After battling sub-zero temperatures this winter, it feels especially disheartening to face the impending gloom of Winter Term. I have always found Winter Term to be the busiest and most overwhelming term in the academic year. It’s very easy to lose yourself in the stress of deadlines and exams. After three years of being stuck in this cycle, I want to go into this term taking some extra steps to make sure I’m well prepared and maintain a healthy mindset in the new year. To help you with your 2025 academic kick-off, I want to provide some resources and ideas on study tips and ways to maintain motivation this Winter Term.
Map-out deadlines
This is one thing I find the most helpful when dealing with competing priorities. In the first week of every term, I try to compile a list of deadlines for all my courses and add these to my calendar. As I am a visual person, it’s easier for me to plan ahead when I can see any impending deadlines. I find it’s best to plan ahead so that you don’t end up falling behind and feeling overwhelmed.
LSE Life events
LSE Life is based on the ground floor of the Library – they have a wide variety of activities to build academic skills, but they also plan some fun excursions to de-stress from the whirlwind of academic life. Some workshops I’d recommend to get back into the university mindset include their research proposal workshop for master’s students and their workshop on navigating literature review research with LSE’s Librarians. If you want to engage in more light-hearted activities, they organise trips to the Tower of London and Top Secret Comedy Club, as well as put on a friendship bracelet making event.
Discover new study spaces
With the deadlines looming this term, finding spaces to study is often quite difficult. Or, arguably worse, your favourite study spots don’t incite the same academic rigour that they used to. With a new term, I use this as my chance to wander around campus and try working in new buildings for a change of scenery. My favourite spots are the study rooms in Kingsway and the Cheng Kin Ku Building.
Plan events to look forward to
My most important piece of advice to impart onto you, gentle reader, is to have fun! It’s easy to get tunnel vison and get stuck down the academic rabbit hole, but having something booked for you to look forward to is a great way to boost morale. This could be trying a restaurant you’ve been eyeing with your friends, going to watch a film or booking a weekend trip away. It’s nice to have at least two-four days a month that are dedicated to you enjoying life and reconnecting with loved ones.
After almost four years of university, I easily get distracted and sometimes feel disengaged from the university experience. It can be difficult to find a balance between being academically engaged and keeping up with life outside of LSE. One thing I find helpful is staying on top of my hobbies and interests outside of university. It’s important to stay on top of your work and deadlines, but making sure you take care of yourself should always be a priority.
