It Feels Like A Crazy Dream- Grace, 16, South London

How do I feel about the Corona virus pandemic?

If you had asked me that question about 3 weeks ago my answer would have been overflowing with frustration, stress, anxiety and a load of swear words.

I am in year 11 and my GCSE exams have been cancelled. Shocked and panicking about our futures, my year group was forced to leave school abruptly saying rushed goodbyes and feeling as if 5 whole years of hard work had gone to waste.

You might be surprised, no exams – a relief, right? Wrong. Exams are like crossing the finish line of a race. Our feelings of accomplishment and celebration that had motivated us just simply cancelled.

My last day at high school was very emotional – I didn’t feel ready to leave. Signing classmates shirts and saying thank you to the teachers who were just as shocked and worried as we were - everything was wrong. School wasn’t meant to end like this.

Now I am answering this question in quarantine on Thursday the 9th of April. I feel strangely relaxed and at peace with what is going to happen with exams. My attitude has changed as I have realised there was nothing else the government could have done. There are people dying. The spread of the virus needs to be stopped. 

People of my age are complaining about not being able to go out and see friends however, as much as I can relate to this I know that I would be on my very own ‘revision lockdown’ at this time anyway so I feel somewhat grateful for not having to deal with that stress.

Instead lockdown has given me time to reflect and concentrate on myself and making a better version of ‘me’ ; it is almost like the gap year I felt that needed to make big decisions about my next steps – sixth or college? 

It doesn’t feel real. It feels like a crazy dream like the ones when you turn up to school naked. I just know that we have to stay positive, hopeful and co-operate with the restrictions in place. In 1939, ordinary people were forced to fight in WW2 and sacrifice their lives on the battlefield. We have only been asked to stay at home.

Please do so as I would like to enjoy my summer of 2020 that I have worked hard for.