As 2022 draws to a close, editor Ellie and some of the bloggers from PhD Life and the Study Blog take a look at their plans for Christmas.
By Ellie King
2022 feels like the year where we really got back into the swing of things. We left COVID restrictions behind and we fully returned to campus life at Warwick. It meant a return of all our favourites: jostling for a seat in the library, endless queues in the NAIC café, and a chance to mix and mingle again.
This was my first full calendar year as editor of the blogs, and I have to say it’s been an absolute joy. I’ve loved working with our fantastic team of student bloggers, reading their work, and sharing that with you, our readers. I hope we’ve helped you through various times, with advice on revision and exams, passing your upgrade, and building your CV over study breaks. We can’t wait to share more with you in 2023.
“We left COVID restrictions behind and we fully returned to campus life at Warwick“
Christmas is now very close, so I asked our bloggers what they’ll be getting up to over the festive season. For me, I’m battling with a house that needs renovations and so will be making light of the parcel tape currently holding the ceiling up in my dining room. I can’t wait to have family and friends over for food, drinks, games and laughter, and to start building new Christmas traditions.
“This Christmas I’m going to head to my aunt and uncle’s house and spent Christmas day with them, my own family and my cousins. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a lot of them so I always look forward to spending time with them and catching up. We really enjoy games in my family so we will definitely be getting a little competitive and then we always like watching a Christmas film in the evening as well!”
Abbie, blogger
But Angel is doing something completely different: “Having rushed for countless deadlines, I have decided to give myself a complete break in December. I will travel to Hungary and Germany with a friend in the first week of the holiday. As a history student and foodie, I really look forward to visiting all the historical sites there, as well as the authentic hotdogs and mulled wine in the Christmas market. Then, I will strictly prohibit myself from working for the rest of the month. Take a good rest and get ready for all the challenges in 2023.“
Iona is having a cosy Christmas, saying
“This Christmas I will be at home with my family which I am looking forward to after what feels like a very hectic – but enjoyable – term. Each year at Christmas I always make time for a Christmas ride where we dress the ponies up in Santa hats, reindeer antlers and lots of tinsel for a hack around the local villages which is always one of the highlights.”
Iona, blogger
Ivy is working away: “Obviously, it is not possible for me to travel back home but I would love to turn the home-sick holiday time (yeah, always) into a time for festival activities! I would mainly celebrate it with my friends here in UK. I am not sure whether I would remain in UK during the whole holiday but here are some activities in UK for sure. During 19-21st Dec, I will be attending Christmas Conference with International PGRs in UK. This is an opportunity funded by Doctoral College and I am really excited about that! Not only for the conference itself, a holiday time with insights and new friends but also the chance to be visited by Father Christmas!”
For Gunisha, Christmas is all about small joys and acts of kindness.
“My flatmates and I are playing Secret Santa to ring in the festive spirit. I am looking forward to going back home to sunny Chennai, India for Christmas. I plan to eat a bizarre amount of plum cake and other sweet treats, watch cheesy Christmas movies, make a sandman instead of a snowman at the beach and spend time with my family! I hope to prance around to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer with my friends whilst singing along in an off-key manner. On a more serious note, I also plan to volunteer at a local orphanage to spread some festive cheer.”
Whatever your plans for over the Christmas period, we hope you have a wonderful time and return to University in the new year ready to take on 2023. We’d love to know: what are you planning to do over Christmas? Do you have any new year’s resolutions? And what have your favourite blog posts been from 2022? Let us know by tweeting us @warwicklibrary or dropping us a message on Instagram @warwicklibrary or by emailing us at libraryblogs@warwick.ac.uk
PhDLife Blog 