Despite all the groaning and moaning and complaining that I subjected to anyone in a 15-metre radius over the last couple of days, I found my first day back in school to be quite refreshing. The numerous weeks of remote education had taken a toll on my mental state and being greeted with a smile at the door really made a huge difference in comparison to the dreary start to my day I would have otherwise had to endure. The warm welcome, alongside the chatter of my fellow returning students, made me feel energised and ready to take on the day. In fact, I don’t think I had ever been this excited to be in school before and I’m certain that most of my classmates would agree with me.
The school day flew by in the blink of an eye which was unusual, as one day of online learning had often felt like so much longer. The stress associated with our final grades also slowly dissipated throughout the course of the day as teachers were kind enough to dedicate portions of their class to checking in on us as well as giving us reassuring pep talks with regard to the future of our education.
The Principal, Ms Doherty, also organised assemblies to inform us of the current status of the Leaving Certificate and this provided the clarity that has since motivated us to really apply ourselves during these next few months. For those of us worrying about Covid, it was a relief to see that Covid procedures such as the one-way system and sanitisation of desks were still being enforced. With fewer people in the school, there is now also less of a worry regarding cross contamination in the canteen and the hallways, which has put teachers and students alike, at ease.
Overall, being back at school was quite a nice way to start the month of March and has acted as a beacon of hope in the darkness. Seeing my friends and teachers in person has had largely positive impacts on my mental health already. I also feel better equipped to take on the Leaving Cert as I now know what exactly I need to be working towards instead of having everything up in the air. I also found it quite difficult to concentrate during remote classes which is now a worry of the past - fingers crossed!
The next couple months are sure to be a challenge, but it is comforting to know that I am not alone in my struggle and that we have a lovely set of teachers and staff members who always do their best to support us. I am looking forward to the return of the rest of the school community, as it will be nice to have even the faintest bit of normality during these turbulent times. Until then, I hope everyone is staying safe and sane!
Joymarita Rajinikanth
Chairperson of the BCS Student Council, on behalf of all returning 6th Years