Life in Lockdown

As we approach the end of 15 weeks in lockdown I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the ways in which our world has been flipped upside-down. From schools and businesses closing to rampaging shoppers emptying the shelves, the shocks of lockdown just kept flooding in. Whether you chose to spend your time improving your fitness, becoming the next Mary Berry or simply challenging yourself to see how many Netflix series you can binge in one day, every lockdown experience has been different and this has been mine…

It all started when I moved back home. I have had some of the best experiences living away from home as a uni student the past couple of years, so making the decision to return back to my family home was a little daunting for me. Ditching the usual Friday night antics to be curled up on the sofa watching the latest episode of Coronation Street wasn’t exactly how I pictured my 2020, but if I’m honest it’s what has brought the sanity back to this mind-blowing time. Spending this time with family that we wouldn’t usually get has been one of the biggest things that I will cherish coming out of this pandemic.

At the beginning of lockdown, many were coming up with new goals and achievements. Anything to dull the boredom of staring at the same four walls day in, day out. I set out on some of the latest fitness trends and tuned into the nation’s favourite PE teacher Joe Wicks every morning. Now I’m not the typical fitness fanatic (never have been!) but there was something about getting up every morning and dusting off the gym gear that filled me with a sense of excitement. Maybe it was the ability to release all the negativity from the outside world or being able to find that sense of escapism that everyone keeps craving? Who knows, but maybe this could even be something that sticks with me when the world reverts back to normality.

Not only have I discovered my love for fitness but I can now pitch myself as the next Mary Berry. As I can imagine in many other households, my family and I have been swarmed in cake. You name it, we’ve (attempted) to bake it! From banana bread to lemon drizzle cake and even the odd cookie here and there, we did not let the mysterious disappearance of flour get in our way.

We’ve tried to become TikTok famous and I have now read enough books to fill a library! It’s safe to say our lockdown experience has not been short of excitement.

The road ahead still seems to be a clouded one but life after lockdown is sure to bring just as much excitement as the life we have become accustomed to. Approaching the weekend of pubs, bars and restaurants opening brings us a new, exciting shot at freedom full of many firsts: the first drink with the girls, the first meal at my favourite restaurant and even the first big night out. I just hope my bank account can handle it as much as I can!