Spring break is almost here and we’re halfway through teaching for this semester (yay!). Spring holidays are quite different because unlike the winter/Christmas holidays, not all the learning is done and exams are looming but not just here yet. It can be a bit confusing to know what to do and you may have some questions like, is it too early to revise? As a final year student, I’ve had quite a bit of experience navigating this period and these are my top tips for how to make the most of the spring holidays.
Catch up with lectures and notes
Second semester goes by really fast and it’s easy to fall behind on lectures, which is why the spring holidays is a perfect time to go over all those lectures you missed, and complete those notes you started in Ali G in week one. If unlike me, you’ve got a perfect attendance record and all your notes are complete and comprehensible, this is still a good time to re-read or go over to make sure you’ve got the content from the first half of the semester right.
Get on top of coursework and dissertations
For most degrees, dissertation hand in is in the weeks following Easter. As this contributes a significant amount to your degree, if you do only one thing during the holidays, it definitely should be your dissertation. Although some academics do not answer e-mails during the holidays, the spring break is the perfect time to put in as much work to completing your deadlines so you can get as much feedback as possible in the first week back. If you’re lucky enough to not have any disso woes, check in with other coursework deadlines and see if you can do as much as you can over the holidays so the rest of the semester is a bit more stress-free.
Fellow content creator Sophie has put together tips on writing essays from home, for those of us heading away from Manchester for the break.
Get in those Stellify hours
Looking beyond academics, spring break is the perfect time to further enhance your degree with the Stellify award. You’ve probably heard A LOT about Stellify but in case you need a reminder it’s an extracurricular award made up of Ethical Grand Challenges, leadership roles , and volunteering. The holidays is the perfect time to catch up and enjoy volunteering for example without the added academic pressure. Look out for opportunities on Volunteer Hub or follow @uomvolunteering for more updates.
Look ahead, if you have time
It’s been a long semester but ….there’s still six weeks of teaching left ! The spring break can be the perfect time to get a head-start on the rest of the semester’s content. You might already have some material online, but if not try looking at the notes, or maybe even the teaching plan and textbooks to get ahead with any reading. This way the new content won’t catch you totally unaware and revision for summer exams will be much easier.
Take a break
With all this in mind, it’s still important to remember, it’s spring break for a reason; take the break. Semester two can be stressful as you go straight into exams after finishing lectures. While I’ve detailed other seemingly ‘productive’ ways to spend the holidays, remember rest is just as productive. You can’t finish the rest of the semester AND go straight into exams if you’re burnt out. Rest, you deserve it.
If you’re staying in Manchester, and on the look out for day trips or outdoor spaces, check out Georgia’s new posts on outdoor spaces in Manchester and affordable day trips to help you make the most of your downtime.