With deadlines and January exams looming, Christmas can be an incredibly stressful and frustrating time for those at university. So how can students enjoy some downtime at Christmas?
While your family celebrates, as a student, it can sometimes feel like being at the start of a John Lewis Christmas ad: isolated, depressed and not feeling the festive cheer.
Well, picture this. It’s the end of the holidays, you’re heading back to university tomorrow and you are THRIVING. Your Christmas has been full of festive cheer, you’ve appropriately used your social battery, AND your Christmas assignments have been handed in. What?!
Here’s how you can do just that.
Pre-plan activities with your friends
Before the holidays, plan activities and Stick. To. Them. Put them in your calendar, tell your parents, set reminders. Using a shared calendar app is perfect for this. Doing friend things at Christmas is IMPORTANT, both uni friends (so you can have a moan about your workload) AND non-uni friends (where you can completely forget about your studies). Ice skating, a Christmas lights car drive (with a McDonalds hot chocolate pit-stop) or a festive movie night are some of my favourite things to do with friends at Christmas.
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Make an effort to do things with family
Particularly if you’ve been living away at university, there is a good chance that your family will be grateful to spend some quality time with you. Family game night, Christmas markets and a festive family back off are great ways to get every member of the family involved. You don’t have to break the bank, either.
Give yourself permission to relax
You will not miss your January deadline if you spend an afternoon out with friends. In reality, how likely is it that you were going to spend the entire afternoon studying anyway? If you’re anything like me, 70% of it would have been procrastination anyway.
One of the most effective ways of relaxing over the Christmas period is having a cut-off day. A few days before the big day, stop all study and allow yourself the time to embrace the festivities and importantly, give your brain a rest. By studying all the way up until the 25th, or even Christmas Eve, you’re going to burn out and not enjoy it at all.
Make a study to-do list
Make this your ultimate Christmas to-do and on your cut-off day, put it in a drawer until after the big day. That way, you’ve got a structured plan to combat the usually chaotic festive period, and when you’re ready, your workload and your list will be waiting.
Christmas-ify your studying
Okay, so there’s no getting around it. If you have deadlines and exams, you will have to study over Christmas. But who says it has to be boring?
Put on a bit of festive music, hang some fairy lights and go full barista-style hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows.
However you celebrate Christmas, even if you don’t celebrate, make the most of the time you have off. Student downtime at Christmas is vital for your mental health and your ongoing studies. Happy Holidays!
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