I sit down to write this piece as the second week of self isolation begins. Coronavirus has spread across the world quicker than anyone could have anticipated and now threatens our very way of life. Yet, on social media, all I saw yesterday was pictures of people gathering in parks and public spaces, acting as if nothing is happening. Whilst I’m stuck inside being sensible (a pleasant surprise to those who know me best), these morons are congregating outside and most likely ensuring we are all subject to months of quarantine, illness and possibly even death. Perhaps there’s a metaphor in there somewhere but it doesn’t quite feel appropriate to find it. 

Unsurprisingly, it was a weird week. I pretty much finished University thanks to its early closure. Yes, I still have essays and exams to do, but it’s a strange feeling knowing that I sat through my last ever lecture at the University of Hull without even realising it. I moved back home straight away because Hull is a total shit hole and I didn’t want to spend one second longer there than I absolutely had to. I haven’t really made any friends at University that I’d consider myself close to (other than two or three perhaps) so it is not an emotional problem for me to leave. University has been a mixed bag for me – the experience as a whole was crap and a total waste of three years of my life, but I have learned some very valuable lessons and bettered myself as a person, so I suppose it’s not all bad. Having a degree in Politics won’t be horrendous either.

It saddens me that just ten days ago I was having the time of my life with my closest friends at the Cheltenham Festival but now we’re all stuck inside, separated from each other. We’re staying in touch through social media obviously (the twitter group chat has come alive with terrifyingly offensive videos), but life isn’t the same without being able to see them in person. I have such a quality group of mates and we always have such a good laugh together, even if they are the biggest bunch of ignorant arseholes you’ll ever meet. It’s weird that, considering everything I’ve done in the past 10 years, my best friend is still somehow the same ginger twat I was best mates with in fucking nursery. I vow I will manage to get rid of him one day. 

Having so much time to myself would usually be a terrifying prospect as I am known to be in need of constant distraction. Despite this, it’s actually been quite pleasant so far – I’ve worked so hard to improve myself over the past few years that the thought of being alone no longer scares me like it once did. I have never been uncomfortable in my own skin (that’s probably an understatement), but I did used to spiral into depressive episodes if I was left by myself, overthinking to a scale unimaginable to most people. Now, I have equipped myself with the mentality I need to overcome these episodes, focusing on the many positives in my life – my adoring mother, my wonderful friends and the fact that I am, quite simply, an utterly fantastic human being. 

I will probably spend the next few weeks doing everything I can to avoid doing the one thing I need to do – my dissertation. It’s Monday morning and I’ve already started downloading Sims 4. I really should work on my dissertation as I’ve done virtually nothing on it so far, but I’m so used to getting by with minimal effort that it just seems futile to bother with it at this point. I’m sure the looming threat of 12,000 words and 20% of my degree will dawn on me at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later. I won’t hold my breath.

As isolation continues and a national quarantine seems almost inevitable, I will endeavour to update this blog at least semi-regularly with my egotistical ramblings. Stay safe.