The Christmas holidays are a time of celebration – good food, lots of parties and time spent with family and friends. However, for those sitting GCSE and A Level exams soon, it also means the holidays involve lots of revision and studying. We know how stressful it can be preparing for exams, especially when everyone around is enjoying the festivities. Don’t panic though – there’s still time to have fun along with studying. Here’s some ways students can balance revision and fun over the holidays.
Get organised
Before the holidays begin, sit down with your teen and make a revision timetable for the few weeks they have off school. Start by thinking about any essays or homework due and put in time aside for this first. This way they can concentrate on exam revision for the rest of the break without panicking if they’ve completed the essay due on the first day back. It’s also a good idea to keep the mornings free for studying, which means the afternoon and evenings can be enjoyed with friends and family.
Prioritise and plan around Christmas activities
Remember, it’s the festive season so blocking out time for your children to have fun is crucial. When creating a revision plan for the holidays it’s a good idea to find out what festive events are coming up such as meet-ups with friends, family dinners and so on. Take these into consideration and prioritise the most important ones, adding them into the Christmas revision plan. By organising revision around these events and taking important days such as Christmas Day and Boxing Day off means students can fully relax, have fun, as well as maintain a good work-life balance.
Get out of the house
Christmas at home can be busy and sometimes distracting, especially with family and friends visiting. If your teens are finding it hard to settle down and revise, encourage them to go to your local coffee shop or library as a change of scenery. Even if it is for an hour or two, getting out of the house will be a refreshing change. A winter walk is also a great idea if students need a revision break as it can give them a mental breather and the gentle exercise will give them an instant pick-up.
Have a festive themed reward system
Having small rewards during revision sessions is an easy way to keep teens motivated, and also makes studying fun. Do this by having a checklist of things that should be completed by the end of each revision session, and each time one is ticked off the list enjoy a festive themed reward. This can be a five-minute break, a cup of tea, mince pie or perhaps having a bigger reward like watching a Christmas movie after all revision is complete to keep them going. Having this balance will definitely make studying that little bit easier!
Make it a family affair
Revision doesn’t have to be a solo activity all the time. As Christmas is a time for family, why not get everyone involved? Family members can test your student with flashcards, proofread essays or just bring festive snacks and hot drinks. Not only does this make studying fun, it means everyone can spend time together as a family, which doesn’t feel like revision at all!
Get a tutor
If your teen is struggling to stay motivated and disciplined, a private tutor is a great option. Even if it’s for a couple of sessions, there are plenty of benefits. Not only will our tutors help develop students executive functioning skills, we also tailor every session to their learning style and personality. A tutor will also set homework, deadlines and find ways to keep students motivated throughout the festive period. For more information about our tutoring programmes, click here.
