Before the lockdown, I had never experienced ‘working from home’ before, but it’s very similar to doing coursework at home. You’re given deadlines for projects just like you would be given deadlines for assignments or exams. You can also still contact the Partnership Development Office by email, just like you would be able to contact your professors!
I’ve done a variety of work which is really fun for me. This has included testing out new virtual visit days by taking the role of a younger student and then giving feedback on the experience. I’ve really enjoyed these events – firstly, because I get to attend while in my pyjamas, and secondly because I was fascinated by the talks given by the Ambassadors on topics such as climate change and racial inequality. I also liked putting my two cents in about how the Zoom call went – for example, if the audio was lagging.
Another thing I’ve done is filming for the Year 10 University Experience project. This involved filming myself answering a series of questions about university life. I worried about being disturbed by the shrieks of my younger brother, who is disabled, but we were given a reasonable time-frame to complete the filming and I think it went well. It also felt nice talking about my experiences in a way that might help other students, for example, by providing information about student support services at university.
Life in lockdown has been a massive change for a lot of students, going from seeing your friends everyday, having the freedom to go where you like and getting involved in extracurricular activities. In addition, lecturers and seminars have moved online and some academic resources are now inaccessible. That’s all on top of fears about the virus, and how it can affect you and your family.
But having returned home in March, I’ve learnt a lot of things about myself – that I’m able to keep my connections with the people that I care about and that I’m able to work from home. I’ve also been inspired by the creativity and commitment shown by everyone to keep things in motion. That includes the work of the student union, Templeman Library, society leaders, Outreach, student support and more. For now, I’m looking forward to the future.