Magazine 2020

132 | Edition No. 23 | 2020 Learning under lockdown, wow what is an interesting and never - ending topic at this moment. I am a person who likes to stay home and do nothing but when there is a simple word attached to it for instance, “lockdown” which basi- cally means staying at home, it changes everything . Ever since staying home is called “lock- down”, the only thing I want to do is go outside. I don’t know why but that’s just how it is . Before the lockdown I would have never written this essay - for obvious reasons of course I would have thought that it was simply a waste of time and that I would much rather rather watch Netflix. However, I learned quite a lot about patience during the lockdown which is something that I don’t have a lot of. Online learning in my opinion has not been very good. Staying in your room for such a long time doing school work is something that I wouldn’t want any- one to experience, well that’s my opinion. I would much rather go to school because when you are at home you don’t really have a teacher there to tell you to pay atten- tion, so you just end up not listening. I truly do try a lot to listen but it is just very exhausting to look at a screen that is not a game for such a long time. I never thought that I would actually miss school and I now see that I have been ungrateful for going outside and appreciating my school. Online learning does have it’s positives as well, like there is no-one disturbing you, well depending on your household, and you don’t have to wear school uniform but it is just not the same as physically going to school.I much rather prefer to wear a uniform and go to school. So that is just a short essay about learning under Lock- down. #LuL.The advice I give to those who are struggling just know that it will end soon and things will sort of be back to normal, just hang in there and focus on your stud- ies and health. #StaySafe Lethabo Nodoba Grade 9 LEARNING UNDER LOCKDOWN Learning Under Lockdown - After three years, I had gotten quite used to the ‘daily grind’ of being a high school student. I had kind of unofficially accepted that eat, sleep, work, repeat was going to be my lifestyle for the next few years and that bags under my eyes, an al - most non-existent social life and an unhealthy amount of schoolwork was just part of that whole “life sucks” kind of situation. I’d come home from school grumpy, pessimistic and exhaust - ed. I was handcuffed in habit! When I heard that we would be doing school online for a while, I was quite shocked and disappointed. Sitting at home, bored, not seeing my friends eve - ryday? As it was, we were all feeling quite unsettled and scared of this virus and what was happening in the country. The first day of online school arrived and the beginning was a scramble. I had to constantly watch the clock to make sure I wasn’t late for my next lesson, I couldn’t chat to my friends in class, I had technical difficulties and I struggled to pluck up the courage to put my microphone on to ask questions. But after a few weeks, I started to appreciate the pro’s more and more. For starters, I am finally getting the sleep schedule that suits me. I am able to sleep in and don’t have to jump out of bed like a jack-in-the-box at 6 in the morning. Secondly, I have had so much free time! School ends earlier, I have been get - ting less homework and there’s been more of a focus on learning than assignments and tests. All this has allowed me to spend more time with my family. I have actually had time toTHINK! I feel like now I’ve finally started to ask myself the right questions. I’ve finally started to sit down and question my priorities and think about who I want to be as a person. I think it has suddenly hit me that I could be part of something that is greater than myself. Hearing about school kids my age not having access to online schooling and seeing the queues of people lining up for food made my mom’s words about practicing gratitude become so much more REAL. I realised that the daily grind isn’t enough for me. I can andWILL make a difference! I really will be taking away a lot from online school and quar - antine. I am a more grateful person, I appreciate the little things, and I have a new perspective on life. Overall, I am a happier person. Although this online learning has run really smoothly for me, there’s nothing quite like having the class - room experience where you can be face-to-face with your teacher. Being able to see your friends, interact with your peers and the buzz of excitement in the corridors are things that I do sorely miss. However, there are things that I don’t miss about school.The constant rushing around, tight sched - ules, finishing late and being overloaded with work. Having the chance to look after my mental health and realise the importance of doing so, are probably the best things that could have happened to me this year. I like feeling free and being able to think about myself and my family. That is why online school has been such a wonderful experience. Who would have thought it would take a global pandemic and a na - tional lockdown for me to finally realise that there is so much more to life than being a high school stu- dent? Mila Leask Baggesen Grade 10 400 essays were chosen and compiled into a book by renowned educator, Prof. Jonathan Jansen and Emily O’Ryan. The book highlights various perspectives and personal challenges that the learners are faced with.