Socialising in a pandemic

Social distancing and 10 pm curfews are becoming a big part of our lives. While it’s important to adhere to the government guidelines it can feel like they are getting in the way of you having fun at university. I’m here to tell you that this doesn’t have to be the case, there are so many things you can still do to enjoy your time at university and spend time with friends.

Go out for food – whether this is breakfast, lunch, dinner or even brunch there are so many places you can try. Me and my housemates have decided to go for dinner once a month. It gives you a great opportunity to sit down, catch up and have some great food. Maybe there’s somewhere you’ve always wanted to go or a cuisine you’ve always wanted to taste. Try it out, the best part is you don’t have to wash up afterwards.

Have a movie night – rather than going out why not have a cosy night in. Especially as it’s getting colder and the days shorter it can be so much nicer not to leave the house in the evening. Snuggle up with a hot drink and a movie. Maybe even bake some snacks to enjoy as a daytime activity.

Go for a drink or have some drinks at home – yes, if you go out for a drink your night will be cut short but you can still enjoy it. If you don’t fancy that you could just host drinks at home, sticking to the government guidelines of course. It’s a great way to make a night in just a bit more exciting.

Have a games night – get your housemates together for some fun. Whether you play board games or go for a drinking game, it’s a great way to spend an evening.

Bake or cook – make yourself a tasty treat or get your housemates together to make a house dinner. These are such fun activities and then at the end you get to eat what you have created which makes it even better. You could even learn to cook something new or try a friend’s favourite dish just to mix things up a bit.

Take a day trip – within reason of course but there are some great places you can still visit. I recently went to the Victoria and Albert museum and it was a great day out. You did have to book a time slot but it was still free, just means people could adhere to social distancing.

There are so many things that you can do to enjoy your university experience. Most of these things you can do in your own home with the people you live with which is a good option at times like this. Remember to stick to the restrictions put in place by the government but still try and make the most of your university experience.

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How to stay motivated in lockdown

With it being three months into lockdown, it can seem like this is never ending. For some people this is the new normal and they have completely taken to the situation, others not so much. I personally have found myself lacking in motivation recently. At the start of lockdown, I was being so productive; working out six times a week, focusing on uni work and trying new recipes.  Over time however, I realised staying at home was not my thing but knew it was important and so I worked on finding things to motivate me and keep me busy at home. Read my top tips of what you can do to stay productive during the remainder of the lockdown period.

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Have a routine – keeping to a routine will help you feel put together, I try to wake up at the same time every day, eat at the same time and then go to sleep at the same time. I’ve found this makes me feel a lot more productive than if I have a lie in as then I feel I’ve lost a large part of the day.  Also having that routine will give a sense of normality! 

Set goals – a to-do list works perfectly as once you’ve done tasks you can tick them off and you get that satisfaction of seeing them complete especially when you’ve finished all your tasks for the day. Be sensible and don’t bite off more than you can chew as this can have the opposite effect if you don’t complete all your goals because you don’t have the time. Having a set plan of things you want to do will allow for you to be productive rather than just procrastinating all day and then realising you actually got nothing done. 

Exercise – the most difficult thing about exercise for me is actually motivating myself to do it but once I’ve started, I find it to be really enjoyable.  The best way I find to motivate myself to work out is to think about how good I will feel afterwards. With all the gyms closed, I have been doing at home workouts. If you go on YouTube there are so many to choose from, they’re great because they tell you what to do and often help you focus on particular areas; whether that’s cardio, HIIT or weight training. 

Get fresh air – there’s nothing worse than being stuck inside all day and at a time like this it’s important to go out and safely get some fresh air. Most days I like to go for a little walk; whether that’s to the shop or just a walk around the block.  Not only does it make me feel refreshed, but I find it breaks up my day, when I get back, I feel ready to be productive again. 

Use the time you have – remember that this is a time unlike any others, many people will be at home without a job, if this is you, you now have time that you would never have had before. This means you finally have the time to do things that you’ve been meaning to do for a long time. I found time to do a clear out of my bedroom, really get into reading and start up a blog. These are things that now I’ve got into them I will be able to implement into my everyday life so if you’ve got a hobby you’ve wanted to start for a while now, why not take the plunge. 

Keep in touch with friends – this is such an important one, lockdown can begin to feel very lonely even if you are living with people. You are constantly surrounded by the same people which might make you feel you need a break and to see new faces. Me and my friends have done facetimes and quizzes to keep ourselves occupied during lockdown and with the new rules you can now have a lovely social distance picnic in the park (provided the rain holds off). Also, try to check in on your friends and be there for them if they are struggling to adjust to this new way of living. 

Remember this is an unusual time – all these tips are great ways to improve your productivity during lockdown but remember we are living in unprecedented times and so things aren’t normal. If that means you feel less motivated then that’s okay, you need to do what’s best for you. It can be difficult seeing everyone else appearing to be very productive but remember, especially with social media, they only show you what they want you to see, don’t feel the need to compete with other people. This is a great time to just take some me time! If you want a break from your busy, productive life, relax and do what feels right.