Page 6 - HGS Suburb News 145 - March 2021

Youth

L OCKDO WN REFLE CTIONS

After a year of COVID-19 restrictions and lockdowns,
the Suburb News Youth team share their personal reflections
Back in March, time came to a and coping methods. Like everyone else, my plans changed significantly on
jerky halt, I had been so busy and that fateful day in March when it was announced schools
in the blink of an eye everything were to be shut and I wouldn’t have to do my GCSES
had gone. I had all this time and anymore. Suddenly, the months I had spent revising and
nothing to fill it with. I didn’t know stressing over my exams didn’t have as much significance
how much longer I could “just relax”, and I found myself having a lot more free time than I had
like everyone told me, I needed to feel useful. ever expected in my wildest dreams.
It felt like we were on a timeline that was very slow, weeks Initially, I took the time to just rest. Knowing that there
blended together and I could go days without doing would never be a time where I had so much freedom to
something worth remembering. do as I pleased, I took the opportunity to sleep as much
So, I planted sunflowers. It gave me something to do as I wanted to, catching up on the hours I had missed
and a focus for all my energy. Every morning I would while staying up late at night to revise for my exams. For
check if they had budded or blossomed and that made once in my life, I could finally lie in instead of being forced
every day seem important because, even if I hadn’t done Lockdown should probably be the buzzword of the year, to wake up because of school.
anything important, the sunflowers had still grown. I next to “stay safe”, “unprecedented” and “front line”. But Whilst I tried to stay productive and tried to take up
really think that all of that care and attention is what to brighten up a gloomy year, here are some positive some new hobbies, I’ll admit that I took the time to watch
made them grow over 2 metres tall! reflections from the lockdowns. a lot of different TV shows and movies as well as
I also got to watch a family of swans grow up, I would I’m sure all commuters will relate to the extra time basketball, staying up every night to watch my favourite
visit them every week on my walks and they would be gained in the morning – whether you spend it catching up team play. I think I binged on around a dozen shows and
bigger. Feeding them and watching them flourish, gave on an extra 30 minutes of rest or starting your morning found myself watching anything and everything out of
me a purpose and something to look forward to. I went with a meditation session, it’s nice to have a break from sheer boredom.
back a few weeks ago and they were all grown up, it felt the (sometimes hectic!) morning routine. However, I also took this time for self-care
like the end of an era in a strange way. I feel like I haven’t I’ve learned to appreciate school: the truth is, every and did try to become active,
done much in the last 9 months but these cygnets have year my six-week summer flew by and I never seemed to though not without some
hatched and grown into beautiful swans and I have had have enough time to do everything. The closer it got to struggle! I found myself taking
the privilege of watching them on that journey. September, the better an extra week or even two of daily walks for a change of
Over the last year I have come to appreciate that not holiday sounded, but this year, by the time August was scenery, something I never
everything has to be so fast paced. Slowing down has not nearly over, I realised that if the summer holidays actually used to do and got into a
only given me the time to value this, but has also made went on for longer, I’d just be… bored. I recognised that Yoga routine with my mother, which was not only great
me more grateful for the time that I school stimulates us, and yet we take it for granted. for its health benefits but also because I got to spend time
have to spend doing the things But of course, not having to work around a rigid school with her, something that was hard with the hectic schedules
that I love. timetable also makes it so much easier to appreciate the we both had before.
MADHU things that were always there, but you just couldn’t see Overall, lockdown gave me a chance to rest and do
until the background noise was gone. In a literal sense, things I wouldn’t have been able to do before. I’ve learnt
seeing the stars in London is usually difficult what with to cherish the good times after losing out on my summer
light pollution, but during lockdown I saw the North Star and also learnt the importance of
and Cassiopeia; and Uranus and Mars – all very bright family, after being blessed with
and very beautiful. And even compared to that, my time to spend with them.
favourite time of the sky was a golden KAYA
The first lockdown came at a sunrise – so next time you go out,
very frustrating time for me. don’t forget to look up at the sky.
