A silent war without weapons: Life in lockdown in Northeast England from the perspective of an international female PhD student

A silent war without weapons:

Life in lockdown in Northeast England from the perspective of an international female PhD student

By Kimberley Liu

The rapid spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) took a turn for the worse when it became an ongoing global pandemic and marked the beginning of a war without weapons. The number of reported deaths and confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped up in the UK days before PM Boris Johnson declared a nationwide lockdown on March 23rd 2020, as social media outlets fuelled anxiety and helplessness in the face of the coronavirus.

To prepare to stay at home and take safety and control measures, people rushed into local supermarkets, frantically panic-buying and stockpiling goods, and emptying stores across the country in fear of a shortage of supplies. Masks, anti-bacterial liquid, and rubber gloves - even flour and toilet paper - sold out rapidly, so that supermarkets had to enforce purchase limits on items per customer. Faced with empty shelves, people went to book online slots for the delivery of essentials. However, in many cases, there were no delivery slots available for at least two weeks, triggering an even greater anxiety.

In view of the lack of food resources, the lack of guidance and unclear coronavirus instructions released by the UK government, the limited bed capacities and intensive care admissions in the NHS, and the increasing number of cities being put under lockdown, many international students chose to return to their home countries. However, purchasing international airline tickets to Asia was no tea party at that point. The UK lockdown policy brought in aviation restrictions in an effort to flatten the curve and further prevent the spread of the virus and suspended, reduced, or cut flights to affected countries. Some airlines were selling one-way tickets to Asia, with economy seats receiving bids of up to nearly £6,000. Even these high-priced tickets sold out rapidly. Although some – apparently – lucky students successfully managed to book tickets home, many of these flights were continually rescheduled and/or ultimately cancelled.

To cope with loneliness, many of us have put up pictures taken at different events on our dorm walls.

Several affordable takeaway chains – e.g. McDonalds, KFC, Burger King – stopped doing deliveries and drive-thrus during lockdown, creating even more struggles for many international students. The Ustinov Hairstyles and Lifestyles Society (H&L) started a WeChat study group to encourage students to support each other during these challenging times and gathered 197 Ustinovians. Most Asian Ustinovians had been away from home for at least six months, lacked food resources, and were tired and bored of cooking. So we had an idea and asked some popular reliable Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, Birmingham, and Durham to deliver fresh Chinese food to students’ accommodations within twenty-four hours so Asian Ustinovians could get a taste of home and feel a wee bit less homesick during this difficult time. Special thanks are due to Ustinov’s Acting Principal, Sarah Prescott, for sending us frequent updates via email about the latest coronavirus information. We are also grateful for the weekly college newsletter. Ustinov college staff are actively and continuously preparing college facilities in alignment with public health recommendations, distributing antibacterial hand sanitizers and masks at college entrances to protect both staff and students. We are hopeful the situation will improve soon, for we do miss the taste of life before lockdown. The coronavirus lockdown has left

streets empty and turned many cities into ghost towns. Attending conferences, going to formals and parties with friends, taking part in outdoor group activities, dining out, having picnics and group barbecues, face-to-face meetings and conversations, lying in the sunshine, strolling down the usually crowded streets, and above all else, hugging one another. To cope with loneliness, many of us have put up pictures taken at different events on our dorm walls.

My picture wall We have resorted to communicating strictly virtually with our friends and family, sharing videos of our workout sessions, the TV comedy shows we have been binge-watching, and DIY/ handicrafts projects we have proudly taken on. These activities, especially watching feel-good movies and videos, helps reduce anxiety and depressive moods and makes you feel happier. These at home activities can even help those we cannot be with in person. The Durham Chinese Students & Scholars Association (CSSA) held a charity auction to support their hometowns experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks. At the Ustinov H&L Society, we donated handicrafts and bid at up to £8/item in the charity auction and subsequently donated the money to hometown organisations. Empathetic Ustinovians bid on our handmade products for more than they were worth because they wanted to support our hometowns and were happy to pay a little more.

Handcrafts made by members of the H&L society Inspired by my supervisor, Professor Lynda Boothroyd from the Department of Psychology, I wanted to personally contribute a little more to local charities and help them during lockdown. I decided to create a birthday fundraiser on Facebook in the week preceding my birthday and managed to raise £105 – the initial fundraising target was £100 – for the Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Centre (Darlington and County Durham).

My Facebook birthday fundraiser feature – £105 of / £100 raised

I have found so much support at Ustinov in this crisis and throughout my time at Durham University. As a PhD student and a female, I was warmly and greatly welcomed by Ustinov’s college mentor system which guided and supported me during my time here in Durham.

Thanks:

‘I have found so much support at Ustinov in this crisis and throughout my time at Durham University. Special thanks to Ustinov’s Principal Professor Glenn McGregor and to Mr. Ray Mumford. I have been President of the Ustinov H&L Society for nearly 3 years now and I am very grateful for the way the GCR has supported each other and relentlessly stuck together during this time. My special thanks go to my GCR family: Thom Addinall-Biddulph, Jamie Graham, Alexander Blair, Matthew Roberts, Dan Brunsdon, James O’Neil, Sam Glyn, Nigel Quinn, Clare Wallace, Joe Farrouu, James Ireland, Adrian O’Brien, Alastair Stewart, Tom Pitts, and Connor Armstrong. The H&L Society would not even exist today if it weren’t for you. I wish all the best to my fellow Ustinovians and together, we will get through the COVID-19 crisis.

Photo credits:

Brian D. Taylor, Honghuan Li, Matthew Roberts, Peipei Cao, Yue Yang, and Kimberley Liu.

Renewal

By Sorina Avadanei

lament for epirus

better times will come, you will find happiness in the taste of fruits in the winds warmed up by millions of cries for freedom

they came from the mountains lecturing in the language of gods sometimes whispering around corners sometimes shouting in harbours

people are utterly in love with familiarity the taste of a teabag that has been used more than once breathing in, humid air breathing out, turmoil and ashes

i have no energy left for revenge i will open the window and let the spring breeze in waiting for a paradise where fig bits get stuck into my teeth and seagulls would steal my sandwich

better times will come for those who have hope