My learning from lockdown - An international student's personal perspective
Manuela is studying Criminology at University of Derby, and became involved with Community Chesterfield project after signing up for the Careers and Employment Service’s employer mentoring scheme and being matched with Alison, our Community Development Officer. Here she gives her personal experience of lockdown and how she stayed positive.
1,409 miles, that’s the distance between me and my home country and where all my friends and family live. This year I had my first Christmas without them, in an apartment without roommates, in the rainiest country I have ever been in whilst listening to the news and hoping that my loved ones were safe.
If all that wasn’t enough, I tested positive with coronavirus at the beginning of the year. Sounds horrible, I know but surprisingly, it hasn’t been that bad.
Getting COVID was the perfect excuse for my mum to call me at least, three times a day. The current situation has taught me to take advantage of every situation and an opportunity to learn how to rest after almost six months.
I created a quiet space in the kitchen: the breakfast table became an office that I used from time to time, I created a cubicle full of comfort by putting the sofas together to which I took a blanket and a warming teddy that kept me company. Since I didn't have much of an appetite, I didn't have to worry about food. Most of the time I spent talking on the phone or doing games by videocall.
After that my agenda always has space for resting time. It could be called positivity but my own experiences have shown me that making the best of every situation can give me calmness, and I wonder if it could you too? I have also learnt that we should listen a bit less to the news and a bit more to the people we are surrounded by, it’s so easy to create a vision of misery when actually a situation is really happy and optimistic!
Living away from family and friends can be difficult. Especially in the time that we are living. The concern for the health of my loved ones is present always and I wonder when I will be able to see them again. Despite that, what has really helped me is creating a second family here with some friends that truly care and we keep in touch with each other in the same way our own parents do! Taking advantage of the opportunities that living in another country offers me makes the distance worthwhile. In the end it is not just a matter of studies, studies are only a small part, I would even dare to say that it is an excuse. What really matters is the set of experiences that are helping me to grow, learn and discover.
Manuela currently volunteers for Community Chesterfield and acts as a project ambassador. She has also attended training courses, which are available for all students at University of Derby to attend alongside our Voluntary and Community Sector groups. If you’re a student who would like to get involved, follow the link to find out what training courses we have coming up or contact the project team to find out about opportunities to get involved in other ways.