University life in 2020 can seem uncertain and challenging, but who said lockdown can’t be enjoyable as well?
Because of Covid-19, shops and pubs are now closed and the majority of learning has been moved online. Now, I know what you must be thinking: “But uni is supposed to be fun and full of social interactions!”, well, guess what? Despite the current circumstances, it still is!
Lockdown has its good side as well: it brought me and my flatmates closer together and made us feel like a real family in no time.
When I first moved into student accommodation, I was worried that if we went into lockdown again I would feel lonely and trapped here. Turns out I couldn’t have been more wrong: it’s the exact opposite.
Since there aren’t many places to go to, my flatmates and I spend most of our time in the house and we inevitably ended up hanging out with each other a lot.
Now you’re probably wondering what we do to have fun together since we can’t go to the cinema or the pub, well, here’s how I would sum up my uni life in 2020:
Movie nights
What’s better than watching a movie while lying comfortably in your pyjamas, popcorn in hand, under a soft and warm blanket?
One of my flatmates brought a TV when she moved in, and every night (well, except when we have too much work to do) we “invade” her room and watch something together! It’s usually Disney movies or comedies, but sometimes we like to change genre and watch spooky horror movies or more “serious” stuff.
Plus, our college organises weekly movie nights. They’re a perfect way to get us all together in the same room and enjoy a good film (Bonus: since it’s picked by the college, we don’t spend half the night trying to agree on what to watch)!
Every now and then, the uni also sends us goodie bags full of drinks and snacks for us to share, which are perfect for our film sessions.
Game nights
Sometimes we don’t feel in the mood for movies, but luckily the university provided us with many different board games!
Playing games together and teaming up is an easy way to “break the ice” and get the fun started.
And once again, our college is prepared: there are weekly online quiz nights we can participate in. We can play against other people or against each other. It’s a fun, healthy way to compete and test our knowledge.
Cooking and baking
Being independent for the first time is fun, but what about cooking? No problem!
The college provided us with some easy recipes and organises online cooking classes we can attend to learn how to make some new dishes!
There are occasional baking competitions where the College gives us a theme and tells us what to bake, we then take a picture of it and upload it on Instagram. Whoever gets more votes wins a prize!
On weekends, we usually order take-aways together (the more the cheaper!) and eat them in the kitchen. It’s even better than going to a restaurant!
Going for walks
But with all this food, one must also get a bit of physical activity in.
Exercising is always important, especially during lockdown.
My flatmates and I go for walks together on an almost-daily basis. Walking always puts me in a good mood and boosts my energy. It’s the perfect way to take a break from my studies and enjoy some nature while chatting with my housemates.
There are beautiful trails and paths close to uni, but if nature’s not your thing, you can always walk into town (to enjoy the beautiful city centre) or around it on the historic walls!
If it’s too cold or it’s raining outside, we watch the online fitness classes provided by our college, instead. There’s no excuse not to stay active!
Uni work
But let’s not forget about (possibly) the most important part of uni life: your studies!
Learning is very interesting, but sometimes finding the motivation to do work can be hard.
An easy way to overcome laziness is group study. My flatmates and I have daily study sessions in which we all get together in the same room (or in the library) and force ourselves to do our work. Seeing others “sharing my pain” makes me feel motivated and helps me stay focused.
The university organises a lot of seminars for which we need to do group projects. It’s a great opportunity to meet other students in your course and make friends.
Wait you have film nights in my room, Why am I never invited!
Jk we love you Assuero ❤️
Enjoyed reading about how you turned a stressful time into a great way to have the best university experience away from home during these unpresented times. Also like the photos!