How to enjoy Christmas as a student
Chloe Cowell
Media Studies BSc(Hons) - Third Year
Hello, my name is Chloe and I’m a third year Media student here at Huddersfield! I’m interested in anything media-related, from films and TV to music videos and I often like to dip my hand into video editing.
Christmas time is probably my favourite time of year as a student, especially with all the lights and decorations. The holidays are also an important time to us as students as it gives you time to relax and celebrate the past year. Whether you spend the holidays with your family, friends, yourself or don’t celebrate at all, I think the holidays are important. So, with that being said, I'm going to discuss some tips on how to enjoy Christmas time as a student (even with those deadlines!).
Create a study plan
Now not everybody can stick to a plan or works well with one, but for those who do, this is for you!
You are guaranteed to have work to do over the holidays and you don’t want this to interfere with the time you spend having fun, so I would advise you to dedicate some time to creating a study plan. A study plan is always really useful as it helps knowing when you need to put some time into uni work, but don’t stress too much if you don’t stick to it 100% of the time - it’s just there for guidance.
To create a work plan, you can use a whiteboard, a notebook or similar to what I have used, any piece of plain paper you have lying around!
Set goals
As mentioned in the previous tip, it's good to stick to a plan. Another way you could do this and keep organised is by setting goals. For example, one thing that works for me is using a reward system to motivate myself to complete my work. I'll do maybe an hour of work with no distractions and once the hour is up, reward myself with a twenty-minute episode from a TV show or a few short YouTube videos.
The good thing about this method is that it can work for anyone, as the reward can be anything that you enjoy!
Take away all distractions
To minimise distractions, one of my favourite things to use that helps me avoid going on my phone when studying is the app 'Forest'. The goal of 'Forest' is to help you stay focused, and it does this by planting a tree every time you press the timer to study. If you go off the app whilst the timer is still on, this kills the tree and you have to start again. The end goal is to create your own little forest of trees, and the more trees you plant, the more in-game money you can obtain to eventually put towards planting a real tree!
The app itself is not just for studying, you can use it whenever you want to stay focused. Just put on the timer and go! I have found this app to be perfect for Christmas deadlines, as it has a holiday theme and you don’t have to worry about the many distractions that come with the Christmas holidays.
Don’t forget to plan those breaks!
Though you may now have a plan, don’t forget to also plan in those breaks. You should be studying during the holidays, but you should also be enjoying yourself, and it’s very hard to enjoy yourself when you're doing work 24/7. Make sure your study plan includes giving yourself time to relax.
Decorate your accommodation
A good little activity to do during these breaks includes decorating your accommodation (or maybe just your room at home). The good thing about Christmas is that even if you have deadlines around the corner, this holiday gives you an excuse to decorate your flat. You can get a bunch of cheap Christmas decorations in Huddersfield town to make your study place look warm and cosy.
Start Christmas shopping early
As deadlines are fast approaching, it’s best to get started with your Christmas shopping early on!
I always start my Christmas shopping around late November, but early December is good too! This helps a lot with potential uni deadlines coming up around Christmas, as it’s hard to get that work done with the added stress of buying presents.
If you’re struggling to find places to buy presents for your loved ones, Huddersfield town has a few hidden gems here and there where you can buy a range of bits and bobs, so don’t worry!
Look for events
Finally, keep an eye out for events going on around Huddersfield and within uni! One particular event that kicks off the Christmas holidays is the Huddersfield Winter Festival, which occurs in St George’s Square with a tipi. The festival includes a lot of events and activities but if you don’t want to get involved with those, you can just pop in and get a warm drink by the fire.
There are also other events going on within the university itself. For example, this year the university has a jam-packed Christmas line-up complete with a festive photo booth, a Christmas movie marathon with HudMovies and a trip to the Trafford Centre. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take time off from studying. There are a lot of events going on at Christmas time and it’d be a shame to miss them (but still keep on top of your work).
Last of all, enjoy yourself. Don’t stress or overwork too much, your holidays exist for a reason. Happy holidays and stay safe!
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