Reflections on my second term at Warwick

Six months ago, I wrote a piece about my reflections on my first term at Warwick. This term, however, has been very different – so I thought I’d write a second version. Many of us have been studying from home rather than on campus and, as we all know, lockdown restrictions have been tighter. This means that it’s been a different experience, and we’ve had to find new ways to stay connected with Warwick. 

The course

Before I started university, I was already hooked on Linguistics. I loved the degree content and structure in Term 1, and I’ve loved it in Term 2 as well. Of course, we haven’t had in-person teaching in Term 2, but we have had new and exciting opportunities.  

We took on our first group project, which, particularly in light of the lockdown, was a really enjoyable opportunity. We were able to (virtually) meet new people, and work with other students on our course. We started two new modules, where we were able to interact with different groups of students and new lecturers. The seminars are discussion-based, which means that, virtual or not, you’ll end up talking to and meeting new people. We’ve also started to look at option modules for next year, which has been really exciting, as we’re increasingly able to tailor our studies to our own interests.

The opportunities within the course have looked a little different this term, but they have been in abundance and equally engaging. The course is adaptable and enjoyable, whatever the medium – but, of course, I can’t wait to see what it’s like in-person.

Social life? 

Well, as we all know, lockdown doesn’t make for a fantastic social life. However, we’ve made it work for us, for now.

 The Linguistics Society have arranged various virtual events, including movie nights, study groups, and virtual escape rooms, providing us with a lovely online community and weekly engagement with other members of the Society. Similarly, the Tennis Society created tennis ‘families’, which meant that we were able to stay connected with a few other members, and take on weekly activities together.

Of course, we’ve also been regularly on FaceTime with our friends we met in Term 1, where we can plan all the exciting things we can do once we return to campus. We’ve definitely all found ways to stay connected, and I’m grateful for all the effort that the societies and Department have made to strengthen our community.

Daily routines 

In my Term 1 reflections blog, I remember writing that I was worried about what everyday life as a fresher in a pandemic would look like. In turns out that there isn’t really one answer. This term, in a stricter lockdown than Term 1, the day has mainly been broken up with virtual seminars, lectures, and facetimes with friends, sometimes with events run by societies in the evenings. However, last time was entirely different, as you can see in my last blog, and I expect that Term 3 will look different too. If there’s anything I’ve learnt, it’s to make the most out of what we have at the moment.

Like any term, Term 2 had its ups and downs. But I’d like to re-iterate what I said last time. I’ll remember this term not only because of the pandemic, but because I’ve loved getting to know Warwick – even from a distance – as well as the course and the people.