5 Ways To Celebrate The End Of Exams

Nov 6, 2019 | 7 min read
Hey! I'm Kathy and I study a Master of Dietetics. I believe food nourishes not only our bodies, but also our minds. Everything in moderation. You can follow me @balanceyourplate for all things food!

CELEBRATE THE END OF EXAMS WITH A BANG! 

Freedom from the library is on the horizon, so in your downtime (*cough* procrastination time), it’s time to start thinking about what you’ll do with all your free time!

1. Day Trip

Escape the big smoke for a day – there are plenty of places which are an hour out of the central city but offer a breath of fresh air and relaxation.

Kumeu – wineries galore; make sure you have a designated driver!

The Hunting Lodge; approx. 30 minutes from the CBD

Muriwai – have a beach day, and catch the spectacular gannet colony.

I am no professional photographer, but how gorgeous is this view?

Matakana Village Market – foodie heaven and lots of local produce.

More info here; approx. 1 hour from the CBD

2. Have A Drink (or seven)

Saint Alice, La Zeppa and Emerson’s 

Of course this had to make the list, what better way to celebrate the end of exams than with a drink! It’s a great way to celebrate before everyone heads off for the summer (or let’s be honest, before toiling away at a summer job).Check out this post from last month about the best happy hour deals in Auckland!

Under $20pp – DIY Cocktail Night 

DIY tropical cocktails

Another cost effective way to start off your night is to mix your own cocktails!

I had this at a party in Dunedin and it was 10/10 (not to mention a rad shade of blue). It sounds fancy, but if you split the cost between friends it is still cheaper than one $20 cocktail. 

All you need is equal parts white rum and Blue Curaçao, topped with pineapple juice and a dash of coconut cream! Pop in a paper umbrella and boom, a super summery drink which is also classy af.

3. Try A New Recipe 

Get in the kitchen and play around.

Top of my list is a recipe for the most gooey, chunky cookies of ALL TIME. If you’ve heard of the Levain Bakery cookies, then this is the replica recipe. I ate those cookies back in 2014 in NYC, and I still think about them till this day…

Recipe and video tutorial here by @theannaedit

Otherwise, websites like Bon Appetit (my personal fave), Ottolenghi (author of Simple) and Food52 have great recipes to browse without needing to dish out money for an actual cookbook.

4. Treat Yourself With A Nice Meal 

Euro Bar and Restaurant 

If you’re living off coffee and snacks instead of meals throughout exam season… the most appropriate thing is to treat yourself to a nice meal! My top tip is to book through First Table and get yourself 50% off the bill at some swanky restaurants around Auckland. Otherwise check out this blog for our self ranked 10 best dinner deals!

5. Life Admin


Okay hear me out because I know this sounds pretty boring, but after my last exam I love to take half a day to tick off all the odd jobs that were kicked off the priority list during exams. Tidy your room, chuck away random bits of paper and notes, reply to emails, do laundry – you get the gist. Afterwards, you can truly relax and start doing all the fun things you just read about!


Regardless of how you thought exams went, you still deserve to celebrate getting through another tough year at uni! Grind now and study hard, but know that freedom is just around the corner. 

Good luck to everyone doing exams at the moment! If you have any recommendations to add, chuck a comment down below or DM me @balanceyourplate xx