December 16, 2016, by Janice

How I Spent My Christmas Holiday in University

I remember bidding my hallmates goodbye as they returned home for the Christmas holidays. But, staying back in uni over the Christmas holidays doesn’t have to be a gloomy experience. Here are a few activities that kept me busy during my first Christmas holiday away from home:

1. I attended a Christmas party

Who says you have to go home in order to have a Christmas feast? I remember being in my first year with nowhere to go on Christmas Day. But then, I received an invitation to the Broadgate Park Christmas Party (I was living in catered halls at the time and found the invitation slipped under my door). There, I met international students who were in the same boat as I was — we were all spending Christmas in uni. I ended up eating excessive amounts of food and meeting new friends – I even painted my own Christmas mug there!

2. I visited Christmas Markets

Having never previously visited a Christmas market in the UK, I was curious to find out what a Christmas market really was like. Besides visiting the Nottingham Christmas Market, I also ventured to the Lincoln and Birmingham Christmas Markets— two of the biggest Christmas markets outside of London. And boy did I have some memorable experiences. For starters, my train to Lincoln was so packed that my friends and I ended up sitting on the floor next to the toilet. Besides that, the Christmas markets were as magical as I had imagined: bright lights, great food, loud carols and big crowds.

3. I learned new Christmas traditions

I remember playing secret santa with my hallmates, to buying my first Christmas sweater and chocolate advent calendar. These practices were particularly foreign to me, but have now become Christmas traditions that I can’t go a Christmas without.

4. I had the library all to myself

With exams and deadlines looming over the horizon, the Christmas holiday is not all fun and games. With the library being virtually empty during the Christmas holidays, I took advantage of this time to catch up on my coursework research. Imagine having a library book all to yourself without someone requesting for your book — that, my friends, is true bliss. The silent atmosphere + the library of books available (apart from those borrowed before the end of term) makes for great productive learning.

 

To those students staying back in uni over the Christmas holidays, remember you are not alone and it is up to you to make your Christmas holiday as special as you wish it to be!

 

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