What's Emily Foran learned about herself in lockdown? 'I'm a wee old woman at heart'

During the week I work in the city centre, so I’m lucky enough to be able to start the day off with a walk or a cycle for my morning commute – when it’s not lashing with rain, that is...

Overnight oats with fruit are great if you’re in a rush in the mornings – I just pop them in the fridge the night before. I’ll also not say no to a Gregg’s vegan sausage roll, if the offer’s going.

Depending on how organised I am, lunch is usually something from the night before. One of my favourites is lentil chilli or a chickpea salad. Poppo Goblin is one of my favourite lunch spots in city centre.

I’m a bit addicted to making miso soup for dinner at the moment, so I might have that, or else home-made vegetable Thai curry – I love making curries. When I’m too lazy to cook, I’ll go for anything hummus and/or crisp-related.

I had the privilege of working from home for the first few months of lockdown, working on New Speak: Reimagined with The Lyric Theatre in Belfast, as an associate director to create online work with some incredible artists. I really enjoyed it, as the work was so much more relaxed and slower paced.

I’d be lying if I didn’t say I should have shares with Deliveroo, but I had a lot of fun experimenting with lots of new vegan recipes. My tacos with vegan mince was a favourite.

Eat Street on the Lisburn Road does the best vegan fast food in Belfast. They have such a varied menu – I’d recommend their chicken burger and mac and cheese. I also love getting a cake and coffee from 387 – a lovely wee vegan café on the Ormeau Road.

It has been challenging for all of us to maintain both physical and mental wellbeing over the past few months. I’m very grateful to have spent a lot more time outdoors and have people around me to chat to. Living in such a beautiful place with great people has kept me afloat.

Going for a run in the evenings really helped throughout lockdown and was great for my mental heath – I hated running before this pandemic, but now I would recommend the BBC Couch to 5K app to anyone wanting to give it a go.

Going for a walk or cycle or doing some cooking.

Tipple – so long as it’s not Buckfast.

I’ve been slowly getting through Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain. I would highly recommend it to any fellow introverts or anyone who wants to learn more about introversion in general. Also, I’m always trying to work my way through a play to keep my theatre brain going!

Tuca and Bertie is a hilarious animated series about female friendship, sexuality, relationships and mental health. I’d recommend it to any young women who feel like they’re still trying to figure everything out – I know I definitely am. Love is Blind and Back With the Ex are pure car-crash TV, but I loved binging on them too.

How much I enjoy taking time for myself and my own company – I love the peace and quiet. I’m a wee old woman at heart, I think.

I probably peaked at a six – I was lucky to spend lockdown in an environment where my friends and I could have our own space, but could still hang out and chat whenever we needed company. Since I’ve been back working in the city centre, the cabin fever is completely gone. I kind of miss being in the house.

Visiting my mum in Rostrevor, sitting in pubs and cafes and hanging out with friends.

I can’t wait for our arts venues to reopen again, so a night at the theatre will be top of my list.

Racists, homophobes, sexists – basically anyone who’s a d**k

I place more value in the good around me, whether that’s friends and family, or the beautiful places right on our doorstep. I’ve really cherished the time when the world wasn’t in a constant rush; it has reminded me that I don’t have to achieve everything all at once.

Not being able to make work in an actual theatre has given me the opportunity to try out a bit of filming and editing. Directing my first TV short with the BBC and Lyric Theatre for their Splendid Isolation series was an absolute dream and incredible learning experience on how to direct for camera.

I would like for us to be more patient and respectful towards each other. We have experienced a universal crisis and will all need time to heal, so I would love for everyone to be a bit more kind. And give our frontline staff a pay rise.

We’re often brought up to avoid the topic of death, giving us a false sense of invincibility, when really any of us could be dead tomorrow – morbid, I know! So, this experience has reminded me how short and fragile life can be but, more importantly, to enjoy myself while I’m here.