Covid-19 and the student: unexpected break or rude interruption?

When on Thursday 12 March our classes heard the announcement, it was what many of us had been waiting for since the news broke about the current pandemic, writes CPC student Kate Dooley. The ending of school for an unspecified amount of time was a cause of some relief to a lot of students. The idea of early mornings being brought to a halt and itchy uniforms being hung up caused this closure to feel almost like a mid-term break.

The closing of school for me felt like a chance to wind down, with the government encouraging everyone to take this as an opportunity to spend more time outdoors (within social distance requirements). Before guidelines became tighter, a look at any part of the Curragh would show you the number of people, many of whom were teenagers, basking in this release from work and school, enjoying the undemanding days and good weather for the time being.

But the novelty soon wore off, when online classes started feeling like a requirement, rather than a recommendation. Deadlines loomed nearer, and the workload was piling up. Trying to learn at home in a non-educational environment, where you can get up for a cup of tea or decide to pack in the schoolwork for the day at any given moment, has proven to be difficult.

I am in Fifth Year, and finding it quite challenging to keep focused during this strange time, especially when the media is saturated with constant updates concerning the virus. It's understandable that many students may be affected by this closure, never mind the pandemic in general, if they are already under a lot of stress due to the looming Leaving and Junior Cert.

However, I have definitely learned a lot about self discipline, and have regularly had to tap into the skill of self motivation these past few weeks. Getting organised for the day ahead, having to make one's own schedule and plan, while seeming strenuous at first, brings eventually a feeling of accomplishment. This is a mindset we will need when we are older to progress in life, and the current situation is the perfect opportunity to learn about these, while we have the time (and right now we have plenty of that!).

Overall, while these current circumstances may leave us all apprehensive about the future, and possibly put a halt to summer plans. But all things considered we, as students, have probably the best deal of all. With instant ways of contacting teachers for help, and an abundance of resources online, we can use this unexpected time off as an opportunity, both to spend time with our family and catch up on work we missed.

Soon enough we’ll be sitting in a classroom again, thinking back on the time when we could do schoolwork in our pyjamas, and from the comfort of our own home.

Beat the Virus: Stay At Home. 

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