All the things Exeter students are manifesting for this summer

Covid can do one for a start


In the dim days of winter, everyone is looking to the future for the hope of brighter prospects. Exeter second and third years are in mourning for their uni experience, and freshers have been robbed of it altogether. Those who mass-bought EGB tickets last year probably ended up more miserable than any of us. Karma’s a bitch.

Lots of students still have some hope that their summer in Exeter may happen, and we asked on our Instagram what Exeter students were manifesting for this summer term. Whether it’s going to the Impy to crack open a cold one with the boys, or just being able to see your mates again, these are some of the things that really define an Exeter summer:

Pubs and bars

The Impy holds an untouchable superiority, with many of us dreaming of when we can have pitchers with our mates as the sun begins to set. If you’ve ever been near it on a Friday night, you’ll know it’s one of the most popular pubs in Exeter. That isn’t to leave out any of our favourite locals in Exeter either which will no doubt need our support more than ever when they’re able to open their doors once again. Pimms anyone?

Clubs

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It’s hard to remember clubbing now venues have been closed for a  year. The whole experience has always felt so intrinsic to student life, so to see it gone for so long has been strange to say the least. You can be absolutely sure however, that the post-lockdown celebration parties will be like nothing we’ve seen before.

Everyone has their favourite whether its Lemmy, TP, Unit or perhaps Cavern and Move. Fever however came out on top in responses as the most popular option for summer celebration. I genuinely can’t wait to get back to the steamy disco room of Fever on a Dirty Beats night. This is again without a doubt an aspect of student life that has been missed, and just can’t be replicated.

Societies

I’d be lying if we said that the pandemic hadn’t severely affected the scope in which many of our favourite societies could operate. Wednesday nights are not the same without the sports socials and horrendously messy trips to TP in ridiculous outfits. The absence of our favourite physical activities has saddened everyone, but it has given us hope they may return in the future.

Going to the beach

Who doesn’t love the beach? Exmouth stands as the most popular shore retreat for many students, and is an easy drive if you have a car. Alternatively, from Exeter St. Davids or Exeter Central, this beach is a short trip, already tinged with many fond memories of late-night singalongs in empty carriages. But why stop at Exmouth! There are lots of other beaches to visit, such as Dawlish and Salcombe. If anything, we just can’t wait to go back to the beach filled with the smoke of food being cooked on disposable barbecues.

Picnic at the cathedral

If anything, constant lockdowns have made us appreciate the smaller things in life, and those things which we would usually take for granted. In this case, just a picnic by Exeter Cathedral proves to be a memorable experience for lots of Exe students, enhanced by warm days and plenty of sun. Hopefully we can all share a sandwich or two very soon!

Friends and freedom

Probably the most significant factor of this potential summer is to be with friends once again. Large gatherings still feel like a thing of the past, but I still hold out hope that we will eventually have the freedom to do all these things with those we care about. This is definitely an underlying one that feeds into many of those things already mentioned. The social aspect has been sorely missed, and hopefully we can meet with friends once again, or even make brand new ones yet.

EGB and Hijacked

Many remain hopeful that events and festivals intrinsic to the summer like EGB and Hijacked will go ahead and provide to be the uplifting experiences that we could all do with right now. Songs, summer and shots is the dynamic trio we are all manifesting for. As a fresher last year, I speak for most in saying that we would’ve loved to experience this last year for the first time. Second time’s the try?

It may seem hard to think about these things with days as dreary as these, but we need to all manifest and have hope for the future. Let’s hope we can all have an unreal summer in Exeter again this year.

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