The effects of lockdown on study and life

The UK was put into lockdown on 23 March to limit the spread of COVID-19. It happened two weeks after I came back to the UK from South Korea. All facilities in the University were closed at the time when I just about to start my experiment. At first, I felt panicked when I faced the thought of lockdown as it is my last year for my PhD course. I had to start the experiment to ensure that I finished the course on time; otherwise, it would be impossible for me to finish on time. 

1. Study  

In the first few months, I focused on preparing my last review and finishing the literature review paper. This did not feel any different to a regular day except not being able to go to the lab. However, a month passed, I faced difficulties with studying productively. This brought on a negative feeling towards my studies like the worries about the unknown for the future, anxiety, nervousness, regret. Did I study hard in the last two years? Why could I not start the experiment earlier? What have I done so far? Do I have results? What should I do? These thinking did not go off from my head. So I tried to relax and refresh my head and spoke with supervisors. They gave me advice and encouraged me, which helped me to become more productive and positive. The best way to get away from negative thinking is to have a break or rest and talk with someone who supports you.    

2. Life 

Since lockdown started, everyone was in a panic! People started panic buying food (especially pasta or canned goods) and toilet paper. I was fortunate to be able to book a food delivery from Tesco whenever I needed to. Lockdown has changed my eating habits, as I have started to cook during this period. Also, I started snacking on foods such as chocolate and ice cream, they made me feel better, as a result, I gained a little weight! My boyfriend has helped me to maintain a good healthy lifestyle and we started to play tennis together! We play tennis almost every day and go for a walk after having dinner; it will be a special memory for me as we spend quality time together. However, it feels strange when I walk around where I live on campus, everything is so tranquil. I hope everything will be back to normal very soon!