Make the most of your Reading Week!

With reading week coming up, many of you may be wondering what you are going to spend this time doing⏳.

While some of our more studious residents will sensibly catch up on their university assignments and coursework 📚(if this is you, check out this article for some of the best study spots on the Mile End Campus), others will be planning a trip back home to see family and friends🏡. If you are looking for something exciting to do during reading week, keep reading. If you are not looking for something exciting to do, keep reading😉.

When I was an undergraduate student studying at Queen Mary, during reading week I managed to find a balance between catching up on work and travelling. In this article, I’ll share how I managed to do this and offer some tips to help you.

So, how did I manage to catch up on work and travel during reading week?

To maximise my time, I split reading week into two parts. I spent Monday to Thursday catching up on my assignments and lecture notes; then spent Thursday to Saturday travelling.

Lucky for you all, living in London gives you easy and quick access to Europe, and one of the great things about European cities is that you can explore them in 1-3 days!

Tip one: It’s important to return from your trip on Saturday so you have the Sunday to prep for the new week.

Tip two: Book with Low-Cost Airlines✈

While airlines like Ryanair and EasyJet may have a mixed reputation, they can be a student’s best friend. Imagine flying to Barcelona for only £30😲!

It’s important to keep in mind that low-cost airline fares usually don’t include cabin or checked luggage🧳, so you’ll have to travel light and that bulky jumper will have to stay!

Tip three: Utilise your student status for discounted prices at attractions.

Many tourist attractions and excursions offer discounted prices for students, so you may want to consider taking your student ID when travelling and having your UNiDAYS account on hand. Just remember to keep your student ID safe- you don’t want to have to pay the £20 replacement fee when you get back😓. If in doubt, you can always verify on the booking websites to confirm what form of student ID is needed.

Tip Four: Travel with friends.

Travelling with friends (or your lovely flatmates☺) has many great benefits! One benefit is that you have more options to choose from in terms of accommodation. Instead of staying at a hotel, you have the option of staying at an Airbnb, which at times works out to be more budget-friendly. Additionally, when having lunch or dinner🥘, the bill can be split and divided amongst you.

I do have to say, before you go on any trips with friends make sure you are all on the same page when choosing the activities you want to do and places you want to visit📄. As I’m sure you want your friendship to make it back from your trip😬.

Thanks for reading and I hope you found this helpful!