Do They Know It's Christmas? – Tips For (Relatively) Stress-Free Holidays as a Postgrad

Can you guess how many results appear if you type 'Santa Claus' into our course search? Absoloutely none.

What deep significance should we attach to this lack of festive spirit within the top secret FindAMasters algorithms? Could it be that our database includes too many Physics and Geography programmes to entertain the possibility of a man in a bright red snow suit bringing gifts to 2.2 billion children in one night? Could it simply be that a postgraduate course directory isn't a very good place to do your Christmas shopping? Incidentally, there are also no results for Stilton or Mulled Wine. But we do currently have one for Reindeer – an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation, which seem appropriate enough.

There are even a couple of results if you simply type in 'Santa' on its own. One of which is about Sustainable Transportation, which might actually make sense depending on the fuel used by Father Christmas' sleigh.

The thing is, though, the holiday season is a special time for postgraduate study. Because this is usually the point in the academic year when Masters students are. . . working on their first coursework assignments.

It can be a pretty stressful time, especially if you're used to an undergraduate degree where the deadlines are all conveniently placed before the winter break (giving you a chance to actually take one).

Here then, in the spirit of giving, are a few tips for coping with that and actually having a relaxed time over the festive period. Chances are you won't need them until next year, but hey: a blog is for life, not just for Christmas.

Not all of the holiday will be available for uni work, so make sure you know what you'll be doing during the parts that are.

The best way to do this is to think backwards from the deadline and set clear and achievable goals for the working days available to you. These can be as simple as reading through a particular article, revising a certain section of your course / lecture notes, or analysing a specific data set.

As well as helping you stay on track, each of these is a small milestone with an accompanying sense of accomplishment.

Think of it like an extra advent calendar, with less chocolate. Or just give yourself some extra chocolate each time you tick off a task; it's Christmas and you deserve it.

Exactly how you organise your assignments depends on the subject you're studying, but chances are there's an initial planning stage before you get to writing up your essays /results, etc.

This can actually be the most stressful part of the whole process as it's when your ideas need to come together and get organised (if your ideas are anything like mine, they will resent doing that).

But, if you can get the plan down, a lot of the writing will be a lot easier and that initial blank page will be a lot less scary.

It's a reference to "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses. These puns aren't easy, you know.

However well you've planned, there will be at least one book or other resource that you suddenly need for your coursework. And the one thing you can't do as easily over the holidays is get to and from the university library (particularly if you've travelled home for the holidays).

So, yes, do factor in that last-minute inter-library loan collection and photocopying session.

OK, so you may not be 2,000 miles away, but still: one of the strangest things about Christmas as a postgrad will be leaving your classes, campus and coursemates behind, whilst taking the coursework with you. That can leave you feeling a little isolated as all the people who know exactly what you're up against are suddenly miles away and you're left explaining to family that, no, you really do need to work today.

Some of the 'tricks' we've all learned over the past couple of years might come in handy. Why not arrange an evening video call to catch up with some fellow students, see how everyone's getting on and remember that you're all in the same sleigh (ho ho ho).

Of all the years I spent studying (including during my PhD) the Masters year was by far the toughest. It may not ask as much of you as a doctorate, but it asks it with a greater intensity in a much more condensed timeframe. And it's the first holiday that really brings that home – probably literally.

The silver lining, of course, is that you may never have this kind of workload during the festive period again. Keep this in mind if things get tough: Christmas may come but once a year, but Christmas as a Masters student probably comes just once.

And whatever Santa brings you, you've earned it.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this blog was first published on 15/12/20. We've checked and updated it for current readers.

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