Meet the students staying in Brighton during lockdown

When the University of Sussex announced it would be suspending all face-to-face teaching, the library closed its doors and a temporary morgue was built on campus due the Coronavirus pandemic, many students left Brighton to return home and quarantine. The promise of home cooked meals, getting your washing done and seeing the dog is simply too good to turn down for the vast majority.

However, a few students decided to stay in B-Town and ride out the lockdown in their student homes or halls for various reasons.

With campus closed, Falmer bar shut and no more Prymz Wednesdays, we spoke the students who decided to stay and how they are staying sane.

The ‘loved up’ self-isolator

Being single, hate it or love it, we can’t help but help a little bit jealous of those who have settled down into lockdown with their other half, cuddles with dog just aren’t enough sometimes.

Many couples decided to commit and move in together before the lockdown was announced, second year student Maddie’s boyfriend moved into her student house, rubbing it in to her single horny housemates.

“I decided to stay in Brighton rather than going home, as I’m lucky enough to be able to isolate with my friends and boyfriend, and although I miss my parents I think we would drive each other a bit mad all stuck at home together. I really value my independence and even though we’re confined to the house, being in Brighton gives me a sense of freedom that I don’t get at home. I count myself as very lucky to be able to stay with my boyfriend, although I think some of my housemates are a bit jel/sexually frustrated since they can’t just go out to a club and pull someone like usual”

The ‘not quite ready to leave Brighton’ isolators

With Covid-19 cutting short the academic year, staying in Brighton is the only thing third years have left to hold onto.

William, a third year geography student told the Tab, “I live in London, Brighton’s just straight up better than London. London’s an epicentre of the virus, why would I want to go back to that. There’s also this sick cat that comes to our house sometimes”.

Third year English student Rosie decided to stay in Brighton to finish her final term to hold on whatever time is left at University “I’m not ready to let go yet”.

“My uni house have been playing card games, cooking together, watching movies – it’s like a little isolation bubble but we’re all in the same boat so it helps having each other around”

The ‘partying at home’ isolators

With no more Epic Wednesdays, singing your heart out at Revenge and stumbling home on the 25x, lockdown has us missing our favourite Brighton clubs.

But it goes to show you can be the life of a party in or out of isolation, one house when as far to create their very festival at home.

First year Lovisa was disappointed when a gig got moved online, she decided to take matters into her own hands and create her very own festival, lockdown style.

“‘Milion (@miliondnb) was meant to have a live gig but due to the corona shit-uation it turned into a Facebook livestream instead… Naturally, the only option was to get into festival gear, get a little drunk and put the video on every tv, monitor and laptop we had in the room. Definitely better than your average night out. Didn’t even have to leave the house/couldn’t leave the house hahah”

Rosie also attempted to recreate an infamous Pyrmz nightout, at home of course.

“We’re all so sad that we won’t have one final Pryzm Wednesday together so we’ve decided to bring Pryzm to our kitchen; we’ve got plastic cups, VK’s and we will be blasting those cheesy cheese room anthems all night long – isolation doesn’t always have to be boring!”

If you want to recreate the classic Brighton Wednesday night out, theres a guide here, or if thats too mainstream here’s how to recreate Concorde 2, all from the comfort of your own home.

The ‘living their best life’ self isolator

Living at home with your parents sure has it perks, but living with your friends means more freedom, no one is going to be waking you up at 9am, or asking you to do the washing up.

Shifra, a second year Music with Spanish student said “I feel like Brighton is the ideal place to quarantine. I’m surrounded by the downs, my flatmates are still here so I have company, and I’ve finally got a chance to do all the creative things i’ve wanted to but have never got round to”

The ‘NHS hero’ isolator

For some, due to working with COVID_19 patients or having vulnerable members of family at home, going home isn’t at option. George a second year bioscience student works for the NHS and is staying in Brighton to continue working and avoid potentially infecting his family.

He told the Tab, “I work at the royal Sussex county hospital and my ward was turned into a COVID-19 zone. I don’t want to go home out of fear of infecting vulnerable members of my family, due to my work. I want to make a positive impact during this time”.

Students like George and all NHS staff working on the frontline to help the UK’s fight against coronavirus are the real heros, so thank you to all those putting themselves at risk during this unprecedented time.

Whether you have chosen to stay in Brighton or return home, remember to check in with one another and follow the famous words from Bojo himself, “stay home, save lives and protect the NHS”.