August marked the return of another Results’ Day for students across the nation. A date that stirred a mix of excitement and dread. But as the month draws to a close, we find ourselves reminiscent and reflective. Slough, too, had its own moment; home to excellent schools and many brilliant young minds.
A day as life-changing as this inevitably brings back memories, and I’m certainly no exception.
I remember the bad more than the good. Waking up at the crack of dawn, anxiously refreshing my UCAS with fumbling fingers, wracked with nerves. Looking back now, the panic was definitely excessive. Yet, at the time, the emotions were overwhelming and crushing; the gnawing fear of failure, of missing university offers and being left downtrodden by my own inabilities.
Even so, this nausea-induced anxiety was overshadowed by the sense of community that slowly accumulated throughout the day. From walking to school with my sister at my side, reassured by her words of advice, to meeting with my friends as we swarmed our school, shaking with nerves as we braced to receive our results. We were all in the same boat for one brief moment, our hearts in our throats as we prepared for the worst.
But even then, we weren’t alone. We had our teachers, silently motivating us with their knowing nods and smiles. Despite standing to the side, letting us have our moments to ourselves, pride soon enveloped them as they witnessed our laughs of shock and glee when we unveiled the products of our hard work.
That was when it struck me. These achievements are not just numbers. Or even just a collection of an individual’s grades on a piece of paper. Rather, they are testament to the strong support network these students belong to: encouraging friends and families, dedicated teachers and the spirit of a community.
Even unintentionally, our community is always intact. Despite the lingering terror attached to this day, it brought back another memory that I hold dear. It’s small, probably irrelevant to most, but it left such a long-lasting impression on me that shaped how I completed and received my exams.
During my exams, my friends and I had visited a corner store during break to stock up on snacks to keep our energy levels high as we buckled down for some gruelling revision sessions at school. Embarrassingly, my card declined. Over a purchase probably less than five pounds, no less. To say I was mortified was an understatement. A stressed student with exams looming, and now broke, felt like an all-time low.
Though it didn’t remain for long. A kind man stepped in as I stood flustered and paid for me, brushing me off gently with, “It’s no problem, sister.”
No problem for him, certainly, but for me, I felt I had just experienced the type of heroism only present in movies. Silly, I know. But I did not know this man; he wasn’t my friend, he had never seen me before, and he probably had no idea I was a distressed student, weighed down by the exam I had just completed that morning. And he definitely had no clue of how his gesture had relieved me of both financial and emotional burden.
When I returned to school, the fizz of the energy drink and the spice of the crisps purchased never tasted better. Because of his generosity, I still smile, thinking of that brief interaction, when I walk past any corner shop or see the same branded energy drink – now preparing to head off to university.
Kindness like that – from a stranger at a shop to the celebration of an entire school – is what defines Results Day in Slough. Slough may be small, but its strength lies in its tight-knit community that is rare in other places. If that’s any indication, then the future of Slough is not just united.
It’s bright.
