Excited about Lockdown easing? I’m not so sure.

Kate shares her feelings on life continuing after the third national lockdown. 

- Kate Bradford

Is it weird that I feel anxious about the end of Lockdown? It sounds strange but it’s true. 

I wonder what life will be like when we return back to ‘normal’ - or at least, a ‘new version of normal’? Will we be able to pick up from where we left off? Or, do we have to start afresh...new life, new you? I find the unknown so exciting, but in relation to life after Lockdown, my questions are endless....yet nobody can answer my concerns yet. 

My life after graduation in July 2019 was full of excitement and all things new. I was hugely fortunate to squeeze in two trips travelling around Vietnam and Australia, but when I returned from the latter in February 2020, my professional plans were put on hold. National lockdowns and increased social distancing threw a spanner into the works on the job front. Life has become a whole new routine – or lack of! 

I’m trying to stay productive during this interim by working part-time as a sales assistant and childminder. But on a professional level, I’m still where I left off a year and a half ago. I don’t think I’ve had enough stimulation. It’s like I am treading water trying to keep the opportunities that were available to me previously, ready for the resumption of normality. Yet, there’s no guarantee they’ll be open to me when life resumes. If you feel like we pressed ‘pause’ in early 2020? You’re not alone. 

On an emotional level, I’ve loved this time to rediscover old hobbies like running and pilates. Setting aside some time each day, usually in the mornings on days off, to exercise has really helped me feel productive. You can feel such a sense of achievement running in the fresh air. The exercise got me out of the house in rain or shine and feeling ready for the day ahead! It helped me to combat those January blues after the sunshine from our first Lockdown vanished and was replaced with dark cold weather. I find the global nature of the pandemic oddly comforting. Everyone’s in it together. Am I too content about where I am at for the time being, or does the thought of life after Lockdown venture me into scary unchartered territory? 

In a situation like this, the pandemic gives us no control – literally. We can’t plan ahead. Only time will tell – one Zoom quiz and banana bread baking challenge at a time!

Find out more about what you can do to improve your wellbeing on Student Space.

Hi, I’m Kate. In 2019, I graduated from Newcastle University where I read History. I volunteered on Newcastle Student Radio and co-presented The Ninety Minute Show on Thursday evenings. Embracing change and exploring new opportunities on campus helped me deal with newly felt concerns and combat isolation. I hope to support and encourage students to speak out about taboo topics.