School of Social & Political Sciences

Author: Giulia Mastrodonato, MSc Global Security student

Christmas is the best time of year!… right?

I'm Giulia, a 24 year old student from Italy. I come from a small town near Bologna, in the North, and I’m currently pursuing a master in Global Security at the University of Glasgow School of Social and Political Sciences.

You've probably never doubted your plans for Christmas before you started university. Lunch at grandmas, or maybe hosting the lunch for the whole family, opening Christmas gifts, playing boardgames with your family and then go back to your room in a food coma.

This year, though, is going to be different: no Christmas tree (unless you're crazy enough to buy one for you room) and no family reunion. Moving far from home to chase your dreams is brave, and spending your first Christmas in a uni accommodation or in a foreign country can be tough.

A wonderful and missed Christmas tree.

You're probably wondering what you will do, now that you're here, maybe feel a bit lonely as well. Home-sickness is no joke in December, especially when the Finals are done and you have all that free time. I want you to remember that you're not alone: like you, so many other brave students share the same feelings and are trying to figure out ways to make this Christmas at least a bit special. Unless you wanna end up eating Tesco's pre-heated pigs in blanket- no judging- here's a few ideas to light up your Christmas:

Christmas with Friends

Some of your friends won’t go back home during the holidays? Fight home-sickness together and have a full-course Christmas meal with them! You can invite your flatmates, which, we all know, become like a uni-family, and organise a real Christmas party. To me, the best part of a party is cooking together: whether it’s making a gourmet dish or just chopping up vegetables, cooking with my friends gives me warm family vibes, which are perfect during Christmas. If you have friend from different countries, having a cultural potluck is also a great way to try out new food while discovering something new about your friends.

Yes, it won't be a family Christmas, but at least you won’t have the weird uncle talking about politics and asking you if you got a girlfriend/boyfriend yet.

Travelling

Did you know that the cheapest flights of the year are on December 25^th? If you've always spent Christmas with your family, travelling during those days has never crossed your mind. The good part about not going back home is that you will have the chance of making Christmas a truly special day. During winter time, every city in the UK becomes even more gorgeous: warm lights everywhere, Christmas markets to fill your stomach and soul. Spending time exploring allows you to see the country in its best shape and in a way that you would have missed if you were back home.

The real trick about Christmas away is realising all the new opportunities that open up to you and making the best out of them. Especially if you miss home, travelling will fill your days with incredible scenery, new experiences and delicious food, making you feel lucky of having this time of the year all for yourself.

P.S. if it’s your first time in Europe, hop on a plane and enjoy the wintery vibes!

Make Glasgow your Home

The best part about moving away is making this new city your second home. That unique feeling of living a place as a local, looking around the streets and recognising your favourite café or coming back from a trip and accidentally thinking “I'm home”. During Christmas, it's your chance to make Glasgow not just the city you study in, but also your city. Take the time to explore parts of the city you've never seen before, try out that one place that smells delicious every time you pass by but haven’t tried yet, or simply enjoy your favourite food at your comfort restaurant. Glasgow fills up with magic during Christmas; with all those lights around, the Glaswegian definitely know how to make you forget about the rain.

Glasgow's streets lit up for Christmas.

At the very end, Christmas is about spending the day doing the things you like the most: whether it's spending time with your warmest people, discover a new favourite dish in a different city or watching your favourite movie covered in blankets while drinking tea, you'll certainly have a cool story to tell your family at your next Christmas together.

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First published: 19 December 2025