It’s week 10 and soon you’ll be returning home as the prodigal child. Make sure you don’t forget these 4 must-dos before you leave…
(We’re recycling this post from our blog archives, as these tips are timeless)
Your mind might be distracted with thoughts of cuddles with your faithful dog, Sky TV and all those cupboards of food. However, it’s important not to get ahead of yourself or there could be dire consequences.
Here are 4 things you need to remember to do before you set off for home:
1. Return your short loans
It’s a bit of a hassle when you realise your short loan book is due back and you’re all the way in Leamington. Now imagine how much worse it would be if you were back home in Scotland or even on holiday in Thailand. So return those 3 day loans, short loan books and DVDs, otherwise you’ll find yourself facing a pretty hefty fine. Not the best way to start the term…
Remember, you can always photocopy essential pages or take a photo of them on your iPhone – you don’t have to risk the penalty for the sake of a book! This goes for other resources that you can’t take out, such as the MRC’s archive material and Special Collections (it’s like they don’t trust you not to spill coffee on a 17th century transcript…). So make sure you get copies, notes and references before you leave!
2. Think ahead
Check your reading lists, dissertation bibliography and past lectures; make sure you know which books you need and which will just be dead weight. Nothing will put a damper on your hols like realising your core text is propped up in the library 500 miles away; The Proclaimers can speak for themselves – I would NOT walk 500 miles just to get that book…
For more information about how many books you can loan or when they’ll be due back see here.
Tip: When considering which books to take away over Christmas, check whether they are available as e-Books. Might save you a lot of luggage space, which could otherwise be used for essentials (those suede shoes for example).
3. Clear up, clear off
Picture this: you return from Christmas break, slightly plumper from all those mince pies and weighed down by suitcases containing your new spring wardrobe. You juggle with your bags and eventually manage to unlock your room and tumble inside. But what’s that odour? That terrible, suffocating odour? It’s hard to identify at first but you’ll soon come to realise that it’s a mixture of mouldy orange, rotting chicken sandwich and sour milk.
So do a quick clear up, wash up those coffee cups and then take out the rubbish!
4. Locking your door
Sounds simple enough but we both know that as soon as you take your seat on your train you’ll be hit with the doubt: “Did I definitely lock my door? I’m sure I did but then… maybe I didn’t.” We all know that feeling. So here’s some good advice: do something silly after you’ve locked it. Throw your arms in the air like you just don’t care. Shimmy up and down your corridor. Shout to the heavens, “Yes! I’ve locked my door!” There’s no forgetting then, no daunting feeling, no ruined Christmas.
Make sure you have checked off these must-dos before you leave! Leave a comment if you think of something else or if you have any better ideas for commemorating your door-locking.
Have a good holiday!
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Image: Luggage/Bart Heird/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0