International Students
Our International Students' Lockdown Experience
The most interesting thing during the lockdown is that I can make lunch with my mum during lunchbreak and I have more time to exercise at home after lessons.
Judy Kexin Hu
Year 10
At the beginning of the year, watching news on my mobile phone, learning about news of the epidemic back home, I was glad I didn't return home for the New Year. Soon, the red dots on the real-time map simulating the virus have spread to more and more places and finally Melbourne. I had to stay home for online classes.
It was lucky my parents were so thoughtful: they have sent me a whole lot of protective materials, including masks, wet wipes, and even a men’s self-help hairdo assistant. How wonderful my parents are! They even took into consideration that I couldn’t go out and would need some help with my growing hair.
This so-called men's self-help hairdo assistant is an electric pusher shaver. It can be easily held in one hand. The pusher shaver comes with several shaving heads of different sizes, the longest 15 mm and the shortest 1.5 mm. With the idea of ‘long hair that’s not well cut can be redone, once it’s short then nothing can be done.’ After a night of charging, the pusher shaver was put on the longest 15 mm head. Sliding a computer chair to the front of a mirror, putting on an old shirt for the hairdressing cloak, here we go: the first trial of a top barber. Let’s start!
Although the instructions and teaching video have been carefully studied, for the first time, the hand holding the pusher shaver can’t help trembling from time to time, wondering what could be done if I hurt my scalp. The wound in the hair would be very difficult to deal with.
Even though I knew there was such a big piece of plastic mold shielding the scalp from the jagged teeth of the shaver, I could manage to gently push the shaver up a little at a time. After pushing for a while (or, to be precise, the pusher shaver has come into contact with all the places with hair), looking in the mirror and finding that the overall look of the hair length has not changed much, except that it has become potholed. Oh no, now is ‘make or break’. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, pressing the pusher shaver all over my head. When I looked up in the mirror, my pot-shaped hairstyle has turned into a crew cut, not bad for a first time barber. It wasn't that scary!
So I was relieved and trimming my hair again and again with my eyes open looking into mirror, the most difficult part would be the back of my ears when I needed the help of both hands. I went over several times, and after feeling pleased, I put down my shaver, rushing into the bathroom to get rid of the broken hair that had been tickling me all along.
After washing myself and cleaning up all the mess, I looked into the mirror, suddenly a feeling of freshness and pleasure shot through me. One glance at the clock, I have spent almost an hour on it. I didn't expect it takes so long. I was quite pleased with myself. Getting out of the room, humming a light tune .
Jerry Yu
Year 10
At the start of 2020, as an international student at South Oakleigh College, I was expecting a lot of happy and amazing things going to happen throughout the year like school camps, events and excursions. However, it turns out that the COVID-19 pandemic happened and the Lockdown stages took place.
Isolating and studying at home wasn't the best thing for any English second-language students because most of us don't live with our parents and are miles away from our home countries. I felt homesick every night, worried about my family and relatives at my home-country, worried about financial problems and lots more. I also understand that things do happen and we can't always change it, the only thing we can do is adapt, move on, trying to become the best version of ourselves every single day.
That's why instead of being pessimistic and hopeless, I did my best to always think positive, be active and stay creative. I have discovered many new hobbies and understand myself lots more than I used to. After school, I always give myself a 45 minutes ME-TIME to dance, exercise or watch funny videos on Youtube.
I strongly recommend everyone to always give ourselves a break from studying, give ourselves a chance to relax and laugh at whatever makes us happy.
Stay safe and I can't wait to see everyone back at school!
Tris Phan
Year 10
As we are having a lockdown and we are doing online studies at home, I notice that I am slowly putting on weight. In order to control the weight gain, I took out my skateboard at home and searched for a tutorial online. Now I can skate comfortably for a certain distance. This is one of the most interesting things I have achieved during the lockdown.
Cathy Li
Year 7
During the lockdown, our school enters the era of remote learning. Although students cannot meet each other in person, we can communicate with each other through the Internet, exploring learning - and sometimes funny things happen.
One morning, it was raining a little outside. I glanced at the clock and logged onto Teams and checked into the meeting room. I thought the teacher would be marking the roll and calling our names. However, it was different this time. The teacher said, ‘This time the lesson has changed a little bit, I need you guys to turn on the camera, let me see you.’ As soon as I heard this, it was funny to see the students appearing on the screen one by one, like the flicking of cards.
My brain didn’t seem to work properly at the time, my right hand unconsciously turning on the camera, 'but you are still in pajamas! A voice in my head quickly reminded me, but I've already had the camera on! Quick as a flash, my left hand blocked the camera in a reflex, my right hand quickly turned off the camera, I dashed across the room to throw on a sports jacket and came back to look at the faces on the screen. Everyone's face slowly all showing up on the screen, I haven’t seen them for a very long time. Suddenly an emotion came across me and I felt very strange,
I had a strong wish to want to tap their shoulders, to talk to them. I wondered if they all shared my feelings. Quietly I set the brightness of the screen to the lowest, well, yes, I couldn’t see and I didn’t want to be seen. Maybe it was a bit cold. I suddenly wanted to hug my friends. Maybe the virus will soon be over, and we can all come back to school, to laugh, to play sports, to annoy each other. I miss my friends and I miss my school.
Leo Li
Year 10
My COVID Normal
Artwork by Yang Peng Year 9