Others reported feeling lucky to ISABELLE
have a chance to slow down and ground themselves
after a few hectic months, but I felt the opposite: my life
which was on the cusp of long-awaited changes, was
now indefinitely on pause. Instead of sitting my GCSEs
and having the wild summer of festivals and holidays I For many, the absence of
had been planning for months, I got endless days in my routine was the most terrifying
bedroom to rot. Every day that I’d ever spent at home When the third lockdown was part of lockdown. I found the exact
revising became my biggest regret, and I felt a constant, announced, the main thought opposite. By changing how I viewed this gaping empty
low-level rage all the time. running through my head was “here space of time, I was able to really enjoy my second
I filled my time well enough. My daily walks were the lockdown. Instead of regarding this blank canvas as
highlight of my days, and I found joy in discovering local we go again”. I had been enjoying some relative normality overwhelming, I approached it as liberating. And I
in attending school in person, and was feeling a lot better
spots I’d never seen before. Sometimes I would go out encourage all you readers to do the same!
with a book and not come back for several hours, and in for having seen my friends face to face each day. Now My advice is to establish a regular and early sleeping
that school is back online again, I find myself struggling
the spring sunshine, this was not a bad way to spend an with my mental health once more. Being stuck inside all schedule 11pm to 8am for instance. While I spent my first
afternoon. I took up sewing, focused on my painting, the time is difficult for all of us, especially kids and lockdown being the only soul awake at night – apart from
redecorated my bedroom, and did the Zoom parties – a teenagers, who are social creatures that need interaction twittering birds – with the second lockdown I discovered
quintessential lockdown experience. Despite this, I felt at to grow. As I am sure you have noticed, lessons online are that the key is to prioritise the morning.
the time, and still feel looking back, that lockdown was more challenging as it is much harder to focus, and the Not only does waking up early make you view the
nothing more than a waste of my 16th year. workload seems to have increased exponentially. world through fresh eyes, but it also provides you with
Since then, I’ve started sixth form at a new school, time to make a hearty breakfast every day whether that
For me, what helps are three things. The first is getting
where I’ve met hundreds of new people and had some of outside. I would recommend going for a short stroll in a local be eggs on toast or pancakes. I discovered that the magic
those teen moments I craved throughout lockdown. I’m park, or even just around your block, as the cold winter air to living a successful lockdown is an early, satisfying
still coasting off of that excitement. The biggest lesson I will do wonders to clear your mind. My breakfast. Maybe you can make a cup of tea too?
have had to learn is that not every moment of my life has second suggestion is keeping up with But lockdown is also the opportunity for… you guessed
to be transformative: I think that’s an easy trap to your friends. It can be so easy to feel it... reading! My personal patience for reading diminishes
fall into as a teenager. I’ve had to learn to sit with isolated in times like these, which is why throughout the day. Because of this, I advise that (after your
the discomfort that idleness brings, I recommend reaching out, whether it lavish breakfast, of course) you force yourself to read for
and try to overcome the anger be in person, for a socially-distanced 1-3 hours. After reading, a workout or a midday run are
I feel over being robbed of my exercise outside, as is permitted by law, great energisers before lunch.
chance to be 16. If you keep to this healthy morning routine, I can
ROSA or through social media or with a phone
call. You could even write a letter and stick it guarantee that this blank canvas of time will transform
in the post. My friends and family are itself into a beautifully colourful painting!
always excellent at cheering me up and ALLIE
putting a smile on my face. My third
recommendation is to do something fun for
yourself. Whether it is putting on some
CALL OUT TO YOUNG TECHIES upbeat music and having a dance, or
HGS Heritage – The Suburb’s Online watching an episode of your favourite
Virtual Museum is building its new show, it is incredibly important to have
Fun Size/Youth Zone Collection.
We’re looking to put together a time to relax and treat yourself. Remember
small team of programme developers that it is absolutely okay to not be feeling your
to help in this project. best right now, and that just getting through
Want to be involved? this time is an amazing achievement.
Contact judy@hgsheritage.org.uk JOANNA

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