We asked what you think about semester one exams moving to after Christmas

The idea’s gone down like a tonne of bricks


We took to the JHB and surrounding areas to get your opinions on the proposed reforms.

From shoppers at the on-campus fruit market, to those on smoke breaks, and even staff at the SU bar, we found that people were overall not really feeling the whole ‘revising over Christmas vibe.’

Karyls, Business Management, second year

After our modules have finished, it’ll be shit revising over Christmas as everyone is boozing.

Friend Jessica mentioned that she thought it was far better for her, as she will have longer to revise.

Clarissa, Psychology, first year

We should be free to relax, and I would much prefer to sit exams before Christmas. No-one would bother revising over Christmas anyway. Everyone’s performance would be much lower.

Andrew, City and Regional Planning, first year

First years need to relax over Christmas after being thrown in at the deep end. As LGBT officer, I feel it would be detrimental to student welfare. It is a terrible idea, and learning should be consolidated before Christmas with exams.

Disclaimer: This is Andrew’s personal opinion, which is not representative of the whole LGBT society at Brookes.

Nick, Maths, third year

Christmas tends to give all us all that warm, fuzzy feeling inside too Nick

Moving the exams wouldn’t bother me, as I’d have longer to revise. It wouldn’t affect time with my family. I can still have Christmas, crack on earning money beforehand, and dedicate January to hard revision.

Megan, Media Communications and Culture, first year and Anna, Biology, second year

Megan: Shorter holidays wouldn’t be beneficial to us, and students from other countries would be negatively affected. Christmas is family time, and I need to spend my time working, to earn money for when we come back.

Anna: Exams come up quickly before Christmas, and there is little study time to be honest. This said though, holiday is way more important.

Ed, History, first year

Are you ok?

Hungover Christmas holidays are bad enough, visiting family and what not, without the added pressure of post-Christmas exams. It’s just that the effort of revising whilst battling the January-blues doesn’t sound that appealing.

Tariq, Biomedical Science, second year

It’s a much better idea. It would make studying smoother for students. I don’t finish until week 11 anyway, so it would give me far more time. I’d be better prepared.

Third years Mark, Media Technology and Will, Sound Technology

Mark: Indifferent. I don’t have exams so makes no difference to me.

Will: Anti-that. Bad. There would be more time to revise I suppose but it’s still shit.

Fresher Molly, Biology

A girl who knows what she wants

Mixed opinions. I don’t want to revise over Christmas as I’ll be preoccupied with getting smashed in Kingston. Sorry Chemistry of Cells, you can wait.

Third years Cassandra, Law and Juni, Law

WE WERE ON A BREAK

Cassandra: People would do worse in exams, and it’s also bad because revising takes away from the break. Think of the international students too, who have to pay loads of money to travel so far home to just revise, for a shorter amount of time.

Juni: Holidays could be shorter in all honesty, but revising over Christmas would be awful.

Doug, Maths, third year

Shit idea, I want a break at Christmas. I wouldn’t be opposed to a shorter holiday though.

Alex, Hospitality, first year

Not even proposed shorter holidays could fault this lad’s cheeky smile

It would be bad, because we need a long break to cool down. The heat of the kitchen really gets to me you know. Having the exams after Christmas is just unthoughtful, and I feel Brookes should have consulted the student reps and asked for public opinion beforehand. However, I’m okay, because the only revision I’ll be doing is cooking Christmas dinner for the whole family.