Half term is a time of mixed emotions for many students. On the one hand, it’s a break from the hectic school routine, and on the other hand, it feels like there’s so much left to do.
It’s that time of the year again. That magical week where you’re given a break from school, exams are far enough away to stop your palms getting sweaty at night, and all you have to do is read Jane Eyre or play Fallout 4 for hours on end. The lead up feels like it goes by in seconds, with shops already putting out Halloween themed goods and the wind getting just a bit colder. Your friends are already talking about their half-term plans.
If you’re looking for inspiration, here are some life-saving tips to have a successful half-term.
Take care of yourself
Whether it’s spending the day at your local spa or doing absolutely nothing all day, make sure you take time out to re-charge your batteries. Not only will this help you feel energised and give you the strength to tackle those big assignments, but it can also help you to feel fitter than ever.
Now’s not the time to abandon your wellbeing – make sure you look after yourself physically and mentally. Try meditation or yoga if you feel stressed, eat healthily, and don’t forget to drink plenty of water!
Plan ahead
This is probably one of your most essential tasks. Make a list (or several) of everything you want to do during half/full-term and try to stick to it as much as possible. Of course, you’ll have those days where your best-laid plans go to pot but staying organised is half the battle.
Since you may find it challenging to organise group activities or do something as a family, why not try making a bucket list of things to do as an individual? Not only will this help you stay accountable and ensure that your week is jam-packed with fun, but it’ll also help you feel like you’re making the most of your time off.
You can even make a list of things to do with your friends/family and split them up between everyone so that there’ll be no arguments and everyone gets to choose something they love. This is perfect if you’ve got siblings or cousins who are also off school.
Make sure it’s achievable
If your week feels like it’s packed full of activities, there’s no way you’re going to feel overwhelmed and give up on half-term altogether.
If you’ve already got so much on your plate, try not to take on more unless it’s absolutely necessary. As tempting as it may sound, cancel that gym session and don’t over-commit yourself when someone asks you out. You’ll thank yourself for this in the future and won’t feel like you’re drowning in an ocean of commitments that you can’t escape from.
Don’t rush everything
You’ve got a week off. There’s no need to cram all your activities into the first four days and wake yourself up at 6 am for a morning workout. Instead, make sure you pace yourself so nothing feels too hectic or tiring. Of course, you’ll have some days where you just want to stay in your PJs all day, so no one’s going to judge if that’s what you need.
Don’t get too stressed
If all else fails, try distracting yourself by watching a few films or reading a book. And when you feel like you need to study, you’ve got time to do it. However, you’ve probably noticed that so far this week, you haven’t had much of an urge to crack on with your school reading…
I know that half-term is meant to be a break from schoolwork, but if you’re going to stress yourself out, you might as well do it feeling like an alive human being.
If there are things that you’ve put off because they take too long or don’t fit into your schedule, now’s the time to do them. It’s also a good idea to try and finish any reading that needs to be for school before the week’s up, so you don’t have to worry about it once term starts again.
Remember it’s only one week
If your plans aren’t going well or you’ve had a bit of a bad day, don’t worry about it too much. You haven’t wasted half-term, and despite feeling like you have, you’ll get back to school with a fresh new perspective on everything.
Conclusion
It’s always essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance, but it can be even more crucial during exam time. The key is to have realistic expectations of what you can achieve in the study period and not working yourself up about things that may or may not happen. Consider your own well-being by giving yourself adequate rest and taking care of any other commitments outside schoolwork before diving into revision mode.
What do you usually do during half-term?
Let us know!