Student Weekly Tips: Making the most of your Easter break, how to prepare and turn off!
The Easter break is a useful time to get started on revision ahead of the exam period, but it is also really important to use this time to relax and recharge after a stressful and demanding second semester!
How to relax after a tough few weeks of second semester
“After a stressful few weeks of Uni I like to take 1 or 2 days of rest, where I have nothing planned. However, after that time of doing nothing, I enjoy planning things that I usually don’t get around to. That could include going for a walk in a new area, going on a day trip, for example to Liverpool or simply meeting up with friends. Having something planned makes me feel productive even if the things I do are relaxing and fun.” — Isabella, Material Science & Engineering
“I view the second semester as much more intense, and it goes by much quicker. Especially if you’ve just finished a few assignments or coursework, it can get stressful quite easily. My top tip to relax after this time is to actually relax. It is very easy to fall into a productivity trap and try to find ways to relax somehow productively. It is important to reconnect with your hobbies and to do the things you enjoy doing. For me, I do a lot of reading for my coursework and am going to reconnect with reading leisurely.” — Salma, Politics and International Relations
“For me, taking a few days rest is vitally important at Easter Break, even if I know I have plenty of work and assignments on the horizon, I make sure that I take the time to relax. Without allowing yourself to take some space away from university life you’ll be at risk of burning yourself out before exam season. I love just spending time with my family, making plans with old school friends and catching up on books and video games I’ve neglected during my studies!” — Luke, Politics, Philosophy & Economics
“Whatever and wherever you are up to in your studies after the first few weeks of semester two, it can be really helpful to give yourself a few days of break at least. This will give you a chance to reset and let your mind process everything that you have done. Rest is often more productive than you may realise and gives you the opportunity to book some fun activities in that you may not have been able to do with a busy study schedule. I always find if I am eager to write or read something still, it means I will still be eager to pick up my work again. If I am feeling unhappy about my progress, it gives me time to step away and gain some perspective regardless. Any ideas that come to me when I am resting, I can write down and leave until I return to studying.” — Rachel, Fashion Management and Marketing
Preparing for exams and deadlines during Easter
“When I have work that I need to complete over the holidays, I find it helpful to plan out how I am going to spend my time. This means I can give myself enough time to get all of my work finished but also makes sure I set aside time to relax and do other things. I start by writing a to-do list of everything I need to get done over the holidays and then allocate these tasks to different days throughout the break. I also find it useful to spend some of my time off making a revision plan for when the exam period begins so I am ready to go as soon as term-time restarts.” — Lily, History
“Many of us have deadlines or exams right after Easter, and so it can be easy to worry about them over the break. What works well for me is to have a plan to revise and work on the assignments I have coming up. This way I can trust that I have enough time to not rush and to allow space to enjoy my break. I’ll work backwards from the deadline and block out Saturdays for my peace of mind, and give myself plenty of time to work on things with an estimated amount of time for how long I expect each task to take.” — Salma, Politics and International Relations
“I am admittedly terrible at making study schedules and planning my time precisely, but what I will always do is write out a general to-do list based around upcoming deadlines and of course, exams. What I really recommend doing is going back over content you were taught at the beginning of the semester as this is likely to have left your head somewhat by Easter and ensure there are no large gaps in your knowledge. Take the time to catch up on any work you might have missed and then start revising your modules topic by topic.” — Luke, Politics, Philosophy & Economics
“When I had exams for my undergraduate studies, I did not like the revision schedules as I thought it was too restrictive. However, looking back, having some kind of plan would have been helpful if I had given myself permission to change my focus if I wanted to on that day. It would have also been helpful to schedule in a maximum of 4–5 hours study each weekday. The key is to plan for manageable chunks of time suitable to you personally. Even if that means starting out with one focused hour a day. It will get you into the habit to build up self-discipline as well as planning in any rest or fun activities in between.” — Rachel, Fashion Management and Marketing
Avoiding a burnout during the break
“Whilst it is important to be productive and get started on revision and assignments over the holidays, it is not healthy to work 24/7 during the break and not give yourself any time to relax. The holidays are a time to relax and recharge so you go into the exam period in the best frame of mind; you don’t want to be burned out before exams have even started! It’s important to spend some time away doing things that you find enjoyable and relaxing, and often this helps you be more productive when you go back to your work.” — Lily, History
“Don’t try to do everything you can all the time, give yourself a chance to breathe, and have an adequate amount of rest.” — Salma, Politics and International Relations
“Taking time to relax and switch off is the most important thing. I’d recommend having a cut off time at which you stop doing work for the day, for me it’s 7pm. This helps me get rid of that nagging guilty feeling when I’m taking time for myself and not being ‘productive’. Also make sure you allocate enough time for your studies. In the past I have underestimated the length of tasks which led me to become disheartened when they took longer than expected. Don’t be afraid to take your time and not time pressure yourself.” — Luke, Politics, Philosophy & Economics
“I like to notice my ‘internal barometer’. This means I take regular preventative breaks in between study, screen use and other repetitive activities. As soon as I notice any frustration or worry as well as body aches and pains and tiredness, I also stop and take a break. Getting at least 7.5–8 hours plus of sleep a night really does help too.” — Rachel, Fashion Management and Marketing
Keeping track of your work and revisions
“You can make weekly goals to help keep track of your progress, and adapt to any new changes or move things around when need be.” — Salma, Politics and international Relations
“Keeping a simple to-do list which I can tick off as I go with some arbitrary deadlines set for myself is enough to keep track of what’s needed. I always allow space for additional tasks which may come up during this time as well.” — Luke, Politics, Philosophy & Economics
“To help me stick to my revision plan, I’ve made an Excel sheet with all the topics I want to go over and I’ll colour the cell green when I’ve done it. I’ve always found it helpful having a visual representation of what I’ve already done, in the past that’s been by using a wall planner and crossing off with a highlighter pen.” — Fatima, Materials
That was this week’s weekly tips by the Library Student Team. We hope you find them helpful!
