6 plans for students after exams

Christmas is a magical time, family, presents, getaways… but we know that when we get back it’s exam time. At the Barcelona Unihabit, Girona, student hall Sant Cugat and Manresa residences, we have long experience of this time of year. Nerves, long nights, coffees on the table, morning alarms…

At Unihabit’s university residence halls, we want you to get through this stage successfully and enjoy the holidays at the end of January and February. That is why we have prepared some survival tips to help you get through the exam period successfully.

It’s happened to all of us when we get to an exam and suddenly, wham, our pen doesn’t work, or we’re halfway through the exam and realise we’ve got a paragraph wrong. Or we’re in the middle of an exam and realise that we’ve written a paragraph badly, so we scratch it out or ask the colleague in front of us for a pencil (maybe then the teacher will think you’re copying?). Don’t worry, with the following list you will always be prepared to succeed and not be more nervous than usual.

List of essentials to take to an exam:

• Pens – more than one spare, so you don’t run out of ink!
• Tipex. You never know when you might make a mistake.
• Bottle of water. You only need to be thirsty before an exam.
• Nuts, fruit… A snack. Can you imagine if your belly starts to get brown in the middle of an exam? Take good equipment with you!
• There’s nothing worse than leaving your watch behind, arriving at a class and seeing that it’s stopped or that there isn’t one! Don’t be nervous, and take a watch with you, remember you can’t look at your mobile in the middle of an exam.
• Calculator: Are you running a numbers race? Don’t forget it, and don’t waste time doing unnecessary logarithms and derivatives.
• Avoid stressed-out or nervous colleagues. Before an exam is no time to get stressed out. There will always be someone who seems to know more than you, but don’t worry. You’ve studied, trust yourself, you’ll get through.

During exam periods, the hours of sleep can be drastically reduced. Afternoons at the gym can disappear and after-lunch coffees with your colleagues at Unihabit’s residence halls in Barcelona, Girona, Sant Cugat and Manresa can be sorely missed. Even so, don’t forget that during exam time we must also take care of each other, respecting coexistence, silence in study areas, maintaining order in common areas and helping those colleagues who need it.

From Unihabit we give you some tips that will help you stay in shape throughout the exam period:

• Charge your batteries. Eat well and don’t skip any meals. From the Unihabit student residences we suggest a few quick and tasty recipes that you can cook.
• Exercise. Even if it’s hard to find the time, it’s important to go for a run, go to the gym or play a game of tennis. It’s good to take your mind off your studies for a while.
• Take breaks with your fellow students in the halls of residence. In the meantime, it’s good to communicate with someone. Don’t stay cooped up in your room and disconnect by sharing your restlessness with your friends.
• Get 8 hours of sleep. Don’t forget that without a good night’s sleep, we don’t perform well in the morning. Get a good night’s rest and arrive at your exams with lots of energy!

Now, once the exams are over, it’s time to think about the winter holidays!

If you have already taken your exams and have a few well-deserved days off, you are probably wondering what to do during the winter holidays. At our university residence halls in the centre of Barcelona, we have come up with a list of activities with which you will have a great time and disconnect from the pressure of university.

First of all, if you are a foreigner and a lover of mountain or risky sports, you will be interested to know that this time of year is the best time to go skiing, snowboarding or mountaineering.

In Catalonia we have a long list of high quality ski resorts where you can enjoy a great experience, you will find kilometres and kilometres of skiable snow and you will enjoy sport, healthy life and good company. You can also go on excursions and enjoy the best views, for example in the mountain of Montserrat, the La Mola, the Sallent waterfall, the Montseny, the Camí de ronda, etc.

Just a few kilometres from Barcelona you have the resorts of La Molina, La Masella and Vallter, all of them with excellent conditions for this type of sport and very well connected by public transport from Barcelona city.

It is well known that Barcelona is a city with a wide range of cultural and leisure activities, where you can enjoy a wide variety of museums, theatres, cinemas, exhibitions, nightclubs and charming bars. Maybe this is the perfect time of year for you to discover all that the city has to offer, meet new people, share other cultures, etc. You can also choose to discover a wide gastronomic offer, among many other activities.

The truth is that you cannot leave Barcelona without soaking up its culture, its idiosyncrasy and its vitality. From Unihabit we bring you different plans in the city of Barcelona so that you can enjoy the city after your exams, either by staying there or taking a trip to another European city:

• If you like art and painting, take a ceramics or painting workshop. This type of workshop is a great way to have fun and disconnect with friends.
• Visit one of the most iconic places in the city and enjoy the best views from Los Bunkers, el Carmel.
• Barcelona offers a wide range of theatres, musicals, monologues, etc. Find out what’s on offer, buy your tickets in advance and enjoy the show!
• You always want to visit the most emblematic places in Barcelona, but with work and university exams you don’t have time? Make the most of your holidays and take a guided tour of the Casa Batlló, the Sagrada Familia, etc.! You can also choose to go on an excursion and visit all the Gaudí landmarks Barcelona has to offer.
• Take advantage of the sunny hours to take a stroll along the Barceloneta beach, disconnect and recharge your batteries for the next semester! You can also go cycling, rollerblading, etc. along the promenade and do some outdoor sports.
• One of the most fun things to do in Barcelona is to spend the day at the Tibidabo amusement park. Enjoy and have fun with friends!

If your idea of a winter holiday is to travel, take advantage of the fact that Barcelona airport has the majority of low-cost European airlines to visit the city of your interest or the city you don’t know. For very little money, you can organise a truly spectacular holiday in most of the capitals of the European continent.

Travelling is always a positive experience that enriches you as a person and you should try to do it regularly. If you do it with friends, the experience is even better and the fun grows exponentially. Are you up for it?

In short, the most important thing is that you recharge your batteries and go back to university with a clear mind. The second semester is just around the corner and you can’t let your guard down under any circumstances, you have to give your best. You have too much at stake!

How do you see it? Are you ready to start the winter holidays and enjoy them with the best plans and your classmates? Here we go!