University At Home During A Pandemic


So, even though there is a literal pandemic going on in the world, my life is still pretty busy. Mostly because I still have a degree to do, which, unlike the rest of the school year in the UK, has not been cancelled.

Obviously, there are a lot of people at the moment talking about how they are working from home and what's making them productive and get through this difficult time. It is getting a little bit overwhelming because my social media feeds are either full of people working from home and getting loads done and being so productive. Or it's full of people who are not working (as bad as that may be financially for them) and using their free time to do all those things they were planning to do and never got around to or picking up new hobbies or just fitting in all those good me-time things.

University has not been cancelled. 


For me, I am currently halfway through my university exams (yes, I am using revision time to write a blog post) which are the last thing of the year that I have left to do. However, my last terms worth of lectures and tutorials and all my exams are now online and I'm doing them stuck in the UK's lockdown in my family home rather than my uni house.

And no, I am not being very productive at all. I've been getting assignments finished because they have to get done and revising somewhat for my exams every day. However, I wake up feeling completely different every single day and my mood continues to fluctuate throughout the day, like the rollercoaster that COVID-19 has caused for everyone's emotions. Honestly, it can get really overwhelming, especially because it can feel like there is nowhere and no one to run away to at the moment. I'm trying to just follow my emotional ups and downs and allow myself to be productive or unproductive whenever I feel I need to be.

I read a brilliant piece about productivity and hustle culture influencing us during the pandemic by Eve Bennett and it expresses perfectly how being productive is not the be-all and end-all of this time. Read it here - Productivity fanatics: A society that’s forgotten to press pause

Whilst I still had lectures and tutorials before the exam season started, I was working quite well. The lectures and readings would be released at the start of each week along with some live sessions so I would build myself a timetable around those things, filling in the gaps with revision. I have enjoyed one of my modules a lot recently, but also enjoyed somehow taking my time over the content a little more than I usually would because, well, because there wasn't much more for me to do. 

Sometimes it's the little things that keep us sane. 


I have been writing short priority to-do lists so that I can get the most important things done first in the day. It has stopped me from becoming overwhelmed by the amount of content and exams that I've had to do and also helped me feel productive and proud that I have achieved things with my day. Having the days stretch endlessly in front of you when you wake up in the morning can be really daunting so having a small to-do list at least fills out some of that day.

I have taken to writing the smallest things me or my family plan for a week into my calendar like movie nights, family exercise outings or fun online workshops like for writing or yoga. This has made me feel like I have things to do in my week and makes it feel less like the days are just going to pass by being exactly the same, without even a marked difference on the weekends. It gives me a little boost to get up knowing that after my mini uni to-do list is done that I have these other things in my days to look forward to.

One thing I have not been doing is tuning into the news too often at all. I keep up-to-date with any practical changes and we sometimes talk about politics as a family, but at the moment, I don't feel like it would contribute anything for me to be plugged into the news constantly. It overwhelms me at the best of times, and these really aren't the best of times. Instead, I have liked reading fiction and watching some of my favourites tv programmes so that I don't have to live in the moment all the time. 

I have decided, like most, to attempt to pick up a new skill during the lockdown. At least it's 10 minutes of my day for learning something that isn't to do with my degree to keep my brain active but not always active on Psychology. My brother chose juggling, he has got pretty good too. I have opted for learning French, which I already know some of but just wanted to up my skills.

The online exams dread and the after online exams excitement. 


The online exams have been less than fun but surprisingly bearable. My family have been going out for their daily exercise when I start my exam so that I can be undisturbed. For my first online exam, once I pressed begin, the emotions surrounding the exams of anxiety and anticipation came flooding out giving me a massive headache. Although, it meant that I was more prepared for the rest of the exams having got over the initial struggle. Having overcome the barrier of simply doing an exam, helped me to see that the difference between in-person and online exams didn't need to be an excessive worry for me anymore. 

However, I must say that I am looking forward to my uni exams finishing. Once they are over, there are some online career sessions planned and we need to start thinking about our project and literature survey for my third and final year of university. Hopefully, these will be interesting and help me to look forward to the end of the UK's lockdown and the coming academic year. I'm especially looking forward to the next academic year because I have been able to choose everything that I will be studying, unlike the last two years.

And once exams are done, I am really hoping to dedicate more time to writing and reading, both of which I neglect while in the midst of university but are probably my biggest loves. Thankfully, I already have a big pile of unread books at home so shouldn't need to replenish my stock for a while. I am hoping I will really plough through them for enjoyment and learning. It does really help at the moment to escape completely into a book and forget about the outside world, day-to-day worries and the pandemic. 

I want to write more too. I know I can probably get good at this thing, but I do need to actually put in the time to see the results that I would like, from my writing and readership, although mostly just for myself. I have come to realise how much I just enjoy the process myself so I do hope I continue.  

Regardless of what role you're playing and how your life is going during this pandemic, I hope you're well and that no one is giving themselves a hard time about using this time excessively productively. 

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