Christmas is a time for celebrating, spending time with family and eating as much cheese and chocolate as you can manage. But for many students, there is still work to be done over the festive period or revision for January exams. This is all part and parcel of being a student, but don’t let it get on top of you – we’ve got some fantastic advice for keeping on top of university work over Christmas!
Set up a work space
If you’re home for the Christmas break, chances are you might not have a dedicated desk or office space to be working from. Make a point of setting up an area where you will do any work or revision that needs doing – and only do it there. This will help you get into the studying mindset when you sit in this particular place, be it the kitchen table or a specific spot on your bedroom floor.
Try and make any plans before you get home
If you know you have deadlines to meet, exams to prepare for or essays to write, try and work out how much time you want to spend on doing these things. Make plans with friends and family, but carve out set days or times when you’ll be working and don’t arrange anything for them. It might be easier said than done, but you’ll be thanking yourself in the long run!
Enjoy your down time too
We’re not suggesting you spend all of your Christmas break working and studying, but you don’t want to return to university after the festive period feeling stressed and wishing you’d done more. By setting aside time to do your studying, you’ll be able to really appreciate the fun and festivities without panicking about cramming in any last minute work. It allows you to separate the two effectively, while still getting everything done AND having fun.
Stay in touch with your uni friends
One way to motivate yourself is to keep in touch with your coursemates (or flatmates!) over the Christmas period; you’re all in the same boat, and you’ll be able to encourage each other to still get your work done with everything else going on during the festivities.
Reward yourself
Set up a reward system, where you have a treat of some kind ready and waiting after each goal you achieve within your studies – whether it’s a glass of something fizzy, a chocolatey snack or a movie night with your hometown friends, this is a fantastic way to keep yourself on track with your university work over Christmas!
At the end of the day, it’s only you who will suffer if you let yourself fall behind on work – January is a tough enough month as it is for many people, so by following these tips you won’t be coming back to uni in a tizz. Most importantly, enjoy your Christmas break and spending time at home with family, friends and pets…
