We at Unpacked have taken an educated guess at what we think university life will look like once the world has emerged out of lockdown and the pandemic.
The entire human race seems to be watching the clock, waiting for the world ease back to normality after the global Covid pandemic. One group that are hanging on with bated breath are students, especially those who are looking forward to their first year. While we, like everyone, can’t predict what will happen or when universities will carry on business as usual, we have a few ideas as to why university will be so great when we do finally get a grip on this nasty virus.
Nights out
Spending nights out in pubs and bars has started to feel like a distant folklorish tale, asking your friends if they remember their last night painting the town red is like asking your grandad what the war was like. However, with the huge impact that the pandemic has had on the hospitality industry in particular, when pubs, bars and other drinking holes re-open they will do with a vengeance. Those businesses fortunate enough to have survived the economic stranglehold of the virus, we imagine, will be chomping at the bit to flood their floors with punters, which means great deals and great nights.
New learning
For our generation this pandemic has been unprecedented, lockdown has shone a new light on our society and its everyday workings. Economics, the science and the social sciences are just some of the pieces of academia that will find themselves treading new waters, exploring fresh theories and challenging old ideas in the face of a world fresh out of lockdown. Students will find themselves on the forefront of incredible new discoveries, mapping out new territory and creating new understandings.
A New Digital Experience
There is no doubt that the campus will always have a role to play in learning and life as a whole at university, however, lockdown has made the world far more aware of the capabilities of working online, and studying is no exception. For those who prefer to work from home or have long commutes into lectures the leap further into the digital era will mean greater convenience along with smaller travel expenses. Though digital and virtual classrooms are a strong likelihood for the coming academic year, it is a possibility that even after all restrictions are lifted many universities may further embrace this virtual learning world, even after students have decided to ditch the digital discos.
Like everyone, we at Unpacked can only make predictions about a future after Covid-19 has buzzed off and left everyone alone. However, we still believe that universities and university life will eventually come back strong and provide their students with all the learning and enjoyment that the years of higher education come with, so in the meantime all we can do is sit tight and see where the wind takes us.