With Reading Week coming up and deadlines looming over us, I think it’s only fair to discuss whether Reading Week is a well-deserved study break or a time to lock in and get work done.
Everyone has a different idea of their ideal Reading Week. Many choose to spend Reading Week at home to take a break from the stress of university; however, given its prime timing, it is also our final chance to chase the sun and treat ourselves to a week away with friends. Both have their pros and cons.
Going Home for Reading Week
Going home for Reading Week provides us with certain luxuries that we may have forgotten about in the last 5 weeks, like what a warm dinner tastes like besides buttered pasta, what it feels like to be in a town with more than three streets, and being able to do as much laundry as you wish. However, I find that there are some downsides to going home for the week. First of all, I find that I am the least productive when I am back home. Being away from St. Andrews means that I no longer feel peer-pressured to spend hours on a silent library floor cramming for a class test or essay. Being back home, I forget all responsibilities and deadlines seem to be a distant concern, a problem for future me. Second of all, and this might just be me, but as a creature of habit, my routine is up and running by the time Reading Week rolls around. I know when to wake up and which days I dedicate to long nights at the library with my friends, with the occasional break for a sweet treat. Going home throws me off my routine, and unlike at the beginning of the semester, there is no “Freshers Week” to acclimate before being bombarded by deadlines and tutorial prep sheets that are almost as long as the set texts.
Travelling
Traveling during Reading Week can go one of two ways: it can be the best week of your life or fall apart before you even make it to Edinburgh Airport. I have heard several horror stories when it comes to planning a trip with your friends over Reading Week, from trouble finding accommodation a week before the trip to disagreements on the basic itinerary. There is also the fear that your friend group can only coexist in the strange and wonderful town that is St Andrews. However, on the other hand, it is so worth it to get out of this town with your friends and make memories to last a lifetime. My advice for traveling during Reading Week is to chase the sun and warm weather, because it could very well be the last time to catch a tan before the Scottish winter settles in. To avoid stressful complications before the trip, I suggest planning well in advance and making sure everyone is enthusiastic and excited to go. It is also important to create a plan that works for everyone; include cultural sightseeing and shopping trips as well as nights out and dinner at a local restaurant.
Conclusion
All in all, there are pros and cons to both going home and going away for Reading Week. I think the most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to making plans for the week is staying on top of all your work. Whether that means locking in the week before to be free and relaxed during a girls’ trip to Barcelona or writing an essay in the same room you used to play with Barbies in.