When exams finish, the first immediate thought is always on the upcoming holidays. What will you do with months free from education? Where will I go? How do I prepare for university?At Loughborough University, many of our halls are self-catered therefore learning to cook is always of great help! Learning to cook some quick, cheap and easy meals is always a bonus when you come back from a day full of lectures and all you want is a plate of your mum’s food. Some basic recipes include spaghetti Bolognese, chicken stir-fry and mixed vegetable rice, these don’t require too many ingredients and can easily be made in batches to last throughout the week. This year I cooked a variety of dishes and learnt how to reuse ingredients and use them effectively. Cooking yourself is often a cheaper and healthier option, so don’t cave into temptations to get a take away on a daily basis.

Another useful thing to do in the summer holidays is practice the skills that will help with your university course. For example, practicing your maths, or sketching for a creative degree. I study Industrial Design so over the summer holidays I redesigned and manufactured my dad’s birdhouse, as well as making a device and accessory holder for my brother. These things will not only prevent you from forgetting important skills but will also mean that you’ll be very prepared and even ahead of others when you begin. They’re also things to talk about in your C.V when applying for jobs and they ask what you have done in your free time.

A must do is to equip yourself for university living. By this I mean buying the essentials, such as cutlery, crockery, new bedding if necessary to even decorations to make your room more homely. A tip when buying things which will be stored in a shared space is to make them distinguishable, for example by buying cutlery with a pattern- this will avoid the mysteries of the missing knives and forks.

Finally, it’s also just as important to relax. After hours of work and revision, it’s essential to spend time just doing things that make us happy and relaxed. Go on holiday, start a new sport, watch films and/or meet up with friends. This is a good time to do things which you really enjoy and spend some moments with those who you won’t see as often.

To summarise, buying the essentials, practicing skills and learning to cook are great things to try in the holidays when there’s so much time to spare. It’s also important though to relax and enjoy the time before one of the best experiences of your life- your new university adventure.