Tuesday, March 19Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Lockdown Letters: Luthien Evans

Dear Lockdown, 

I have to say, you changed a lot of my plans this year. I was supposed to be in China this summer; I even wanted to go to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, to tick one off the bucket list. But that didn’t go to plan. As past summers and Love Island gimmicks have taught me – it is what it is. 

As lockdown and new restrictions have become our new normal, I find myself newly acclimatised. I always was an introvert and so staying inside sounded idyllic. Yet, I still had to adapt, and this started with my education.

In my various different schools at Cardiff University, they allowed leniency for exams. My timeframe was larger than most, with a week given for each. Yet, I still procrastinated throughout. 

After exams, I needed a new focus. You have changed my perspective on things, you have expanded my bucket list to include more ‘everyday’ goals. I signed up to Rosetta Stone, with every intention of practicing Spanish regularly – my loose structure to this has shown that even lockdown can’t break some habits. 

One habit that you have changed though, is that of my spontaneity for signing up for roles on a whim. Without you Lockdown, I would have missed out on a whole heap of opportunities I never knew were open to me. From university newspaper editorial positions to remote internships, you really helped me out there. And although Lockdown has changed me somewhat in this regard, Disney+ has been ever so slightly creeping up to stop most of that productivity. 

You have made me step outside of my comfort zone, without me ever having to actually physically step out. You have changed the world. You are making it more accessible for people in workplaces, you are giving people global opportunities without the financial burden, among so many more other positive things. It has also been undeniably testing for us all though. My mental health has seen more fluctuations than when in a ‘normal’ environment. But there’s hope. 

You have divided us physically, but as a global society, the world is closer than ever. 

Best wishes,

Luthien

BA Journalism, Communications and Politics, Cardiff University.