It’s easy to cope with January deadlines at Christmas

The final few days of first term are finally upon us. Say hello to warm cosy nights by the fire, mum’s delicious Christmas dinner and twinkly lights everywhere you go. It’s bliss.

Except it’s not: you’ve got coursework and exams looming and no money to buy anyone presents. Christmas is not always that happy three weeks of merry catch-up with family and friends, but rather an isolated and depressing sentence with only the company of borrowed and vandalised library books – giving your room that unmistakable festive-scent cocktail of must and red bull with turkey and log fires.

Start working now

Don’t delay. I know it’s probably the least appealing idea at the moment, but if you don’t do anything until the holidays start, you could end up missing out on a lot of the festive fun. Your friends might be going out and rocking the Christmas Loop before dragging themselves off to their final lecture in the morning,with faces that scream hangovers and regret. Better instead for both liver, deadlines and wallet to remain erudite for one more week, before heading home.

Nail Secret Santa

You’ve got no time and you’ve got no money. Rather than trying to be thoughtful and splashing your non-existent cash on lavish gifts, smash a Secret Santa with family and friends. This stops you having to buy numerous gifts, often the product of a 2 hour dash around Camden market, convincing yourself that mum would really appreciate some gothic apparel and a multi-coloured bong.

Elfster is a great website to organise this, and you can even add things to your wish list to make it easier for people to know what to get you. Perfect.

Secret Santa with the flat

Fit in festivities now

Why not do all the Christmassy things while studying? London’s the most festive city in the country and there’s no reason why you can’t revise for that exam in your onesie, by the fire, next to the Christmas tree, eating a mince pie, wearing a Santa’s hat. Trying to watch films Love Actually whilst analysing soil findings or Cartesian vortexes might not be the best example of festive work though.

Avoid Facebook

You’re probably reading this after seeing it on Facebook, which is great, but you should probably endeavour to avoid social media. Don’t worry about missing your favourite Tab articles, you can go straight to our website.

Not only is Facebook a time waster, but you’ll also feel worse after seeing pictures and posts of your friends enjoying Christmas and doing nothing.  Don’t try and kid yourself that looking at pictures of Donald Trump’s wife will give you a deeper understanding of modern U.S politics – especially if you’re studying civil engineering.

Just pray that it doesn’t snow

Schedule

Set aside the days you plan to spend with family and friends and limit yourself to them.

Being at home might sound appealing at first: everyone next to the fire, inexplicably overjoyed at each other’s company in a light hearted, festive jumper clad stupor. The reality is that within the first few hours, you’ll be looking forward to going upstairs and watching Narcos to get away from the awkward atmosphere pervading the kitchen and which you’ve somehow managed to block out since September.

Have fun haha x

Last of all, try to enjoy it as much as you can. Even though studying sucks, at least you get to do it while at home. Take advantage of your mum, chances are she hasn’t seen you in a while and will be more than happy initially to bring you that cup of tea and digestive (or perhaps Lobster thermodore).

So before you whip out that box of kleenex and start feeling sorry for yourself, just take a deep breath and get on with it. Before you know it, those deadlines will have passed and you’ll be defecating on a gloomy January Oxford Circus before you know it.