A third-year Exeter student’s guide to staying focused during deadline season

Happy December first! While we uni students are excited to go home, curl up on the sofa with a hot chocolate in hand, there’s always that grey cloud looming over us, reminding us of how little time we have before the January deadlines.

As a third-year student, I like to think I’m qualified to share some advice on not only surviving deadline season, but also thriving and still living your life to the fullest.

Organise your time

As uni students, we all know how busy life can get. It sometimes feels impossible to juggle all our different responsibilities: Work, essays, exams, socialising, and job hunting.

To tackle this, I urge you not to underestimate the power of organising your time – even if that just means writing a to-do list on your notes app. Having a visual list you can tick off is motivating and lets you celebrate small wins along the way.

It may feel like time is sparse, but I promise there’s enough if you plan. And hey, there’s always extensions if you need a little extra breathing room!

Know where you focus best

Knowing where you focus best is crucial to staying productive. Do you prefer noisier places with some background chatter (like the law library), or are you someone like me who prefers somewhere silent, where all you can hear is the slow instrumental of music through your headphones?

Do you prefer working with others, or alone? In the comfort of your bedroom, or in a cafe? Figuring out what works for you will make locking in a lot more bearable.

Spend time with loved ones

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Though it’s deadline season, don’t forget that it’s still the Christmas holidays – and you’re going home for a reason! Life can easily pass you by when you’re glued to a screen, desperately trying to finish your essay. So, be sure to look up and appreciate those around you.

Spending time with your loved ones, whether friends or family, and socialising can be the most refreshing and well-needed reward. Throughout my time at uni, I’ve found that I actually do better when I balance socialising with studying. Remember, grades aren’t the be-all end-all x

Get fresh air

It’s easy to underestimate the power, or necessity, of fresh air (I know I certainly have before). I promise you will feel a million times better after stepping outside away from your computer, taking some deep breaths, and observing the world around you.

I find that fresh air often clears up my foggy and stressed mind, allowing my best ideas to shine through.

Hydrate and rest

This goes along similar lines to the fresh air point: Remember to hydrate and rest. Of course, it’s important to lock in, but being home from uni is also a time to reset, prevent academic burnout, and enjoy your parents’ wonderfully comforting cooking.

Set realistic goals

The worst thing you can do is set unrealistic goals, which I must admit I do too much. Remember, you are only human, and all you can do is your best. Set goals you know you can achieve, and you will walk out of it feeling much more accomplished and proud, rather than worrying about what else you could’ve done.

Remove digital clutter

Ah, phone addictions – something we all have, whether we like to admit it or not. We live in a digital age and rely on our devices much more than we should. I know it’s easy to pass the time with some short-attention-span Instagram reels or TikTok’s, but in reality, it just makes you feel worse about the fact that you didn’t lock in.

Put your phone away (I promise, it’s not going anywhere), whether you shut it down or leave it in a different room. Even just set a half-hour timer and try this, and you might be surprised at how much more work you manage to get done.

Enjoy Christmas

Last, but definitely not least, enjoy the Christmas holidays! Christmas only comes around once a year, so soak in the festive lights, go ice skating, enjoy some hot drinks, and give presents to those who make your year special. I promise, those essays will get done.