Now things are all open again and there’s very limited Covid-19 restrictions in England, this is the biggest change the country has had since before the impact of the virus. It’s easy to feel nervous or overwhelmed at this big change, especially if you’re used to routinely checking the case numbers. The term ‘New Normal’ has constantly been thrown around on the news or in parliament for over a year, but what exactly does it mean?
The definition given by Wiki for ‘New Normal’ is “a state to which an economy, society, etc. settles following a crisis, when this differs from the situation that prevailed prior to the start of the crisis.” The crisis here being of course Covid-19.
For me personally, wearing a mask is a large part of the ‘New Normal’, and it feels strange to visit somewhere in public and see people’s faces once again. A mask in the midst of the pandemic felt almost like a shield, not only from the virus but from the judgement of others, a way to hide away and just blend into the faceless crowd. Take the masks away and you’re revealed to the world once again. The current guidance is a recommendation to wear masks in crowded public areas such as public transport to protect and look after others and yourself. I also never leave the house without a bottle of sanitizer, a good habit to get into even just to prevent yourself from catching common colds or flu now that summer is finishing up.
Despite the fact that places like nightclubs, bars and other various indoor activities are all now welcoming large groups of people, that doesn’t mean there is any pressure for you personally to go unless you feel safe doing so. You are well within your rights to say no; whether this be for fear of Covid, living with vulnerable others, or struggling with the idea of being in a room with vast quantities of people after the strange year and a bit of isolation. And of course, you should never have to explain yourself, everyone is entitled to make their own decisions on how active within society they are going to be, in a country currently almost free from Covid restrictions, but far from being free from the coronavirus itself. Many bars and nightclubs are however engaging in their own safety measures like checking temperatures, only allowing a certain amount of people in and also changing the air filters. This of course adds to the safety of the environment, and with lots of people in England currently having their second jab, the chance of catching and passing the virus around lowers.
Your GRC President for the year, Kaela Ellis, comments… “With this ‘New Normal’ the drama department is here to support everyone, we want to ensure that this is a safe and comfortable environment. Alongside the lecturers the GRC are friendly faces that you can turn to, we want to make this transition smooth for all so please don’t be afraid to speak to us as we are here to help ensure that the university experience is enjoyable for all.”
One thing I personally believe to be a good thing that has come out of the isolation and lockdown periods of this year and last is the increasing focus on mental health; whether this be being brought to attention at the higher government level, or just words of encouragement passed on from one friend to another. Mental health and an individual’s struggles with their inner demons is almost a pandemic in itself, and it’s an incredibly important issue to be raised and talked about with friends and family. If you haven’t seen or heard from someone in a while, why not drop them a quick message? Even if you just ask about what they’re up to at the moment, keeping in touch is the key. I sincerely hope that the lockdown focus of keeping in touch with your friends, does transition into ‘normal’ society, especially with the ease of communication through modern technology.
It will be interesting in this current stage of ‘new normal’ how long the term stays around. Will the ‘new normal’ of wearing face masks out of choice, individual social distancing and sanitizer at every shop door become ‘normal’ or will everything revert back to how it was before Corona. I guess all we can do is wait and see.
Media Rep Love (Jenny Smith) x
If you ever feel as though you need someone to talk to about Mental Health, our lovely EDI Rep Connie will be more than happy to help. Or for any general worries or concerns you may have our entire GRC Committee are lovely and friendly and will be able to help you in a heartbeat.
Mental Health Support Links:
–Guides to support and services | Mind, the mental health charity – help for mental health problems
–Samaritans | Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy | Here to listen Phone Number: 0330 094 5717
–Get help from a mental health charity – NHS (www.nhs.uk) (Use this link to locate nearby Mental Health services)
Links Used:
The Grapevine 