With exam season a little more than a month away, and the Christmas break more than imminent, it’s difficult not to feel a little stressed at the prospect of trying to balance both revision and enjoying your (very) well deserved break.
We took to Campus to discover the best tips and advice for attaining that perfect balance over the Christmas holidays:
- Set aside an hour every morning – If you’re struggling to find time to revise in between festivities, setting aside an hour each morning to work means that the rest of the day is yours to enjoy.
- Work at your local library/ in a coffee shop – It can be difficult to concentrate at home, so head off to your local library or coffee shop for a bit of a peace and quiet away from all of the madness.
- Make a list of everything that you want to achieve – and stick to it. Make a note of what you want to achieve each day, and plan some rest days too. You’ll appreciate them more if you’ve achieved your goals – whilst avoiding that feeling of guilt that we all know too well.
- Prioritise and plan – Find out what will be happening when you’re at home; birthdays, family coming to visit, etc. and be realistic in what you can and cannot do. Fill in your diary for the whole holiday, so that you can work out what you can realistically achieve.
- Be organised beforehand – You’ll find sitting down and revising so much easier if your notes from Semester 1 have been either typed up in full, or are neatly organised in a folder.
- Decide on a reward system – Perhaps this sounds a little like something you would do with a pet, but rewarding yourself after completing an hours worth of study really does help to boost morale.
- Use your family to help you revise – Your housemates might be too busy to test you on your knowledge, but your family will more than likely be happy to help.
- Set up a study space – If you do decide that working from home suits you better than heading to the library, then make sure that you set up a space (preferably not in your bedroom) where you can concentrate. Make sure that your desk is organised and free from clutter, and perhaps even light a candle.
- Get together with friends to study – Although you’re more than likely to be studying at different universities, sometimes just being around others who are working can be enough motivation in itself.
- Finally – enjoy your Christmas and relax – Don’t forget that although there’s plenty of work to be done, the Christmas break is there to be enjoyed too. Ensuring that you’re well rested will benefit your ability to concentrate.
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