Contribution by Syah Eyison

On the 10th of May, PM Boris Johnson addressed the nation with his all-important speech to update us on the progress made concerning COVID-19. Whilst he mentioned many things in his 14-minute-long speech, he left many feeling confused and unsure as to what the new guidelines are.

I am certainly not a politician or a scientist but, after reading articles from news sources like BBC, my conclusion is that we are going to be at home for a little longer than we thought. And yes, this does mean that this year, we must say goodbye to our summer favourites like Wireless and Nottingham Hill Carnival. However, I urge you to stay positive and in high spirits!

Why?

Well, because, if you play your cards right, once things go back to ‘normal’ you are going to come out being the sauciest version of yourself. 

You may have seen multiple posts all over Instagram and Twitter timelines saying something along the lines of “Do not come out of lockdown being the same person that you were when you started” and, this is so true. Whilst it can be hard not to feel increased amounts of stress and anxiety during this period, it is incredibly important to protect your physical and mental wellbeing by being positive and investing your time into self-development. Besides, staying at home and focusing on yourself is not bad in the slightest compared to what others may be going through at this time.

You could even start with the small things. For me this meant that I had to ban staying up until the early hours of the morning only to roll out of bed at 2 in the afternoon everyday – yes, lockdown did get the best of me. Now, I try to go to bed earlier and wake up at 9 to do something productive like a workout because although summer is #cancelled it does not mean I cannot have a summer body.   

With surplus amounts of time on your hands, you could also channel your energy into your craft or even pick up a new hobby. Some have done this is by finding their inner Gordon Ramsay to make and sell Sprinkle Cakes – which I now have an insane craving for. Others have even fallen back into love with things they had no time for prior to lockdown. This is so inspirational because they are using this time to their advantage. If you think about it properly, it makes so much sense. Now everyone has free time and will literally have no other choice but to sit and listen to what you have to offer to the world. So, why not follow in their clever footsteps and think about what hobby you are going to pick up again? What is it that you have been meaning to do for months? 

For all the students like myself who did not get to finish their course and won’t sit their A-levels or GCSEs this summer, don’t be discouraged because your studies don’t have to end here. Why not start an independent research on a topic you are interested in but never had the chance to learn about since it was not on your curriculum? It does not have to be overly academic; it can literally be about anything you are interested in. From a research project on conspiracy theories to the evolution of British fashion, you can do whatever you like because you are your teacher now!

If you do at least one of these things, by the end of this – whenever it may be – you will find that you will have upgraded big time. You would have learned how to take better care of yourself and fuel your heart by dedicating time to your passions. Despite what crazy things may be going on in the world, this time is an opportunity to become the best version of yourself and to spend time doing things that you love. 

So please, spend your time wisely and try not to be like me in March-April who would come downstairs for breakfast at 2. 

Contribution by Syah Eyison

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