What I Learnt Over Lockdown

The power of creativity

I considered myself a creative and arty person when I was a kid, but as I went through high school, I definitely lost this part of myself. Being able to reconnect with my creative side was the best thing that came out of lockdown. Some of my favourite lockdown hobbies included knitting, crochet, and painting. I’ve continued all of these hobbies now in a post lockdown world and I am currently knitting my own me-made winter wardrobe.

I can consume an insane amount of television if I put my mind to it

Like everyone living through Melbourne’s extended lockdowns, I impressed myself with the amount of television and film I consumed. A few personal favourites of mine included rewatching Gossip Girl and Modern Family for the millionth time.

That I am all I need 3

Lockdown was the first time many of us had to spend an extended amount of time alone. I, like many of my friends, was not used to it. During the first lockdown, there were many Zoom group calls and online movie nights to keep connected. However, by the later lockdowns, everybody was over the novelty. This meant we were definitely isolating ourselves more.

As someone who lives in a household of two, I rarely ever spent time alone in my room for fear of looking anti-social. Lockdown gave me the chance to do it, and I surprised myself by how much I was able to enjoy my own company. There is something peaceful about being content with your own thoughts, reading a book, or knitting a jumper by yourself. What I learnt from this time is that I am perfectly content with my own company, and this has meant I’ve booked a solo Europe trip for later in the year. And no, I am not worried about getting sick of my own company.

It's important to learn how to be alone. At some point in life, you may find yourself completely alone. It’s important to know how to manage this. Another great thing about being able to enjoy your own company is that you don’t have to accept friendships or relationships that are no longer serving you, just because you have a fear of being alone.

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You really do feel better when you exercise

I won’t lie, in some lockdowns I was much more active than in others. I found that I felt much better when I did exercise. The highs and lows of my mental health definitely mirrored the highs and lows of my Apple Watch step count! On days I got out of bed and did a quick 5km walk, I was definitely set up for a more productive day than on days I didn’t. It can be hard to find time to exercise now that life is back to normal, but it is really important to try.

I challenge anyone reading this to go for a short walk after you finish reading this edition of Universal!

Take time to relax

One of the highlights of lockdown was definitely the extra down time that we got. In a post lockdown world, I am definitely trying to give more time to myself to relax. I have found it is a really good way to reset, and has made the transition back to a busy post-lockdown world slightly more manageable!

Colour Collage