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“I’m a bit overwhelmed with what to do first after lockdown lifts this June. How do I make the most of my final term in Cambridge?”

Right now, in a haze of exams and revision, many of us are searching for ways to stay positive and motivated. Where better to look than the future? Very soon your work woes will be over and you can get out there and enjoy summertime in Cambridge. However, while sitting at your desk and daydreaming about the glorious few weeks at the end of term may offer a glimmer of hope and promise now, it also piles on the pressure for everything to be perfect later on. This is perhaps more true this year than ever before. For many people, this will be their first Easter term in Cambridge and it has a lot of expectations to live up to; for others, it is their final term here and it has millions of memories to match. To combat this, I’ve compiled a list of some ideas to help you navigate post-exam Cambridge.

Make a bucket list

The end of term is more than the stuff of daydreams and it will soon be upon us, so now might be a good time to start making some plans. Really have a think about what you would like to do to celebrate getting through this year. There are no rules about how you should spend these last few weeks, you can make them completely your own. It’s a wonderful opportunity to visit your favourite haunts in the city, which you might have been kept away from by a bitter cocktail of revision and government restrictions. Make sure that you don’t miss out on the places that you love, book that table, secure those tickets, set a date for that walk. If you have something that you want to do, then organise it and make it happen. I must confess that I have been compiling a mental bucket list of Cambridge activities ever since Easter term 2020 was derailed by the pandemic.

“You never know what you’ll discover just from walking around”

Explore!

Of course, you may not yet have had much chance to find the parts of the city that you love, so the end of term is a great time to get out there and find the places that you’ll come back to again and again throughout your degree. You could try getting lunch from all the different stalls in the market; spend an afternoon in all the parks and work out which one you like best; check out the pubs nearest your college and find that one that you’ll think of as yours.

Don’t be afraid to be a tourist

If you have no idea of what to do for these last few weeks then the most important thing is to leave your room and your desk behind and just get out there. You never know what you’ll discover just from walking around. Follow a path and see where it takes you. If you’re in need of inspiration, then why not take a look at a guidebook or a map? I think that sometimes, as students here, we can feel a bit embarrassed and reluctant to do the more cliché touristy stuff in Cambridge. Don’t let that stop you. If you want to go punting, watch the sunrise from Castle Mound, walk to Grantchester, or explore the botanical gardens, then do it! Considering Cambridge from the perspective of a tourist might even help you to discover new places and activities in the city which most appeal to you.

Rainy day? Why not check out one of Cambridge’s museums?

A lot of these activities are weather dependent, but the rain doesn’t need to stop your fun. A downpour could give you that extra push you need to get round to visiting all the Cambridge museums, although you definitely don’t need to wait for the bad weather to do this. The obvious choices, like The Fitzwilliam Museum and Kettle’s Yard are absolutely worth a trip, but why not investigate some of the city’s smaller museums as well? There’s bound to be one that sparks your interest. Personally, I would put a punt in for The Museum of Classical Archaeology in the Classics Faculty.

Make your own fun with friends

One of the best ways to make the most of Cambridge in Easter term is to spend time with your friends. In a lot of ways, the outing you’re on doesn’t matter, the people you’re with are what makes it fun and special. You finally have the chance to catch up properly, to go for a meal, to reminisce and to make new memories at the same time. The fact that there’s no May Week this year doesn’t mean that you can’t get dressed up and have a little party. Why not get creative and have your own mini May week celebration?

Don’t worry about doing everything

There are so many possibilities for the end of this term and you might not get round to all of them. That’s ok, Cambridge isn’t going anywhere, even if you’re leaving this year. If you feel that you’re celebrating and having fun, then you’re making the most of the end of this term and this year. There is something for everyone and you can create the Easter term that you want — once you’ve worked out what that is! What’s on your Cambridge bucket list?