What it was like inside St Paul's student house during the first lockdown

Tonnes of students flew back to their nests when the UK Government first announced a lockdown and the uncertainty of when we would see our university friends again was a hard goodbye. That's why a group of lads decided to stay grounded together to make a more memorable lockdown, to remember such a unique time in all of our lives as a good one.

Journalism student and one of six roommates, Robbie Pecchia enlightens us with what it was like living in the St Pauls student house and how they kept themselves entertained from just a sheet, pegs and a projector and of course not forgetting a good comedy.

Creativity blossomed as months passed building up to the final project, a DIY outdoor cinema with the VIP touches. The idea started from one of the guys having a projector stashed away and then looked out of the window to see a washing line hung perfectly distanced away from the wooden pub bench.

"A sunny day, a drying rack, some sheets, some duvets, a projector and quite a large amount of Pimms and you're sorted."

After an afternoon of difficult peg co-ordination, it soon became dark enough to press play on the projector, flick on the fairy lights and watch something on a student's best friend, Netflix.

March bought a lot of tough decisions for university goers deciding if they are staying at their digs or heading back home, not knowing when you would return on either route.

When interviewing Robbie Petcchia, he told us why he decided to stay at his university home because he had two reasons 'my personal one and my general opinion.' his reasons made sense why he made the choice to stay rather than risk his eighty-year-old grandma's life.

Isolating with his university pals was a fun way to fill the months but he made sure he squeezed in family time too by playing multiple games, video calls and even a virtual game of murder mystery with his family where they dressed up in Cluedo-like characters and ate dinner together.

But for Robbie, it was a blessing in disguise.

"It was a saviour during some of those months in the evenings when you feel like you've actually left the house by having a three hour four quiz with some drinks."

A DIY outdoor cinema and live Cluedo over facetime gave them time to appreciate their time together. But the St Paul's students didn't stop there when they decided to upgrade the much-loved game, hide and seek and do it in the pitch black. But if one house wasn't their friends next door were intrigued so opened their doors to the idea and played night until early am.

Robbie Petcchia said it was an intense experience not being able to see anything or anyone trying to find your way around a house. Another student, Sophie Radcliffe said she hid under the sink for up to thirty minutes holding in her laughs while the seeker was bumping into walls and doorframes. Scavenger hunts, virtual drinking games and getting creative in the kitchen, there was never a dull moment.

It's these moments we will look back on that will always make you smile when for unfortunately many, the pandemic would have been a devasting one. Most students caught the first train home when Covid-19 became real and some wishing they could just to be with their friends at university. The lads in lockdown were lucky to have one another keeping each other going through a tough time and building memories that will last a lifetime.

Zhara Simpson

Student journalist