We are finally in our last run towards the end of University for the 2017/18 academic year. The end of our Easter breaks brings us back to three more teaching weeks before we enter the dreaded exam period. This particular part of the year is where I think being home sick hits me the worst. Having been home for three weeks and then coming back to a stressful part of the University experience, really draws out the pining to be back at home. Unlike during Christmas break where you’re coming back to a brand-new semester where deadlines aren’t ready to hit you in the face straight away – thus it’s not as intimidating and pressuring. However, I have taken the time to think of some advice for students who feel similar to me during this section of semester and hopefully I can conclude that it isn’t as bad as I’ve just made it sound!

1. This is actually the smallest period of time you will spend at University during the academic year depending on how many exams you have and when. For example, I have three teaching weeks left and then a following two weeks until my exam. So, in just over a month I will be stress-free. Thus, you just have to remind yourself it’s not going to prevail forever, though I know it may feel never-ending amidst the revision note mountains and 60 empty coffee cups.

2. Everybody else is in the exact some boat as you. Does returning to University with a thousand deadlines and exams on the horizon sound familiar to anyone? Yes! All your housemates, course mates and friends from your University and others are going through the exact same stresses as you. Feeling less alone during this period does make it easier, you have people to talk to, moan to and productively set up revision dens with. Albeit, most revision dens end up with arguing over who is making the next round of caffeine and whether or not you should exchange that for VK’s and a cheeky night out.

3. Summer is just around the corner! If nothing else can get you through the assessments than the promise of the taste of cider in a beer garden under the sun, then I don’t know what will. I mean, we do live in Cardiff, so I can’t promise you that the sun is just around the corner but hopefully things will look up soon. Revision in the sun is always better.

4. Remind yourself why you are doing this. University is such a life-changing experience that we all made the decision to venture into. It would have been naïve and foolish to believe we never would be stressed or home sick throughout our undergraduate lives, so it’s time to suck it up and owe it to our equally stressed 17/18 years old selves who worked hard to get here!

5. Being home sick is so normal and everyone else around you will understand that. It’s a natural side effect of moving away from home and coming to University. Just remember there are phone calls, video chats, trains, planes and cars! We live in the best era for moving away from home and being home sick. So, if revision is getting too much, pick up your phone and face time your pets, as we all know that is who you’re really missing.

In the end, we will see the other-side of this exam period. It’s just reading advice like the above and then getting straight into it. It’ll go quicker than you think and that I can 100% promise you. So, good luck to everyone taking exams – whether that be in University, 6th form, college or GCSE’s. I’ll see in 5 weeks with a cider in my hand, in a beer garden, looking a lot less stressed than I do now! Good luck and see you on the other-side. 😊

We are finally in our last run towards the end of University for the 2017/18 academic year. The end of our Easter breaks brings us back to three more teaching weeks before we enter the dreaded exam period. This particular part of the year is where I think being home sick hits me the worst. Having been home for three weeks and then coming back to a stressful part of the University experience, really draws out the pining to be back at home. Unlike during Christmas break where you’re coming back to a brand-new semester where deadlines aren’t ready to hit you in the face straight away – thus it’s not as intimidating and pressuring. However, I have taken the time to think of some advice for students who feel similar to me during this section of semester and hopefully I can conclude that it isn’t as bad as I’ve just made it sound!

1. This is actually the smallest period of time you will spend at University during the academic year depending on how many exams you have and when. For example, I have three teaching weeks left and then a following two weeks until my exam. So, in just over a month I will be stress-free. Thus, you just have to remind yourself it’s not going to prevail forever, though I know it may feel never-ending amidst the revision note mountains and 60 empty coffee cups.

2. Everybody else is in the exact some boat as you. Does returning to University with a thousand deadlines and exams on the horizon sound familiar to anyone? Yes! All your housemates, course mates and friends from your University and others are going through the exact same stresses as you. Feeling less alone during this period does make it easier, you have people to talk to, moan to and productively set up revision dens with. Albeit, most revision dens end up with arguing over who is making the next round of caffeine and whether or not you should exchange that for VK’s and a cheeky night out.

3. Summer is just around the corner! If nothing else can get you through the assessments than the promise of the taste of cider in a beer garden under the sun, then I don’t know what will. I mean, we do live in Cardiff, so I can’t promise you that the sun is just around the corner but hopefully things will look up soon. Revision in the sun is always better.

4. Remind yourself why you are doing this. University is such a life-changing experience that we all made the decision to venture into. It would have been naïve and foolish to believe we never would be stressed or home sick throughout our undergraduate lives, so it’s time to suck it up and owe it to our equally stressed 17/18 years old selves who worked hard to get here!

5. Being home sick is so normal and everyone else around you will understand that. It’s a natural side effect of moving away from home and coming to University. Just remember there are phone calls, video chats, trains, planes and cars! We live in the best era for moving away from home and being home sick. So, if revision is getting too much, pick up your phone and face time your pets, as we all know that is who you’re really missing.

In the end, we will see the other-side of this exam period. It’s just reading advice like the above and then getting straight into it. It’ll go quicker than you think and that I can 100% promise you. So, good luck to everyone taking exams – whether that be in University, 6th form, college or GCSE’s. I’ll see in 5 weeks with a cider in my hand, in a beer garden, looking a lot less stressed than I do now! Good luck and see you on the other-side. 😊