The ‘do’s and ‘don’t’s of spending your birthday in Lancaster during exam season

Happy birthday, summer babies! For the rest of your life, these (hopefully) hotter months will be a blessing for any celebrations.

However, you’re currently still burdened by the September-August education calendar which means only one thing: it’s exam season.

Trust me, there’s absolutely nothing worse than having a birthday during revision periods. Personally, 2020 was the last time I didn’t do revision on my birthday, and that’s a grudge I’ll never stop holding as long as I live.

However, your birth-date doesn’t mean that you can’t still squeeze some enjoyment out of your day while you’re in Lancs! Remember: big fun and big memories doesn’t mean you have to take a big chunk out of revision time! So, here are five ideas for how to (and how not to) celebrate your birthday during exam season.

DO: Take a revision break!

If you spend your entire birthday revising, some very not-proven-totally-made-up psychological studies show that you’ll end up begrudging the revision you did and it probably won’t be worth the time you spent working. All of this to say: take some revision breaks on your big day!

Maybe treat yourself to a coffee at Cafe Dolce in town, or even go and grab an ice cream from Coastal if you’re doing a big campus lock-in. Same goes for if you have an exam on your birthday. Once it’s over, TREAT YOURSELF! You deserve it.

DO NOT: Stay up all night making a racket in the flat

This is a warning from us on behalf of all flatmates and porters. Especially if it’s a big birthday (we’re looking at you third-years turning 21), we understand wanting to stay up late to optimise your celebration time. Maybe you want to see the clock turn midnight to ring in your personal new year, but please be considerate!

Keep the volume down if you’re in communal areas near bedrooms, or even consider heading out of the flat. Do you really need us to remind you that Sugar is still open this term? 

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DO: Invite your friends out for a few hours!

Who says you have to suffer alone? We’re all in the same reivison-sized boat that seems like it’s just about to capsize, so reach out to some of your friends to spend a few hours with you! A midday meal out for a few hours could be a great break for everyone. Especially with all the delicious restaurants right on our doorstep, it seems like a great excuse for a catch-up… and to not have to do the dishes!

If a huge amount of revision is really that necessary on your birthday, why not set up a study session with some friends or coursemates? Not only do you not have to spend your day alone, you get to look like an academic weapon while learning with your pals. It’s a win-win for everyone.

DO NOT: Get annoyed at people who would rather prioritise their revision

Listen here, birthday divas. Remember, it’s YOUR birthday, not a national holiday. Obviously, exams are a huge deal at uni, and lots of your friends with exams right around the corner may want to spend the day putting in a revision shift.

This doesn’t mean that they don’t love you, this just means that they need those hours to give a big boost to their future. Accept their lock-in, send your best wishes, and move on. No one wants a… birthdayzilla?

DO: Make a big deal out of your birthday at the end of term

Who says your birthday just has to be confined to the one day? Why not use the end of exams as an excuse to have a whopper of a celebration? If your friendship group contains multiple exam babies, why not organise a big get together once everyone’s assessment periods are over? Hey, those campus BBQs are looking very lonely at the minute…

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