Six reasons you CAN make it through lent term

Like for so many of us, the news of lockdown three hit me hard; it seemed so different to the sunny, optimistic banana-bread baking days of the first lockdown, and then the ‘inevitable’ email from Toope came announcing that all of lent term would be online. Here came more months of not knowing what to say in breakout rooms (please can we universally agree that breakout rooms are just awful?!), hearing that dreaded teams ringtone, and not seeing my friends for months on end.

Now that Lent term is well and truly underway, it’s easy to say that this is not the Lent term we all hoped for. Yet again, we find ourselves in *unprecedented times, and honestly, it sometimes feels like week two is really trying to steal week five’s reputation as the most stressful of all the Cambridge weeks. However, here are six reasons why Lent term can still be bearable, despite it all.

1. Lectures from your bed in your pyjamas

One of the biggest perks of online learning is the flexibility. You know that one lecture series that’s really not doing it for you? Well, now you can watch it from the comfort of your own bed with a nice warm cuppa! I don’t know about you, but for me, that’s a major silver lining.

Struggling through those 9ams – but at least I’m doing it in bed

2. Pancake Day

Although I think we’ll just ignore the fact that Valentine’s Day is soon (Tinder in our home town just isn’t quite the same), the bright side is that Pancake Day is shortly afterwards, coming up on 16th February. Although nothing quite compares to the Cambridge crepe van, homemade pancakes are great comfort food for getting you through that essay crisis.

National Eat Ice Cream For Breakfast Day is also coming up on 1st February, and ice cream makes everything at least slightly better. Pancakes and ice cream count as brain food, right?

Enjoying some fine dining

3. Academic rigour

I never thought I would see the day when the most exciting notification I get on my phone is an email from Toope. Sending it to your friends so you can all try and work out what he actually means, asking yourself what even is “academic rigour” and why this man says it so much, and then laughing at all the Toope-inspired Camfesses and memes. True joy.

Hours of fun (Image Credits: Camfess via Facebook)

4. You’re permitted time outside

We never imagined a time where the weekly shop would be the highlight of the week, but picking out the most crushbridge worthy outfit, browsing the bread isle emitting major main character energy, has now become the closest we can get to a night out and the highlight of the week. A close second being the daily permitted walk around the park. Bonus point if you see a cute dog, double bonus points if it’s socially distanced with a friend.

Cambridge looking extra pretty in the sunset

5. The thought of coming back

Although it seems like a distant dream, one day soon we will all be back in Cambridge, queuing for mainsburys, cycling frantically between lectures, navigating our way through crowds of tourists on Kings Parade, cooking meals in the gyp and fighting for a seat in Pret. I would mention clubbing, but there isn’t going to be any clubs left at this rate (RIP Cindies and Fez), so maybe a party on Jesus Green as this camfess suggested could be a vibe. But either way, this isn’t forever.

Pretend we’re teenagers again with a post-covid party in Jesus Green anyone?  (Image credit: authors own screenshot of camfess via Facebook)

6. There are people around to help you

On a more serious note, we know how hard lockdown and online term can be. If you are struggling there are people who can help. Beyond your family, friends and Tutor, you can access university counselling services, contact Nightline, or look through the Student minds resource list to find some other forms of advice.

Whilst we all try and get through this term and hope Covid was just a vivid collective nightmare and dream of days of drinks in Revs, mask-less trips to mainsbury’s and finally meeting that person you always have pinned on zoom in person,  remember, we may not all in the same boat, but we are facing the same storm.  Be kind to yourself and stay safe- you got this! 

All Images are the author’s own

Feature Image: Authors own

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