cash as congratulations for your A-level results too, so go wild. There’s never a better time to spend a bit, straight after two years of hard work.

You might even find some things you’ll take with you to university in September.

Make the Most of a Spa Retreat

Relaxation at the right moments is key to a healthy life.

A spa retreat is a luxury treat, a place where you can step away from everyday life and sink into calming, beautiful surroundings. A spa day or weekend away is a lovely experience for you and maybe a close friend, your mum, or a partner, especially as a way of celebrating your results.

You’ll relax, feel refreshed, improve your sleep, and reinvigorate mind and body in one go.

There are often student discounts on spa breaks, or gift cards to treat friends who are also celebrating. Bring in the self-care vibes.

Take Some Time to Yourself

It’s been a stressful stretch during your last year of A-levels, with plenty of studying and a final month or so of revision, revision, and more revision.

For some of you, the ideal way to celebrate results day is by taking some much-needed time to relax on your own. Whether that’s a stroll in the countryside with some fresh air, or a long soak in the bath with your favourite book.

It could even be catching up on Heartstopper Forever, the finale film that wrapped up Nick and Charlie’s story in July, since studying probably meant putting it off until now.

Choose whatever makes you feel good, relaxes you, and helps you recharge.

Get Excited for Next Year

Whatever the result, you can look forward with excitement now that your A-level results have been published.

If you’ve got a firm offer from the university and course you wanted, the next stage is to think about student accommodation, with a wide range of options open to the modern student.

If you need to look at secondary options, don’t panic. Whatever path you end up on will be the right one for you, even if it’s not what you thought it would look like when you started studying for your A-levels. This is an exciting time.

Look forward to the next chapter, moving away from home for the first time, making new friends, and forging a new path.

Post results day, you’ll have some comedown to contend with. You don’t realise how stressful it can be on your mind and body to be constantly switched on and ready to work on coursework and exams, then the pressure of waiting for your results and finding out if you’ve got into your firm university choice.

There are no right or wrong answers as to how you should celebrate results day. For some of you, it might be a case of working out what to do next if you don’t quite get the results you wanted, or you’ve had a change of heart about next year.

Do what’s best for you on this day. You’ve earned the right to do so. We hope you have the best time.