Well it’s hit November, meaning the weather is getting colder, and the temptation to stay snuggled up in bed gets more and more appealing. Although winter can be exciting with the Christmas season fast approaching, many of us find it difficult to gain motivation and leave our beds when the mornings and evenings get darker. Here are some top tips from our new Social Media Assistant Lucy to make sure you are prepared to study, have fun and enjoy the winter season here at UCLan!

1. Get plenty of sleep – even if this means having a nice long nap, getting enough sleep is key to giving you plenty of energy to stay awake in your lectures!

2. Prepare your Uni bag/clothes the night before – there is nothing worse than accidentally pressing snooze one too many times leaving you little to no time to get ready. If everything is laid out for you, you can grab everything and go instead of having to search your room for that missing sock!

3. Have some ‘me time’ – wether that be watching your favourite Christmas film (my choice would be Love Actually), having a cup of tea with your flatmates, or scrolling endlessly on Tik Tok, make sure you get some time to enjoy yourself. The most important thing is to be as happy as possible, so taking a break from the stresses of work will definitely help! (But make sure to get your assignments in on time!).

4. Relax with a Starbucks – the beauty of having the Students’ Union in the middle of campus is having a Starbucks in the perfect place! At discounted prices, a Hot Chocolate or a Caramel Frappuccino is the perfect accompaniment to your studying.

5. Get your favourite jumper on – I think we all know that England isn’t blessed with the weather, so winter will really be the best time to show off your favourite jumper. Don’t have one? No problem! The Students’ Union sell UCLan merch on the ground floor so you can be fashionable and warm at Uni!

6. Reach out – this could be by contacting family and just having a nice chat about what’s happening at Uni. Going out (or staying in) with your friends, more than likely you will all feel the affects of the winter months meaning you can talk about how you are all feeling together. Or joining or attending a Society, with people who have similar interests to you. Speaking to people and sharing your feelings is certain to have a positive impact on your general mood and wellbeing, and everyone loves to have a laugh, it really is the best medicine!

Of course you may feel the pressure with all of the workload, but keeping yourself happy and healthy is upmost priority, and a lot of support is available at the Students’ Union if you feel like its all getting a little too much.

But remember, its nearly Christmas! Time to get excited and start listening to all the classic Christmas tunes!

Lucy Gormanly