Silence: questions and Band 8 answers

Yes, definitely. I really value peace and quiet, especially after a hectic day at university. I often head to a local botanical garden near my flat just to unwind and read without any distractions.

Mostly when I'm studying or trying to focus on complex tasks. If there's background chatter or traffic noise, I find it impossible to concentrate. I even wear earplugs during exam season just to block everything out.

It's quite tranquil, actually. I live down a leafy cul-de-sac on the outskirts of the city, so we rarely get heavy traffic. The only real disturbance is the occasional barking dog or lawnmower at the weekend.

I suppose I preferred much livelier spots back then. As a teenager, I loved hanging out in busy shopping centres or bustling parks with my mates. Silence actually made me feel a bit restless at that age.

To be honest, yes. It feels like there's constant sensory overload nowadays with traffic, construction work, and mobile phone alerts going off everywhere. Finding genuine stillness is becoming much harder than it used to be.