As much as I love everything about uni life at UNSW, I am so ready for a break!
I think it’s safe to say we are all excited about the opportunity to relax, see friends, and get up to date with everything that’s going on. So with that in mind, here are my tips on how to make the most of the mid-semester break.
Plan your time wisely
You can get your assignments, sleep and partying done if you plan properly. At the start of the week, make a list of everything you aim to get done, and plan when you will do each thing.
This will allow you to visualise everything you have to do, so that you realise the amount of work there is in total. Crossing things off the list will also give you a sense of satisfaction.
Download all lectures off Echo 360 before it undergoes maintenance!
In the past, Echo360 has been down for maintenance during the break, so I would suggest you download everything you will need ASAP!
Once you are up to date with all your lectures, take the opportunity to make a fresh start.
Perhaps you can make a resolution to attend all your lectures for the rest of the semester? 🙂
Relax
Now is the time to do something indulgent and relaxing like reading a book, having a bubble bath or going for a coastal walk.
Taking time out to relax will allow you to calm any mid-term anxieties and refresh your energy levels so you can work hard for the last few weeks of uni. My favourite way to relax is to pamper myself with a facial, massage or getting my nails done!
Get into a proper sleep schedule
Busy uni schedules can cause people to either do a lot of falling asleep in the library, or to go broke from buying 6 coffees a day! This is not only bad for your body clock but it also affects your ability to stay on top of things.
The mid-semester break is the perfect opportunity to catch up on your sleep debt. Getting enough sleep is crucial when it comes to feeling strong enough to take on the rest of the academic year. Try and have some early nights and then start getting your body into a proper routine. Even though I am guilty of going on my phone before bed, turning your phone off an hour before you plan to go to sleep will make a massive difference to your sleep health.
You can also try setting an alarm for the same time each day and then leaving your phone across the other side of your bedroom. This will force you to get out of bed every morning when your alarm goes off.
Party, party, party!
This is literally the best time to go out and enjoy yourself without worrying about having class the next day.
Lots of societies hold social events during the mid-semester break but otherwise simply grab some friends for a few drinks and then go out to one of these nights out, or make it a bender and do all of them!
- Monday nights are great at Scubar with crab racing and cheap drinks
- Scary Canary often have their awesome Silent Discos on a Tuesday night
- Wednesday night brings you a free 90s themed party at Beach Road in Bondi
- My personal favourite club the Ivy has free entry on Thursdays with $5 drinks until 11pm!
- Pontoon Bar at Darling Harbour is always a great option on a Friday with free entry and again $5 drinks (score) !!!
Go shopping for some new clothes.
By this stage in the semester you will probably have rotated through all of your outfits way too many times!
Take this opportunity to splurge on some new clothes so you’ve got something different to wear for the rest of the year. There are some great sales on at the moment, with lots of new spring arrivals in store. Retail therapy really is a thing so shop till you drop, I dare you…
Tell yourself you’ll get nothing done, and everything else is a bonus
Strange idea, right? This will actually prepare your mindset to avoid that horrible feeling of disappointment and guilt. The reality is that lots of things are likely to come up during the break and your plans will change. I never get everything I wanted to do done on time because things often take a lot longer than anticipated, and people invite you to do things at the last minute. By setting lower expectations, you will feel good about yourself for what you did achieve, instead of feeling bad for enjoying your break. I like to set myself rewards for finishing off assignments and getting work done.
For example, I tell myself that once I get through a certain amount of study I will go out to a delicious lunch with a friend.
If all else fails, book a trip to Hawaii. You’ll thank me when you get there…
