Balance your studies and winter holidays: advice from a student

The holidays are upon us, but with January assessments just around the corner, it may feel like there’s not much to celebrate. Now in my final year at Leeds, I know this period can be anxiety-inducing, so here’s how to strike that tricky work-life balance as well as how to manage the stresses friends and family can bring during the festive season.

1. Remember it’s okay to take time off

Even if you aren’t celebrating, it’s called Winter ‘Break’ for a reason!

With classes finished for the semester, you might feel the urge to study all day, every day in preparation for assessments — but this cramming is not healthy. Even if you aren’t celebrating, it’s called Winter ‘Break’ for a reason! Ensure you have a rest, whatever that might look like.

This means prioritising your wellbeing over other responsibilities when needed. Spending time with family is a huge comfort, but sometimes you just want a quiet moment to yourself. Similarly, catching up with friends over a coffee rather than a big night out can be really recharging.

2. Make a realistic work schedule

Breaking up a big assignment into smaller, more manageable sections is half the battle.

Now onto the not so fun stuff — the work itself. This is the time to be realistic and prioritise what tasks you actually need to complete, rather than catching up on all the lectures you may or may not have missed. Go through the assessment instructions carefully so you can outline the topics that need focusing on and then plan backwards from the date they’re due, so you can set yourself personal deadlines to achieve specific goals. Breaking up a big assignment into smaller, more manageable sections is half the battle.

Once again, it’s important to take breaks, but make sure you use them effectively. Rather than doom-scrolling on TikTok for twenty minutes, take a walk around the house to stretch your legs or fix yourself a snack for an extra energy boost. And please, have some water — coffee is not hydrating!

3. Don’t compare yourself to your friends

Focus on how you’re spending your time, rather than how your friends are going to spend theirs.

Finally, while social media seemingly grants us insider access to other people’s lives — their amazing winter trips abroad and aesthetic study vlogs — remember that it doesn’t necessarily represent their real lives. Just because your life doesn’t look as glamorous or productive doesn’t mean that you aren’t also putting in the hard work and enjoying your time off. Everyone has different deadlines and quantities of work, as well as obligations outside of university, whether that be a job or supporting family through what can be a difficult period. Focus on how you’re spending your time, rather than how your friends are going to spend theirs.

Hopefully these tips have helped you feel a bit better about this festive season, but you may still feel there’s a lot you don’t know about assessments. For any questions about dates, revision, rules or what to do when something goes wrong, check out the Student Assessment Hub.