The argument for January deadlines usually goes like this: students have “more time” over the break, so it’s the perfect moment for assignments and revision. But that logic ignores a very real truth. Time off doesn’t automatically equal free time. For a lot of students, Christmas is the only period when they travel home, work part-time shifts, or reconnect with family they rarely see. Others finally get a chance to look after their mental and physical health, something that’s often pushed aside during the term.
Expecting students to juggle essays, revision, and festive obligations creates a guilt cycle. Relax and you feel unproductive, study and you feel like you’re missing out. Neither option is healthy, and both undermine the purpose of a holiday break. And let’s be honest, burnout doesn’t magically disappear because fairy lights are up.
On the flip side, some argue that these deadlines give students breathing space during the term and let them pace their work. Fair enough. But if that flexibility quietly translates into “do it all in December,” that isn’t really flexibility at all. It’s procrastination disguised as planning.
The bigger issue is that universities often treat academic calendars like they exist in a vacuum, as if students don’t have personal lives, jobs, financial pressures, or emotional limits. A true break should be exactly that: a break. Not a glorified study leave.
So, should students be expected to work over Christmas? No. Encouraged to plan ahead? Sure. But expecting meaningful academic work during a period traditionally meant for rest feels out of touch with the reality of student life.
Maybe it’s time universities rethink January deadlines entirely. Because the gift no student wants under the tree is another 3,000-word essay, or an exam timetable waiting on the other side of New Year’s.