It’s easy to get carried away with festivities over the Christmas holidays, but with a little organisation and focus, you’ll be able to celebrate whilst also utilising the time for much needed revision!
Here in the UK, most independent schools and universities allow students 3-4 weeks of uninterrupted holiday over the Christmas period. This is much needed respite for many who have worked hard since the beginning of the academic year in September and a much needed break from the monotony of classes, coursework and exams.
However, for those students who will be sitting mock exams in the new year, the Christmas holidays are an excellent opportunity to prepare and revise the topics they have struggled with in the first term. So how to balance your studies with the holiday season? Here at UK Study Centre, we shall share some of our top tips!
Get ahead of the busy Christmas week by planning your time and where/when you will fit in some studying. Create a holiday calendar and make sure to set aside some time each day to revise, read and make notes on all the topics that need to be covered for upcoming mock exams. Don’t leave your studying to the last minute once you’re full of Christmas turkey and chocolate! Be organised and diligent this holiday season. But of course, leave Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Years Day for fun and festivities.
It’s important not to overcommit yourself during the holiday season. Enjoy some parties and socialising but don’t get carried away! Excessive partying can lead to exhaustion and low energy levels, so be sure to remain sensible and know when it’s time to leave. You want to be bright and alert when revising to ensure all the information sinks in.
Ensure you allow time to get outside and enjoy some fresh air with family and friends. If you can, why not go for a long family walk on Boxing Day — a typical tradition here in the UK for British families. Or perhaps you live near an ice rink or ski slopes? Go and enjoy wintery activities which will give you energy and focus when hitting the books!
It’s easy to be distracted by the endless amounts of photos, videos and messages you receive via social media during the Christmas period. Be strict with yourself and set aside just 15-30mins a day to enjoy connecting with family and friends online. Equally, avoid copious amounts of gaming on your computer or games console — time can fly when distracted by such devices, leaving you very little time to study!
Over the Christmas period, most people have extra family and friends visiting or staying with them for the celebrations. Why not ask your family to get involved with your revision by creating quizzes and flash cards to help you learn. Everyone was young once and will always understand the need to revise, utilise the extra people around and ask for help.
The festive season can be overwhelming but it’s important to find some quiet time in among all the fun and busyness. Take yourself away from the action into a quiet space for reflection and reading. Perhaps you need to cover several chapters of your book from school, or you need to revise a science topic that you didn’t quite understand the first time around — peace and quiet is vital when needing to focus and learn. Find a space in your home where you can do just that!
Overall, the Christmas holidays are for celebration but they can also be utilised for revision, academic reading and even additional tutoring where required. Over the years, UK Study Centre has helped hundreds of students over the festive season to focus on their studies and realise their academic potential in the new year. Whether you need help with upcoming GCSE mock exams, a topic you’ve struggled with at university or perhaps improving your language skills, we can help! Get in touch today to discuss further with one of our friendly education consultants here.
