University holidays

Christmas is a time to get together with your family and friends, relax and socialise. After working hard at uni it's easy to forget about work and get carried away with all the festivities, but try not to fall into the trap of partying too hard. As many assignments and exams fall after the Christmas period it's also a good time to get your head down and study.

"Christmas was always my favourite time of year and in my first year I thought that it would be OK to worry about my work after the holidays. Big mistake," says Sarah Goodings, a third year student at Brighton University. "After travelling back to Brighton I realised that I only had two weeks to write two assignments and revise for an exam. I just about passed but the marks weren't great."

With the general frivolities of the season staying motivated can be an issue. Setting aside manageable pockets of time to study and allowing yourself a treat at the end can help keep the momentum going. Start by trying to do a small amount of work as soon as you get home. Also, leaving your books and notes out where you can see them will remind you of what needs to be done. 

Tiredness can also affect your concentration, so try and alternate big nights out with the occasional early night. Your brain - and liver - will thank you for it.

Christmas at work

There are many people, such as farmers, medical staff and those who work in the hospitality industry, who don't have the option to take time off over Christmas and New Year. Not every workplace can just shut down because their staff want to go home and eat mince pies.

"In some cases you do just have to work over Christmas," says Paul Sellers, a working time policy advisor for the Trades Union Congress (TUC). "It's important to remember this when you're talking on a working role. You need to think about it in advance."

Yazmin Hales, who works part-time as a waitress, hadn't considered working over Christmas. "Our company is open for the whole of Christmas, so working over the holidays is just something that was expected of me," she says. "Obviously I'd prefer to have Christmas Day off, but it's really not all bad. I also get double pay, which is a massive bonus. I worked last Christmas and just used my other days off to celebrate instead."

Finding the balance

So you've got an assignment to do or a shift to cover, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on all the fun. It's still important to join in with the season's shenanigans - it's a question of finding a balance.

Sarah recommends working out which days of the holiday can be sacrificed and to sort out a work plan accordingly. Remember, many of your friends will be in the same position as you, so arrange a festive revision session and

give yourself an incentive of, for example, a mini-Christmas dinner or some mulled wine once you've finished.

"The more you get done, the more motivated you will feel," says Sarah. "I'm always surprised to find you still have plenty of time to do what you want."

If you have to go to work over the holiday Paul has this advice: "Working over Christmas can be hard for families, but you could, perhaps, move the celebration to a different day," he says. "And try looking for volunteers before the rota is drawn up. Some people are willing to work on Christmas Day, so see if there is anyone willing to sacrifice theirs so that you can be at home."

It's not all bad

While there are some people who'd prefer to be sitting in front of the TV tucking into their fourth mince pie there are others who actually enjoy working on Christmas Day. It's common to receive double time and generally everyone's in a good mood, so working could actually be fun.

When it comes to assignments, making a start at the beginning of the holiday takes the pressure away from last-minute panic, giving you plenty of opportunities to have fun.

Updated: 13/04/2010