The festive season can mean lots of back and forth. But here’s how to organise travelling home from university for Christmas.
With Christmas assignments, seeing university friends and having to work, Christmas may not be quite as idyllic as you originally thought. But with a little bit of organisation, you’ll be singing Chris Rea with tinsel on your dashboard in no time.
Prioritising tasks
Unless you were thinking it was something else, university should *probably* be at the top of your ‘to-do list’. Yes, drinking eggnog or mulled wine and emptying the Celebrations tin is a must, but so is passing your degree. If your course is anything like mine, then you’ll probably have assignments due the first week of January. Whilst this is definitely unfair, there’s not much that can be done about it.
Allocate days to work on your assignments and stick to it, even if there’s a tempting offer to go carol singing. Give yourself plenty of time before it’s due. If you are really organised and have some time on your hands, then get as much done before you travel home. That way you can enjoy the festivities without the added stress.
Be Open With People
Loved ones will understand that you can’t give them every second of your Christmas break, but it is best to remind them. Some may not realise that you still have to work or do uni work, or even just take time for yourself (it is your break too!) So, before travelling home have a frank conversation with friends and family back home about what you are actually available to do.
This applies to your friends at university too. You might be organising some Christmas drinks or a university flat Christmas dinner. Stuff like this is really important, but it won’t the be all and end-all if you can’t do absolutely everything.
What is your work situation like?
Lots of people get part-time jobs alongside their studies. And whilst that’s always helpful for a little extra money in the bank, it can mean you get less free time. If you have a job in retail then getting time off at Christmas can be particularly tricky. Lots of shops don’t allow their staff to take any time off in the whole month of December.
If this sounds like where you work, then there may be options. If you work for a bigger chain, then transferring to a store closer to home may be an option. This is something I did last year and it meant I could still spend two weeks back home, but I also got to keep my job and earn some Christmas cash.
If this isn’t the case, then just talk to your manager about your options Would it be possible to work New Year instead of Christmas, or vis-versa depending on what’s important to you? I find having a frank conversation is better than trying to sneak around avoiding working at Christmas.
You’re checking your bag, you’re checking it twice
The absolute key to organising travelling home for Christmas is making sure that you have everything. Chargers presents and Christmas pyjamas of course, but don’t forget your uni books!
If you plan on doing some university work over the Christmas period then forgetting your books or laptop will halt your plans pretty quickly. Make a physical and virtual list of everything you need and tick it off when you pack it. Then double check you have everything before you go. I find checking your list with a friend is a lifesaver as they always remember something that you would have forgotten.
Oh, and make sure everything fits into your car/ on the bus. There’s nothing worse than squeezing your boot shut only to find another bag to fit in.
Be Realistic about your plans
Of course, we all want to spend all of our Christmas holidays back home with loved ones. However, that isn’t always achievable. Being realistic with yourself and your expectations means there’s a lot less room for disappointment. If you can only travel home for a couple of days, then make them the best two days. If you do have to do work, then get it done so you don’t have to worry about it later.
Being realistic about what you can actually do is the best way of organising travelling home for Christmas. If everyone knows what you can do and what you can do, then you’re sure to have a good time.