By Alice Manning, Second Year, English

After an academic year of hard work, assignments and, finally, exams, here are a few ideas for how to catch up on your relaxation in our wonderful city.

With summer well underway, freedom can finally be celebrated, however, with great freedom comes great financial responsibility. The summer brings new tenancy contracts with no student loan. So how do you enjoy a break without breaking the bank?

Discover your uni city

Whether you have been here for five years or one, there may be an area of Bristol you have not yet explored. You could climb Cabot Tower, which offers a panoramic view of the city, muse the M-shed to learn more about Bristol's past, or amble over to the Ashton Court estate, which spans 850 acres and includes a deer park and a mini railway train. These attractions are completely free and may also serve as places to go with visiting parents or friends.

Beautify on a budget

Perhaps the stress of exams and deadlines have wreaked havoc on your skin. Face masks can be bought from £1 from any supermarket and are a treat. If you want to go the whole hog you could even buy some cucumber to really replicate an authentic spa environment. Eating the cucumber too can reduce breakouts, so, overall, it’s a great investment.

Rise to the events

There are a number of affordable events taking place in Bristol over the summer. If you want to combine your love of pubs and sea life, Bristol Aquarium is hosting a quiz night on September 12 and entry is the price of a child’s ticket. Of course, there is also the annual Balloon Festival taking place on the August 8 - a Bristolian staple. If you’d like to take in some culture on your time off, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is being screened live at We The Curious from The Royal Opera House and is completely free to attend.

Light up that BBQ

If you’re back in Bristol to shuffle accommodation around and are spending a few days with your new flatmates, a housewarming barbecue is an inexpensive way to relax and unwind with a few friends.

Day trip to Bath

If you want to get out of the city, trains to Bath from Temple Meads can be as cheap as eight pounds. See some Roman architecture without having to fly to Italy. They also offer free walking tours of the city making it a perfect frugal staycation.

Eat up those (restaurant) meal deals

If your budget is more flexible you could treat yourself for a meal out. Restaurants, such as Franco Manca in the city centre, offer a reasonable £6.95 for a sourdough pizza and soft drink which is perfect for students. Free-to-use apps such as UNiDAYS and Student Beans offer similar deals, so treat yourself to a wide variety of cuisines, cheaply!

These are a few options for those of you who want to make the most of freedom and celebrate the end of the year before preparing for what is to come, whether it be summer internships or summer retakes, overdraft intact!

Feature image: Epigram / Patrick Sullivan

How do you plan to unravel the university stresses this summer?