I’m one of the many international students at LSE who decided to stay back in London instead of going home for the winter break. While many students do go back home for the month-long break, I wanted to stay back just to experience Christmas in London.

It’s important to note that this might not be an easy decision for everyone. If you are someone who doesn’t enjoy being alone, then staying back alone may be difficult. Most students go home or on vacation during the break. In fact, I was the only one in my flat and friend group who chose to stay back in London but it’s because I wanted some time to myself after the three hectic months of Autumn Term. However, my friends and I did make a short trip to Scotland before everyone went home, which was a nice way to start the break.

Furthermore, I wanted some time to organize myself for the new term. I planned to revise topics that were taught in the previous term, do some research for my dissertation, work on the essays that were due once break was over and just catch up on my coursework. I knew going back home would make this very difficult and would not let me focus on the actual work that I was supposed to do during the break.

Another important thing for me was to focus on setting up a routine that would help me in the Winter Term. When Autumn Term started, assignments and essays started rolling in very quickly which threw my entire routine for a spin. So, I wanted to take the month to ensure I was eating healthy meals and meal prepping for the week, working out daily, reading for leisure and incorporating more healthy habits into my routine. I wanted to catch up on all the books I hadn’t read and movies that I missed over the last three months.

I also planned the month so that I could visit places in London that I hadn’t so far, this meant trips to the National History Museum, the Tate Modern, cafés and restaurants and going to see the Christmas lights at Regent Street. I made sure that I was still active and stepping out of my room so that I wouldn’t feel lonely.

It’s important to mention that being alone for the holidays can be difficult, which is why I made sure I was constantly in touch with friends and family to keep my spirits up. I wanted to make good use of the long break we get before work starts piling up again and I chose to do that while staying back in London.