how flexible is exeter with time off uni?

I know this seems to be looking pretty far ahead, but I was wondering how flexible Exeter is about taking say a week off at the end of term before Christmas. My dad lives in Australia and I only get to see him once a year, and we were really excited expecting to have a full 4 weeks at Christmas time but unlike most other unis Exeter has 3 weeks holidays then.
Do lectures etc wind down a lot at the end of term?
How do international students manage their time when returning home in the holidays?
Would a week off be something I could sort with my tutors or would I have to sneak around and feign illness or something?
I'd really appreciate some info and advice! :smile:

Reply 1

Kahani_Moon

It all depends on when your classes are & what your tutors are like at the end of terms. Doing something like IR & Spanish I'm not sure how many classes you'd miss in a week, but it won't be as many as a science based subject. I would see how the first term pans out & see if your tutors would be ok with you missing the last week (I can't see how they wouldn't & if they aren't keen, just claim you were ill that week, they can't do anything about it!)

With the changes in term time, I'm not sure what would be happening in the last week of term. Exams might be just before Christmas, or they might be straight after (as a final year student I haven't been paying too much attention to the change in term times happening next year). The only issue might be that you have exams in the last week, which you can't miss. Or, if you're lucky, it will be a revision week, so won't matter if you're not there.

I would wait & see how things happen next term. Best of luck with things.

University of Exeter

Exeter

Reply 2

sophisticated

With the way the term system is next year, the last week of term before Xmas will be pretty important because you'll be finishing modules and handing essays in etc so you're ready to start new modules after Xmas. There won't be exams because all exams are being held in the summer as of next year, which means no more January exams. But you will still be expected to go to class and people who "feign illness" in the last week of term are usually assumed to be just skiving anyway (I've seen the raised eyebrows and heard the sarcastic comments from my tutors such as "oh I didn't realise the holiday had started already" when turning up to class in the last week to find only about 5 out of 15 people there).
I personally think 3 weeks at Xmas is enough, especially considering we don't have exams to revise for after Xmas anymore. Alot of Universities only get 2/3 weeks at Xmas.

Reply 3

kayzy

i think it depends on your school and lecturers

ive missed an unbelievable amount this year and no one has ever said a word :awesome:

i actually feel sorry for my friday morning lecturer as one time only three people turned up apparently :erm:

if your school and lecturers put good slides up on webct you should be able to work off of them and it wont be a problem

Reply 4

primavera91

Yeah I think 3 weeks is ample generally but obviously i'd rather see my family for 4 out of 52 rather than 3! I'm really glad there aren't any exams, thanks for pointing that out, hopefully I could get some stuff online or get some notes in advance. Time off is something I genuinely take seriously so it's not like I won't do any work :smile: