English Partnerships Project - Year 8

The Power of Community

By Saachi, Leila, Parmis, Anaya, and Abigail

The Traumatising Experiences of Isolation, And How Community Helps BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP. BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP. Uggh. I hate lockdown mornings. Get up, get dressed, have breakfast, brush teeth, sit down, online lessons. Get up, get dressed, have breakfast, brush teeth, sit down, online lessons. Get up, get dressed, have breakfast, brush teeth, sit down, online lessons. Online lessons, online lessons, ONLINE LESSONS! The worst is having nothing to wake up to, but seven… sickening… excruciating… abominable… hours… constantly… on… screen. Don’t you even think about turning that camera off. Don’t you even think about putting that sweet, golden toffee, which is just there, right next to your computer, in your mouth. Don’t you even think about getting up from that chair to open that window. ‘Cause whist you’re there enjoying that cool, fresh air, you hear your name. It’s the teacher. He’s asking you a question. ‘Hello? I’m telling you, the probability of all these microphones not working is incredibly low.’ Yes, it’s the mathematics teacher. ‘Parmis?’ Oh god, what should I do?

Oh, that’s creepy. He’s right there, he’s looking right at me. That scowl, that questioning look. The question. The question! Where, where, ah, its there! Square root… multiply by 5… wait what? Oh God I’m dead.

Anyway, let us now move away from all that horridness. I am here to tell you about what coronavirus has done to us. So, I’ll tell you. Coronavirus has been driving us crazy. Sanitize this, wear that mask, don’t come a single step closer to me, isolate yourself, and of course, good old lockdown. We have had three lockdowns so far (I cannot say there will be no more) and during those periods of times, many of us have been feeling very lonely and stripped of our communities. But we won’t ever really be alone; there is always someone who will care for you and look out for you, even if you don’t know it. Because that is what our communities are for. Even during the pandemic, people have been: checking in with each other, doing each other’s shopping, seeing each other from the living room window and many other things to comfort and help each other and themselves, and that is what a true and strong community does for one another. Together, they can stay strong and fight back against Covid-19, and believing in and looking after one another in these times is more important than it ever was before.

By Parmis

Unity of the Fellows

by Saachi

Near to each fellow We bloom In the ideas we dream Like the blossoms of a tree As spring light streams Devoid of each fellow We wilt In the empty black abyss Like the stems of roses As the last petal drifts Rejoicing with each fellow We soar In the laughter we share Like the flocks of swallows Which rejoice in summer air Divided with each fellow We shatter Onto the stone- cold floor Like a fractured glass vase Whole body no more United with each fellow We stand In the spirited sun Joined hands hold joint cause Because community is one

Painted by Saachi

Vaccinations Bringing our community together Statistics on the vaccines Covid-19 is a virus which is able to spread at an alarming rate and is sadly killing many elderly people. The only way to protect these people from dying from this virus is to give them the vaccination. However, no vaccine had been developed and tested until December 2020 when the Pfizer vaccine was approved and produced in mass. Soon after the Oxford vaccine, AstraZeneca, was approved and at the current date, 18.5 million doses of the vaccinations have been given out.

A Letter

Dear Sirs, Over the past year the need for community has been dramatically demonstrated due to COVID19. Even through these strange and uncommon circumstances there is still a divide in the belief that community is important. Community itself isn’t just physical but it is also about having people around you that you can lean on and trust.

One of the most prominent reasons why some don’t like living within a community is that it can feel quite suffocated and restricted. When putting this ideology into the global pandemic you would see that many rely on community and having others around. For example, what if an elderly lady who had been shielding from COVID19 lived in an extremely deserted area out in the countryside needed her medication. Struggling to find an aid or assistance nearby, she may have to risk her health by going out, something that nobody should be forced to do. This clearly shows how having a nearby community for support is so vital, especially for vulnerable people.

A great thing about having a neighbourhood is that you are never alone. Being able to go and speak to the person next door and only having to walk a few minutes to get to your friend’s house is a luxury which no one should turn down. I think about my grandma and how lonely she would feel without a nearby community, how she would be forced to be all alone in her house with no one to talk to. How would you feel if that was your Grandparents? If every day they had to go through the same tedious, isolating routine.

Lastly, having a community surrounding you can make you feel at home. When you think about home it is a safe space where you are round around people you trust and have a connection too. A community isn’t very different from that. Everyone knows everyone. You can go down any street and recognise a familiar face. The warm, welcoming feeling of home, whether that is laughing with your neighbours, playing games outside in the snow with the people down your road, or simply knowing that they will always be there for you, no matter what, is something we all deserve. Wouldn’t you want that?

Best wishes, Abigail

Being socially connected with your community improves your mental health During lockdown, I think all of us have had our highs and lows of happiness, especially since we have been isolated from our school community. Some people think that having a community benefits your mental health since you have people to rely on. Whilst others would argue that being away from society was beneficial to our mental health because it allows us to make time for ourselves. Community helps different people in different ways.

One of the main advantages of having a community is the feeling of security and comfort you develop. With others around you, you have people there to support and assist you in your daily life. For example, in school we have our mental wellbeing surveys to check on us and give us that feeling of support, so we know that there are people who can help. As well as this, community brings a sense of belonging and social connectedness which helps someone have a healthier mindset. It also helps them to have meaning and purpose in everyday life. If I was stuck in this lockdown without school or work then I would definitely have days where I wouldn’t even get up out of bed due to lack of activity and excitement, and I am sure this also applies to many others.

On the other hand, there can also be disadvantages to having a community. To start with, if you want time for yourself and are constantly surrounded by other people then it feels as though being part of a community is a chore. Sometimes it is hard to talk about your problems with another person and you would rather be left alone to think about it, than be pressurized by others asking you what’s wrong. Secondly, community can also cause stress and disappointment.

Positions elected by friends and colleagues can have an impact on someone’s mental health, since popularity decreases levels of happiness. For example, if I was running for form monitor and I saw that very few of my classmates voted in favour of me then I would feel neglected and upset.

In conclusion, I believe that being part of a community has many benefits and improves one’s mental health. Not only does it bring value and happiness to someone but it also gives them a feeling of unity and belonging.

By Anaya

Two giraffes, Negaty Low, and Chocy Supreme, are discussing the pandemic standing in the giraffe enclosure in London Zoo, Regents Park. The animals have been taught a new lockdown skill by the zookeepers - how to speak English!

Chocy Supreme:

It has been awfully quiet around here this past year! I heard the humans are going through a bit of a pandemic at the moment.

Negaty Low:

Yeah, I know. On the upside, at least we don’t have to watch those painful children getting all over excited like they’ve never seen a giraffe before and squealing, “look at their long necks!” I’m really enjoying the peace and quiet we’re getting without all those little terrors running wild. I give Covid an A star.

Chocy Supreme:

You really are a bit of a negative low giraffe aren’t you Negaty Low? Always seeing the bucket half-empty, rather than half-full. As for me, I love the humans, and their excited smiles, stubby necks, and tiny teeth. Their visits made my day and gave me something to look forward to. And now what?

Just me and you, and an occasional masked zookeeper.

Negaty Low:

And what’s wrong with that Chocy? Don’t you like my scintillating company?

As for my names, whoever thought of them is a genius. It is almost as if my names chose me! So, tell me Chocy – do you think things are going to work out for these humans? Will they get back to how it was before? Or is it you and me forever?

Chocy Supreme:

I think they will get through this, but things may not be the same as before.

In fact, we may be busier than ever. You see, before all this, humans were not that good at spending time with their family, but it seems that they are now actually realizing that their kids are not that bad – so trips to the zoo may be their new way of ‘spreading the love’. We could be in big demand.

Stardom awaits us Negaty.

Negaty Low:

Stardom! I couldn’t think of anything worse. Although I know what you mean about family. I certainly missed dad when he got sent to Whipsnade and Candy when she went to Knowsley.

Chocy Supreme:

Exactly! Also, the humans have relied so much on their technology during this time, I think after this they will invent some cool new tech, like how to make a computer to allow giraffes to play bridge online.

Negaty Low:

I wish mum would let me get a phone…

Chocy Supreme:

Here we go again… You are not in one of your grumps again, are you?

Negaty Low:

How is that a grump!! I want a phone!!

Chocy Supreme:

A phone would ruin you. You would be addicted, and it would be terrible.

Anyway, you have no hands to use it, and you are so careless, you would probably trample on it. Oh no! I am catching your negativity.

I’ve also been thinking that humans have realised how much they take for granted, I think they will realise how much the poor suffer, and the line between the rich and poor will possibly narrow!

Negaty Low:

We do not have any money, we are owned, remember? Just like slaves, but without the labour. How does that affect us?

Chocy Supreme:

Well for us, some of the animals in our zoo are catching covid-19. This is a big deal! How can the zookeepers look after us if we will give them this virus?! Also, the zoo runs on the prospect of visitors, and the food we get comes from the money our visitors pay. No visitors, no money, no food…

Furthermore, less staff can come in to work here as we are not the priority!

Negaty Low:

They should just send us to the wild…

Chocy Supreme:

Yes, I suppose so, but we all do like it here, though sometimes it feels like an imprisonment. But because none of us are trained to live in the wild, we will not survive!

Negaty Low:

We are going to die!

Chocy Supreme:

Highly possible… Anyway, let us just trust the humans have it under control, and let us get back to thinking positively…

Negaty Low:

What is the point in thinking positively and hopefully when we are in a crisis?! (wailing loudly)

Chocy Supreme:

Well, what is the point in thinking negatively when the pandemic is out of our control?!

Negaty Low:

You tell me. (whimpering)

Chocy Supreme:

Okay, I will. There is no point. We are just making it harder for the humans, and for ourselves. They may have to kill us because it costs so much to look after us! However, there is no point in worrying about something we cannot help. Therefore, we should try to do our best, and help by being hopeful and thinking of the positive aspects of the virus.

So, seeing as all the humans have limited the travelling, driving, and flying, this will positively impact global warming, and help reduce the warming.

Negaty Low:

How I long for the warmth of West Africa… The sun on our backs…

Chocy Supreme:

It is extremely difficult to put up with your complaints… Can’t you go complain somewhere else?

Negaty Low:

NO! (furious) I am staying right here. If it helps, I will not say anything else for the rest of the day! (said with a humph of anger)

Chocy Supreme:

That suits me! Anyway, during lockdown, people can relax without feeling bad about it. Knowing others are also having this spare time from travelling etc., you feel as though you have time you can relax, and you do not have to feel guilty for it.

Negaty Low:

Why is this like a school lesson? Animals don’t have to go to sc… (realising she spoke)

Chocy Supreme:

Shhhh! You are not meant to talk, remember!

Negaty Low:

(nodding shamefully and embarrassed)

Chocy Supreme:

So, I shall continue. I think humans got to know their neighbours better. The humans never used to appreciate, or maybe even talk to the people living nearer them, but lockdown has given them the opportunity to do so. They also have been getting closer to nature and hearing the birds sing. Now that people have spare time on their hands, they can go for mindful walks in nature, and really appreciate the world around them. Also, lockdown has benefitted wildlife. No human is interfering with the wildlife – it can grow as wild as it likes! Another positive aspect is that scientists have been given a new chance to try and tackle something that effects the whole world population.

“Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe that tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today.” “It might be stormy now, but rain doesn’t last forever.” “Sometimes when you are in a hard place, you think you have been buried, but you have actually been planted.”

And with that, Negaty, I shall go to sleep as it is starting to get quite late after all this chatting, and I really do look forward to talking to you tomorrow morning. I always took things for granted, but I have learnt how much I rely on you! Good night, sleep tight, keep calm and be hopeful, for tomorrow is a brand-new day!!

And with that, the two giraffes fell peacefully asleep, feeling better than they did in the past year, for their hopefulness succeeded its aim. NL and CS make NLCS. As a school, we have gone through challenges, and have been both positive and negative, hopeful, and not hopeful, but together, we have all got through this together, and hopefully the world will resume its regular pace very shortly.

By Jasmine

Coronavirus and Creativity Hope, Narrative Story I remember my head submerged in my soggy, damp, cold pillow. My tears gushed down my face as fast and furious as hail in a winter storm. My sobs were loud and incessant, and my sighs were heavy and melancholy. My screams were ear-piercing and deafening.

I was in a shamble; I was in disarray. I was a mess. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I was in an endless cycle of exhaustion, depression... feeling isolated and anxious. It all started in the first lockdown, almost a year back. I was excited for this new and different way of living. Back then, I had a stable and wonderful group of friends who I was so happy with, I had a loving mother and father who were able to support me, and I was doing so well in school, I was a straight A student; but then it all started falling apart.

First, it was my friends. I was used to seeing them every single day at school, and then suddenly, we can only communicate on the phone, but between homework, school, and family, none of us had the time to speak to each other. I found it so hard to keep in touch, so hard I was almost forcing myself to speak to them. We started with texting once a day, then four times a week, then twice a week, then barely ever, and soon we weren’t even speaking at all. I had lost all my friends, I was alone, but my problems didn’t stop there.

Next, it was my family. I very rarely had problems with my family, most of the time they were at work and I was at school, but we still managed to have a close bond, especially me and my dad, we just clicked. I felt I could talk to him about everything, until lockdown. My dad had worked as a pilot almost all his life, he knows nothing else but flying, and when coronavirus hit, he wasn’t needed anymore so he was furloughed and soon after, he was unemployed. My mum owned the cafe below us. It was continuously filled with laughs and happy chatters of the community. It was my source of energy, where I could smile and enjoy time with friends and neighbours. The cafe meant so much to me. Then business was not doing so well anymore. We barely had many customers, and we could not afford to pay the employees, so we had to let them go.

Suddenly, the café was desolate, and it filled me with despair.

Dad started helping mum around the empty café. The two were spending more and more time together working, but the way each of them worked clashed and they ended up having continuous arguments. Mum had to close the shop. She couldn’t afford to keep it open. It was closed, maybe permanently. The prospect of my once happy, safe place being closed for good, crowded me with anguish and gloom. Downstairs, there was no hustle, no bustle. It was just dark and empty.

This is where my endless cycle began. I felt more alone then than I had ever felt before. I had no friends and I barely even had a mum. I wasn’t able to find any hope. I was

hopeless. I had no hope of going back to normality. I had no hope of re-connecting with my friends. I had no hope of lockdown ever being over. It seemed to be like I was just reliving the same day again and again, all just merging into one never-ending, messy blob. I was kept up at night, my brain whirling and churning around my struggles and problems that seemed unsolvable.

My grades started slipping, and I started skipping school. I wasn’t doing my work, and I was suspended on several occasions. I was in this habit of not caring and not bothering and it had trapped me, like a snake winding its body around me getting tighter and tighter and it wasn’t letting go. My scattered emotions continually erupted like a volcano. I sought shelter from my own my mind, my own thoughts. I was feeling lost and distant from my old self. I dragged myself out of my bed to my wretched laptop, day after day, with the same feeling of dread, knowing I was heading towards another filled with emptiness. I isolated myself in my room, as if my room was a prison cell and I couldn’t escape. I was always left feeling like there was no hope, all the hope I had ever had, had been destroyed by a wall of my depression and isolation burning down on it.

My lack of hope made me feel dead inside and I could not change it, until one day, things started to get better.

The news was talking about the end of lockdown approaching, the hope of going back to normality. My heart leaped for joy, that hole in my heart was slowly filling with hope. As I heard the news, I started to realise that maybe things weren’t over for me after all.

That day I heard that news, my energy rose, I was suddenly able to work well in school and I was starting to feel like my old self. Mum had a smile on her face as she imagined the prospect of being able to open her shop again and dad being able to work again.

That day, everything felt new and uplifted, everything had been solved, apart from one thing. My friends. I knew that before that day ended, I had to reach out to my friends, try to reconnect with them and that’s exactly what I did. As the days passed, more and more of me was filling with hope, everything was slowly returning to normal, and I realised that all I needed was that little bit of hope for everything to finally work itself out. This made me realise that the bad times are never the end. It always ends positively, just never give up and you’ll get there in the end.

By Jada

Drawn by Jada

The Break Of Dawn I wake up and The sun is waking too.

The light floods through My room, and I realise You’re not with me.

It’s painful.

As the rays of light Warm my skin, The clock ticks forward.

All the years spent with you, The memories, Come crashing back.

Why would you leave me?

Alone In a pandemic.

Sometimes I wish, I came to heaven With you.

I miss you, it hurts.

But you’re out there, At least I think you are.

Sitting on A bed of clouds, Watching me from afar.

Look, dawn is breaking, Things are changing, Ending, beginning.

Even if you aren’t here I can live without you.

It will be okay soon.

By Hayaam

Drawn by Hayaam

Descriptive Writing Strapping my seat belt on, I turned on my radio and made sure I had everything I needed. Uniform, check. Keys, check. My mask, check. I started the car and started driving out of my driveway. Usually, I would be greeted with the pleasant sight of school children playing hopscotch while waiting for their school bus to arrive on time. However, I was instead greeted with silent streets and endless rows of closed shops. The town would be buzzing with pavement cafes and street musicians filling the air with the sounds of jazz tunes; the street markets would fill the air with an exciting mix of smells and sounds from all around the world. Greeted by emptiness and silence felt like a punch in the stomach.

This neighbourhood had always been the centre of attention. And now? There is no one; no tourists at all, eager to explore the many of shops. Art galleries or museums defeated the town’s purpose to stay alive. I had so many memories of how this town had brought a permanent smile to my face, and now, my smile was crumbling to pieces and so was my hope for everything to go back to normal.

Looking to the side, I took a sharp turn to the left. In the corner of my eye, I could see bursts of colour coming from blocks of flats. I kept on driving and to my side, I saw a picture of what seemed like a rainbow stuck onto a window.

Carrying on driving, I could see more rainbows from many more windows.

Maybe it was rainbow day? Suddenly, I snapped out and heard the radio mention rainbows. Looking outside again, a picture, which I could clearly see, said “Thank you NHS!”. Realising what the public had done, I started smiling, with my cheeks glowing warmly, and realised there was hope. There was hope to defeat this virus, for once and for all.

By Kishana

By Alexandra, Eleanor, Hana, Jiatan and Kayla

Escape Don’t move, it said, Don’t smile, stay a while, Don’t cry, it said, So, I didn’t.

Don’t leave, it sneered, Don’t go, lay low, Don’t pry, it sneered, So, I stayed.

Don’t hide. I scream, Don’t run, no fun, Don’t lie. I scream, So, I stopped.

Then I sank beneath the floor Behind a million worlds would be I fly, I jump, I leap, I land, It will never find me.

Leave, it said, Go free, Run wild, Breathe, it said, Escape.

