Over February half term I wanted to interview people about their experience during this pandemic. I took photographs of these people outside their home and they answered a few questions I had to ask. Below are the responses of these individuals.

Charlotte

Name & Job

Charlotte – Full time student

How has higher education changed during this pandemic?

I’m on a full-time course studying fine art at Southampton Solent university. Before lockdown we had access to all the facilities, and we were having around 4 lectures a week. We were able to get physically involved in this course by attending workshops. Since lockdown was enforced, I’ve now have 2 lectures a week and these are online. The content of these lessons does not link to what we have been previously learning. This year I wanted to challenge myself with pottery as it’s not something I’ve tried before, and I also wanted to advance my skills in screen printing. Unfortunately, because the university is closed, I will not be able to do this. This semester we were also planning on doing an exhibition at the university to showcase our work and this has had to be cancelled. As a result, we are not planning an online exhibition and are expected to promote this which I doubt not many people will be engaged with it as it is not the same experience as coming to view artwork in person. I also feel it’s harder to get inspiration because we are starring at the same four walls each day, then when we do create something, we have to photograph it and send it to our teachers which to me is not authentic. Our grading is also confusing because we are unsure if we are being marked fairly or if it’s out of sympathy. The feedback is minimal, and the teachers aren’t seeing how much effort we are putting into our work. On top of all of this I am still paying £9,000 for this course which is very frustrating.

What was your first lockdown (March 2020) experience like?

During this lockdown I was pregnant so it was a shame because I couldn’t really celebrate my pregnancy I wanted to. We couldn’t go out and buy baby furniture we had to order things online and just hope for the best, so I did feel that the glamourous side of pregnancy got stolen from me. Apart from that, I was grateful for the beautiful weather and to be able to go out for walks.

What were your first thoughts of COVID-19?

At the start I was not sure if it was true or not. It wasn’t until they started telling people to stay home and that people were losing their jobs that it hit home. My fiancé started losing out on work and I was pregnant at the time so this to me was a real worry.

What has your third lockdown (January 2021) experience been like?

I try to look at this positively because If I don’t I think I might go mad. In some respects, having university online has helped me because I am able to stay home with my son (Seb) and also complete my art work. If the universities were open, I would be worrying about the cost of child care and as a first time mother the worry of leaving your child. I also feel this lockdown has allowed my fiancé and son to bond closer and we are able to see all his big milestones like crawling and eating. I do worry about Seb social development as he is at an age where he should be interacting with other babies and experiencing the world outside his home. My family and friends haven’t had the opportunity to connect with Seb either so when restrictions are lifted, I worry he will be quite anxious of other people. He is also missing out on some key activities like swimming and experiencing a soft play area.

What are your current thoughts on COVID-19.

I wish the government would listen to the scientific advice that is being provided to them. I do believe that COVID is real as I am aware that some people are convinced it’s a conspiracy. It’s a global pandemic so something must have happened. I just wish that everybody had a community spirit where everyone looked after each other rather than every man for themselves.

What are you doing for our own well-being?

On my dark days I go out for walks to clear the mind and the anxiety and this helps a lot. I also have a cheeky glass of G&T when Seb’s gone to sleep. I think this experience has also taught me a lot about myself. I’ve learned how I mentally cope with things and I’ve come to understand that I over think and over analyse situations and I need to communicate a bit better.