By Shivani Parthipun and Tara Al-Haddad, Year 10 Journalist Leaders

Going into a new year, there’s been a lot of reflection about 2020. With lockdown being a big part of that, many people have drastically changed their approach to everyday life due to the restrictions and regulations imposed on them. Maybe for the better?

Take going outside. Due to the limitations placed on leaving their homes, we had seen that people have been taking their one hour walks more frequently. We conducted a questionnaire among the Year 10s about the lockdown to find out why. We found that many of us have been enjoying what little time outdoors we have on a day-to-day basis and making the most of it, relishing in the fresh air and change of scenery. This brings us onto the fact that often, we don’t appreciate something until it is gone. Before lockdown and when we had unlimited time outdoors, people did not appreciate the benefits of being  outside as much. However, now that lockdown has restricted it, we treasure and value its importance all the more. 

The education system has changed completely over this time period, with exams being cancelled worldwide and classes taking place online instead of face-to-face. Compared to the last lockdown, many people felt the transition into the current lockdown was smoother as everyone understood what to do due to having homeschooling for a large part of 2020. Many schools have become more technologically advanced due to the classes all being on different platforms such as “Google Meet” or “Zoom”. 

When starting school again in September, everyone was ecstatic about being able to see their friends again face-to-face and be able to be in school and attend lessons in a classroom. However, after spending less than a term in school, restrictions became stricter, leading to schools being shut again. With the relaxing of the restrictions during the summer of 2020, many people began to feel like things were changing for the better. Everyone was trying to get back to their normal lives and were happy that they got to meet family and friends again. When this was taken away for the second time, there was huge disappointment that the reunion was so short lived after spending such a long time apart already. People cherished the short time they had back in school as they had missed out on it for a lot of 2020, and now that schools have been closed again, many said they would appreciate time in school and with their school friends even more.

When questioned about what the lockdown situation has given us and how it has affected us, many said it made them feel more angry in some situations, and yet more patient in others. Emotions of feeling angry, frustrated and heartbroken that they cannot see their family and friends for another couple of months were very common. On the other hand, our levels of tolerance have increased with many saying that they have become more patient with others, whether it be from having WiFi problems, to not replying to texts, mainly because you do not know what is going on behind the scenes. Connecting with family and friends has been harder on screens as it is not face-to-face and not spending as much time with friends due to schools shutting and social distancing means that it is harder to keep up with our friends’ lives. 

Before 2020, simple things such as taking walks outside or physically going to school were underappreciated, however now that people have felt what it is truly like to have these simple things taken away and restricted, we respect and value it so much more, treasuring every moment we get.