By Alexandra

Descriptive Writing

Solemnly, he took his seat, drink in hand, alone at last. His eyelids full to the brim and his eyes glistening in the sensuous sun. The ghost of his late wife was everywhere, mocking him. His eyes flickered to the window where he heard the sounds of birds frolicking in delight. And the scowl he gave them was so utterly terrifying yet also deeply depressing, for his look was not filled with anger, but jealousy of other species who didn’t feel remorse and anger and solitude when a loved one died. When he saw supposedly his reflection in the window, he didn’t see himself, but his love. She looked full of life and content. She sat there with perfect posture, while he sat opposite her, hunched over, about to break down. She nodded slowly and he knew that this was his minds attempt to tell him that he had to move on. His wife was telling him that he had to move on. But he couldn’t. At the bottom of his heart he knew, he would never be okay again. He might as well just end it now and suffer no more. But every time he tried to stand up, to carry out the deadly deed, he imagined his wife scolding him. He could hear her telling him that he “had so many more years to live.” She would speak quickly, in a high loving voice, pointing her finger at him. Every time he fell into one of these mind-traps, he could feel her presence. Every time it was the same pain. The same feelings. The beige stained carpet beneath him felt damp, and gradually the feeling spread to his toes, and eventually his whole foot. Upon looking down he saw that it was his tears that was giving his foot a weird sensation, and he noticed that his whole body was shaking uncontrollably. It couldn’t have been from the temperature of the room, for he was warm. It was one of the warmest summers he could remember. He knew why he was shaking. It was obvious why he was shaking. Before he knew it his mobile phone was flickering in front of him, with constant new notifications. He was sick of it vibrating every two seconds. As he slowly picked it up, he saw hundreds of messages flooding in from his friends and family members paying tribute to Josephine. He had no strength to look through them. At the top of his notifications, he read the latest news headlines about the new Covid19 restrictions. That really set him off. He was appalled that the government could even consider relaxing the rules just to allow the young members of the community to have a summer holiday. He wanted to write in. To express his feelings and tell them that citizens were dying from this awful virus. That they had to put an end to it. Find a vaccine. Save lives.

If they had done that sooner his wife would still be alive. But she wasn’t. And through the death of his other half and not feeling safe to walk through the street, his life was shattered from what it used to be. It would never be the same again. Solemnly, he took his seat, drink in hand, alone for good.

By Kayla

Solitude in lockdown has had a positive effect on people’s mental/physical health and wellbeing. Discuss.

The 23rd of March will be the one-year mark since the beginning of Lockdown. The Covid-19 pandemic has been the most significant event of our lives, and certainly one that will not be forgotten. Out of 114,441,348 confirmed cases worldwide, there have been 2,538,681 lives lost that will never be replaced. It has impacted all our lives; we have been trapped indoors unable to see our friends and family for almost a year and has greatly impacted the population’s wellbeing and mental health. Solitude is a feeling that people now know all too well, a sense of being utterly and completely left to our own thoughts, and because of this situation, nearly everyone has experienced it at some point over the course of this year. While many people see solitude as a predominantly negative experience, there have been many positives to us spending this time alone. However, while this can offer a rich psychological experience, too much isolation can have a negative impact on all our lives.

We will be discussing the positive and negative effects of solitude during lockdown.

This deadly pandemic has adversely impacted all nations across the globe. Millions of lives have been lost, and to control its quick transmission amongst people, the only option that the governments of many different nations had was to impose lockdown in their individual countries. As a result of this, many primary and secondary students were almost immediately enrolled in online learning. Despite the negatives of online school, many students have been found to be more productive and enjoyed using their spare time to learn new skills and help enforce their previous learning. Due to the lockdown, new online tools and software started being increasingly popular to study via digital classrooms and work via virtual office spaces. This has contributed a lot towards enhancing the workflows and procedures that are needed for operating teams or studying through online modes.

It opened opportunities for those who previously found it hard to work from home, and those already enrolled in distance learning. Over 83 percent of students said they preferred online learning for a variety of reasons. Students were able to sleep in, which to many sounds like a flaw in the system, but adolescents do not function well in the mornings, and are physically fighting their own biology when forced to do strenuous work early in the morning.

In lessons, students are able to work at their own pace, work without distractions from their classmates, easily communicate with their teacher, and learn with a schedule that meets their needs. This overall provides a better school experience, making students more efficient when working.

