Until four months ago we learned by being together in a classroom. We learned by going out and doing things, maybe across Sydney, Australia or anywhere in the world.
However, activities that were once possible, are now not. We went from exams, to isolation, then back to exams in a school environment now under COVID limitations.
This has resulted in a year in which we haven’t been able to cherish the activities we used to take for granted: exchanges; trips to Tasmania; carnivals; and many more that have now been cancelled.
For Year 12 this means their final carnivals never happened; and for Year 7 the opportunity to integrate into the IGS high-school community has been diminished. So much to feel sad about …
But at IGS we are lucky.
We’re lucky that we are living in Australia which, so far, has managed to avoid the worst of this virus. We are lucky that we are part of a school that values our education and has the facilities to provide quality online teaching.
We are lucky that our teachers genuinely care about our wellbeing and have adjusted content accordingly and have supported us immensely.
We are lucky that most of us have access to decent computers and Internet connection. All these things have allowed us to go through this year, largely without interrupting our education. That is not to say we haven’t experienced difficulties, some of us absolutely have, but placing our situation in perspective shows we are doing alright.
Be thankful.
So, let’s be thankful for what we do have, focus on what we can change, and not put our energy towards the things we’ve missed, but instead towards those who are less lucky than we are.
Parker Floris
2020 Head Boy