Congratulations, we finally made it to the end of the term! Massive well done to all of us for managing through the workload for the Autumn Term. Now, we all deserve to take a break and to have a KitKat. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In today’s blog, I’ll share with you, some of my top tips to relax, have fun, stay safe and to stay proactive & productive for this Christmas in Reading, and what you can do to make the most out of this Christmas break.

Firstly, make sure you make time to to relax and enjoy yourself during the Christmas period. Do make sure to have a break from studying and do something fun related to Christmas for example, a Christmas quiz or some games. Relax and have fun so that you feel reenergized again, ready for the next term.

Secondly, due to the current coronavirus pandemic, you may not be able to travel back home this Christmas but do be sure to have multiple catch up time with your friends and family through online video call. This is a really warming scene to do so make sure you do lots of calling this Christmas J

Thirdly, stay safe and be proactive with safety measures e.g., wearing face masks and maintain 2m social distancing if you are going out or planning to visit places in Reading this Christmas. Do this to not only just protect yourself but others as well following all the safety measures outlined by the UK Government.

Perhaps, one of the most important tips is that this Christmas Break is an amazing opportunity to dedicate some of your time for studying. You can use this break to catch up on lectures, working on assignments (due in January 2021 of course), reading from the reading list and more.

Now is the time to consolidate all the content that you’ve learnt during the first term and make sure that you understood what you’ve been taught and be ready for the new content in the Spring Term. This way, you will have a really productive Christmas Break alongside the fun and relaxing time that is Christmas.

Finally, plan ahead. Start thinking about what you could do during this Christmas holiday and beyond into the New Year. Consider spending some quality time in designing and setting up a new study timetable for the New Year 2021 or allocate some time to looking at what really interests you and grabs your attention in the degree that you are doing? Could you possible do further reading on the topic that you are interested in your degree?

For 2021, why not spend some time now and apply for a part-time job? If you are thinking about getting some work experience in, why not look for an opportunity for a summer placement or a placement year between your 2^nd and 3^rd year of your undergraduate programme?

Thank you all for reading! I hope this blog has inspired and motivated you to plan for a more productive, fun Christmas in Reading this year.

Written by Pok Lim Lai – one of your Student Voice Ambassadors