I don’t know about you, but personally, as the end of this term was approaching, I was very much looking forward to going home: sleeping undisturbed, having my laundry done for me, soaking up some home comforts, and getting a break from the relentless to-do list of term. This bliss lasted all of about two days before the novelty wore off and I remembered why I was so keen to go off to uni in the first place; I am so accustomed to going about my day however I please, with nobody to answer to, and so being given any form of instruction from my parents feels like a personal attack. I can’t go anywhere without a police custody-style interrogation or leave my washing up without receiving a lecture, so within a matter of days, home became not quite the haven I had been looking forward to.

“It is imperative to keep your mind and body busy”

Moreover, there is only so much time you can spend in bed, procrastinating revision by scrolling Instagram reels or catching up on the show you were too busy to watch in term, before the exciting prospect of having nowhere to be is replaced by boredom and a crushing sense of being unproductive. I know that after a few hours spent lying in bed I feel the very opposite of re-energised and awake.

Maintaining this lifestyle sees the days go by very slowly, and as each one does, you end up questioning what you have actually achieved – and the answer is always a resounding nothing. Keeping this up will ensure that the start of term is a real shock to the system, as routine and deadlines are thrust back upon you and you can no longer embrace nocturnal living or watch Instagram reels all day. For this very reason, I think it is imperative to keep your mind and body busy in the little time we have left, while also retaining a balance that will allow you to recover and rest before the whirlwind of term starts up again.

“Take the time to do all that boring life admin that you’ve been putting off since being buried in the depths of term”

Once you’ve compensated for the sleep debt, it really isn’t worth lying in until the early hours of the afternoon, so I urge you to set an alarm and get up and get yourself ready – you’ll feel way more ready to take on the day this way. Personally, I find that if I get up and make my bed, I don’t end up creeping back in throughout the day – which is always the start to a session of doomscrolling and unnecessary napping. On a similar theme, keeping your room tidy does wonders for your headspace so, I beg of you, do not let a floordrobe develop (something I myself am very guilty of).

For your own good, I would also recommend you take the time to do all that boring life admin that you’ve been putting off since being buried in the depths of term. Whether that be replying to a million emails, applying for internships, or organising all your notes, sorting this now will put you in good stead to go back.

I’m willing to bet you let a number of your old hobbies fizzle out when you first moved away to uni, too, so why not pick them back up now? Get back into the crocheting, running, writing, painting, horse riding or guitar playing as a well-deserved break and who knows, you may even enjoy it so much that you join a new society upon your return back to Cambridge!

“Treat these final few weeks as a catch-up on sleep, study and time with loved ones”

Your friends from home, likely neglected by you during termtime, are surely keen to hear all about your tales from term – now’s your chance to make up for the lost time with a much-needed chitchat. Reconnecting with these friends is a really great way to escape your college bubble and reminisce about times gone by.

And, as much as I hate to bring this up, we also cannot forget about the exams looming over us. I don’t recommend letting yourself stress or burning yourself out studying over break, but at the same time, Future You will be grateful for all the hours you put in now.

I think the most important thing to do with the rest of this time is to find balance. It’s so easy to slip into bad habits so I encourage you to treat these final few weeks as a catch-up on sleep, study and time with loved ones – rest assured: the break will fly by and we’ll be back in no time. You don’t want to be regretting how you spent your time off.