Lockdown - one year on

On March 23rd 2020 Boris Johnson in effect announced the first national lockdown. We are now approaching the first anniversary of that and are still living under social distancing and several restrictions, but this time, possibly, with an end in sight. We believe it is important to document these extraordinary times, and are inviting all staff and students at the University of Oxford to contribute to this online archive by reflecting on the past year sharing their pictures, stories and reflections.

Please use the 'share' link to add one or more of the following:

  • Your rections to the events of the past year
  • A description of a typical day/or plan for your day in lockdown
  • What was the 'new normal' life like for you (anything that represented the new way of learning, teaching, social life in 2020-21)
  • A message to the future - a short time capsule message for future staff, students, and historians of the University describing the impact of the events over the past year (audio, video, or text)

[N.B. Please do not upload any material you do not hold the rights for, or any images or recordings of individuals without their consent.]

Click here to share your material

Click here to browse our current submissions

Click here to read the final report from Lockdown Phase 1 (by M. Garnett)

All contributions will go into a digital archive of memories for current and future generations to explore and study. The collection will be available online, so please only share what you are happy for everyone to see and have rights/consent for. Material will be shared under the Creative Commons licence CC-BY-NC. 

If you find you are having difficulties coping with the lockdown please see  the University's Guidance and Latest News, the NHS's 10 Tips on Wellbeing, and Public Health England's Guide to Wellbeing and Health. 

This crowd-sourcing project is run by the English Faculty and IT Services in collaboration with the Museum of Oxford. Phase 1 was funded by the Higher Education Innovation Fund and ESRC Impact Acceleration Account through the University of Oxford’s COVID-19: Economic, Social, Cultural, & Environmental Impacts - Urgent Response Fund.

Latest Contributions

  • Final Report

  • Getting close to the nature

    When I was looking for a new place to live during my final year MPhil, I put the location as one of the priorities. It has to be convenient for me to drop by the faculty from home. It turns out that I have never been to the faculty even once after March. But it was still a lovely place to work and study in, given it is very close to Port Meadow as well. Walking to the meadow and searching for horses has been a daily activity for my girlfriend and me. Finally, we found them one day! Getting closer to the nature is a compensation of getting away from people during this hard time.

  • Wytham Woods

    Studying in a tiny claustrophobic bedroom since March has been challenging. Regularly driving to Wytham Woods and exploring the vast grounds with my husband has had a very positive effect on my mental well-being. In the summer the sounds of the wind in the trees reminded me of where I grew up, Austria. How did I cope with having to shield (health), considerable health issues and the death of my mother? A daily study pattern/rhythm; being fully involved in college life as an MCR rep; making new friends and maintaining friendships; setting new goals (applying for a DPhil), just keeping going and being kind to myself. This is a year like no other and it will pass. I have learned that I can cope with whatever life throws at me, and that people are there for me when I need them: I just have to ask.

  • Christmas 2020

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