Checking in with a colleague: Dr Dan Golding

How do you switch off from work?

Given that I research and teach film, television, and videogames, it can be harder to use those go-to tools to switch off. Everything, even a great movie, can feel a little like work in the back of your mind (maybe this scene would be a great example in that paper…). Of course, I still love all those things and have been doing a lot of them – but also reading novels here and there, doing exercise (a major change for me!), and trying out a fair few new recipes.

What’s your lockdown recommendation?

So many! For TV, I’ve loved Babylon Berlin on Netflix, Das Boot on SBS On Demand, and finally getting through all of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine which takes a little while to get going but is just brilliant. Da 5 Bloods was a great new release streaming film, very of the moment. For recipes, I love Nigella’s zucchini pasta, and this amazing one pot yellow pumpkin curry.

Have you stocked up on anything?

I’ve been cycling through various coffee grinds around Melbourne (through the mail, of course), but to turn it into a flat white I’ve gotta have a reliable stock of Bonsoy on hand at all times.

Any advice for those who may be struggling during these unique times?

I don’t think anyone knows the way through this. Something like this has never happened during any of our lifetimes, and with any luck, won’t happen again. All I can do, at least, is remind myself that all of my old internal mental checks and rules for doing work, coping, living a life: all of those apply to a world that isn’t undergoing a global pandemic and localised lockdowns. Surviving is surviving. Being hard on ourselves or those around us for anything more than that is frankly unreasonable.

Dan is featured in Swinburne's 2020 Open Day experience, Swintopia, a virtual open world that lets you try uni life on for size.
Check out Swintopia now.