A Journal entry from Lydia:

13/5/2020:

These past few days have been very strange. As you know, lockdown has been raging for a couple of months, but things could change. The PM gave a speech saying that unlimited exercise was allowed and some years would be able to return to school after half term, but not Year 7. I miss my friends and woke up and cried one day because I was so upset! A summer without friends and family would be so strange. On the weekend we had a massive group call with my mum’s cousins and family who almost all live abroad. We had a picnic in the garden which was lovely and made me so happy that there are still things we can do. Another thing that has kept me happy is hobbies. I’ve become a massive fan of loads of things, like dancing. I’m trying to learn tricks like handstands… but that’s not going too well.

That’s fun, but the thing I’ve enjoyed the most is making YouTube videos. It’s been my dream for a long time and I’m so happy to do it. Anyway, that’s all for this diary entry! I really can’t wait for lockdown to be over! :)

Lydia

What was it like having COVID?

Yes, I got COVID, after over a year of avoiding getting the virus in the pandemic, I finally got it! Ironically, it was only a few days after having the vaccine.

Because I got COVID I have to self isolate for 10 days, it doesn’t seem like much, but for me, this is a nightmare. I’ll say why in a second, but first I ought to say how lucky I have been staying COVID-free for so long and when I got it, I stayed asymptomatic. The reason I really dislike having COVID is because I can’t go to school, and I know that sounds like a super nerdy thing to say, but I truly mean it. I have to spend all day alone and sending emails to teachers asking for the work; sometimes they don’t reply! And I have constant stress that I am super behind on everything and I’m missing two exams and two test results. You may be like ‘oh missing exams is good thing, then you don’t have to do them’ not really, because I still have to do them, but now I have to do them alone after everyone else has already done them. But, despite all this, I am super lucky I don’t have it really bad like other people!

I got COVID 9 days after the first COVID vaccine, how ironic! (I got it on 21.11.2021)

I had to stay off for ten days like everyone else, but it was extremely weird Zooming again, not with teachers but with other students. My mum also tested positive when we got our PCR results back. She had lots of symptoms: achy legs, achy eyes, a cough and loss of taste and smell, whereas, my only symptom was loss of smell.

It was a weird experience not being able to smell and another thing I noticed was my loss of appetite. I had dodged COVID for a long time and me getting COVID disrupted my family because my mum couldn’t ride or go see Ed

(our horse) which she did multiple times a day. My sister, Ava, works in a care home so it’s vital that she doesn’t get the virus. My brother George couldn’t come home on the weekend: he had to stay at university. It was very important that my dad didn’t get it as a few weeks before he had gone away to work in Mexico, so if he got it he would have to isolate and go to work later. That would mean that he couldn’t be home for Christmas or my birthday, which he had missed two years in a row. Luckily he was COVID free! All in all, I am very lucky as none of my family have been really ill and we are all safe now!

Maud

I tested positive for COVID on 16th January 2022, six days before the entire Les Misérables cast were due to go for a two day trip to London to see the West End version. I didn’t really feel ill at all, minus feeling dizzy from time to time. My sister managed to not get it until over 2 weeks after I had got it! Luckily, I recovered in time for the Les Mis trip.

Oscar

We flew out to Austria to go skiing, for a few days all was well and we were enjoying our holidays. However, on the 3rd night, my mother and sister said that they felt too ill to stay and eat dinner. Ten minutes later, they both tested positive for COVID and we were in disarray, trying to tell the hotel and find a quarantine hotel for the two of them.

The next day my dad and I had to do COVID tests and we were both negative and allowed to leave and go skiing. My mother and sister couldn’t get out of quarantine in time to fly home. They had to move to a quarantine hotel and book a new flight home.

Florence

Our Lockdown Memories:

– Summer Term 2021

Lydia-ism

“common sense isn’t that common in 2021.”

“Dominic’s rant at Bojo.”

“Doing scavenger hunts on Zoom.”

“Improving ICT skills.”

“Matt Hancock resigning - he should have been sacked though!”

“Popping downstairs to grab snacks whilst on Zoom.”

“Looking forward to seeing friends.”

“Going on the field more during lunch.”

“New hobbies because we were outside more.”

“Lockdown pets: Bronte, Jonty and Marmalade.”

“Christmasactually seeing relatives.”

“Supporting the NHS.”

“Not having to wake up early for the bus.”

“Baking and then eating the sweet treats.”

“Not having to queue for lunch.”

“Spending more time in nature.”

“Starting the time capsule.”

“Spending valuable time with family and loved ones.”

1. Spend time with your family, especially older members, whilst it lasts!

2. Spend time in nature!

3. Be hygienic!

4. Treasure school socially - good teaching and social time!

5. Follow the rules and we will get out of the situation better/quicker!

Our Lessons Learned Due to COVID: Lockdown Hair!

During the lockdown everyone faced the horrors of no hairdresser!