HUGH (3rd year)

“To be honest, the things that make me feel a bit of freedom during COVID are running, reading and friends. Running is almost like meditating on your feet; you don't really have to think about anything while you do it, but you can also think about a lot of things. For reading; I often think the books that make you laugh are the ones that make you think the most, especially with subjects that aren't necessarily that funny. Like, for example, how scary the world is or the meaninglessness of the universe. And for friends; we’re in this strange situation where you don't really feel like you're free to do anything. But just to be able to call someone to just roam around, hang out, chat… I guess makes the makes the whole weirdness of the situation disappear.

In that way, a good way to define a happy place for me, is a place where I can do all three of those things. Yea, I guess that's like the Holy Trinity for me: Running, Reading and Friends. They give me a sense of rhythm. I think COVID made me realize their value even more, as I see them in a different way, I guess. COVID makes us realize that we always really do need people around us. Now, even without planning it, I've got like a routine of visiting friends every week, not to do anything in particular but just to sit and drink tea. Okay, I probably will have to add tea to the middle of the Holy Trinity. So, the Holy Trinity is a triangle with an eye in the middle. And the eye is a cup of tea. I need tea. 24/7 to be honest.”

Location: Leipzig