This week, Mel discusses what it is like being back at university amidst the third lockdown of this pandemic, and shares how her and her housemates have been feeling with the onset of spring semester.
So, per my last post, I am back in Nottingham. Three out of the five of us are living in our student house and I think it’s safe to say that Lenton is pretty dead right now.
The day I am writing this is the first day of term, and it does not feel at all like the start of a new chapter, today feels just like every other day this past year. I got up, showered, and put on some jeans (I know, jeans!), and sat down at my desk in front of my laptop to begin a busy day of staring at a screen. I look back at September Mel, who picked her modules in the naive belief that by February we would be back to some form of normality, at least able to sit in a lecture hall. Alas, that has not actualised, and we are still working from home.
It is the little things at the moment which keep us afloat, and I have found that there are a few things I have to stay on top of in order to ensure I do not descend into one of those days which we have become all too familiar with recently. Something I have found to be extremely uplifting is finding some time every day to read. My mother encouraged me to read something for me, some books not on my syllabus, and it has helped so much! Currently, I am reading Girl, Woman Other – one of those that everyone seems to have read and which I have been meaning to read for months. I can confirm that it is worth it, passionate and energising, perfect for escaping for a couple of hours.
Another thing is getting outside. I have a habit of falling into the trap of sitting in the house for days out of a lack of drive to leave. But, some days, it has done me the world of good to put some presentable clothes on and just get outside, for some air but also to see some other humans, as interaction is something we are truly missing right now.
Finally, I’ve realised the importance of space. The space we work in, space we relax in, space we exist in – it all seems to occur in one place at the moment. My housemates have encouraged me to work downstairs and change my surroundings, in order to compartmentalise my spaces and assign respective purposes to them. But even in my room, I have found it necessary to make sure I keep it tidy and clean so that it is a nice, calm space for me to work/rest/sleep. This, then, is your sign to go and tidy your room!
Hopefully, with a bit of luck, next year will be better so, for now, we must hold on tight and try to keep positive. The weather in Nottingham has been surprisingly nice, crisp but sunny, and today I am off to campus with my book to sit by the lake for a little bit. I am taking myself on a date, if you will. So, here’s to a successful spring term, hopefully, we’ll get through it, but in the meantime, Send Coffee, Please!