Outside of the school environment, students were able to pursue activities they haven’t had the chance to do for a long time. Hobbies such as reading, photography, art, music, and exercise have often been put aside to focus on the copious amounts of homework and revision given from teachers. Time alone has given pupils opportunities to revisit old past times, bringing a little joy into lockdown life! Particularly exercise influencers, such as Joe Wicks, Pamela Reif, Chloe Ting, and Lilly Sabri have become increasingly popular, because of gym closures and only 1 outdoor exercise per day allowed at the peak of lockdown. The popularity of these influencers has encouraged people to get into new routines including working out once per day. It is also a free way to keep entertained, and something available for everybody regardless of experience and resources and gives company to those suffering from loneliness.

The main positive reason we think solitude has proven to be a positive experience is because it has provided us with time to focus on our life, health, and social connections. We have gotten the time to introspect on our school life and career, assess the progress of our existing goals and make plans for the future. It has also given us a time to reflect on the past and look deeper into ourselves: an experience nearly none of us would have gotten if it wasn’t for this lockdown period. These few months of solitude has given us time to escape our busy lives filled with social interaction, whether it was physical or through social media. The time spent alone taking a step back to re-evaluate our lives, asking ourselves important questions to discover what makes us the happiest, is an important way to maintain our mental health and wellbeing. Before lockdown, we rarely took time to connect with our inner selves, and when the restrictions lessen, still taking time every day to reflect and meditate alone could greatly improve our self-esteem and self-love. Hence why solitude in lockdown has had a positive effect on mental health.

Though lockdown has inspired many to become more productive and innovative, living without key human interactions for extended periods of time can have a negative impact on mental health, especially in students and younger people. In a recent survey carried out by Mind, a mental health charity, 18–24-year-olds were asked about their mental health levels both before and after lockdown. Almost 73% of them said their

wellbeing had declined during this period. This was due to concerns over loved one's physical health, and not having enough support from universities, employers and the government. Many people reported that they were considerably stressed about their finances and employment prospects, due to economic recession and finding it difficult to adapt to a radically different lifestyle at both University and at home. It is known that the human species find change unsettling, and with a situation such as the Coronavirus pandemic it is clear it will have a substantial impact on people across the UK and Worldwide Since this virus is highly contagious, many elderly people (typically over the age of 80, as more than 50% of fatalities have occurred in this age category) and/or those with underlying health conditions have been forced to “shield” for many months on end. This term means that people who are asked to do so, are prohibited from leaving their house, except for limited reasons, and the general lockdown rules (I.e., going to the shops and daily exercise outside) do not apply to them as they pose a serious risk to their health during this period.

Unfortunately, vulnerable people have been experiencing a different, and greater solitude than the rest of the population. On top of worries about the pandemic and how it affects them, they have to deal with being even more isolated than others (especially when lockdowns start being released), and this can pose a sense of unfairness and unsettlement. Some of them will already struggle with taking care of themselves and live alone, so are dependent on friends and family members who now cannot help them. Being alone for too long can have a negative effect on both their physical and mental health, and how they will cope with the “new normal” ahead is uncertain .

An aspect more related to development as opposed to wellbeing, is schooling during lockdown and the downsides to this. On Friday, March the 20 th, schools were ordered to close, and didn’t open until September meaning a whole term of in-person schooling was missed. In fact, 1 in 5 children had no online schooling platform, so were learning absolutely nothing and many more have gone without sufficient resources needed for their education. Here, at North London Collegiate School, we are extremely lucky to have the technology needed in order for a fulfilled learning experience, even though we are not in school, yet others haven’t been so fortunate.

Between 1.m and 1.8m pupils do not have access to any form of device, making this time, and their learning experience exceedingly difficult. This is particularly prevalent in BAME and disadvantaged backgrounds and is causing problems amongst these communities. As well as struggling to learn in the middle of a global pandemic, children all across the country are missing out on important developmental skills and interactions. For teenagers, seeing their peers everyday help them in social aspects of life. As well as this age group, younger children (in Reception - Y2) rely on in-person teaching to obtain key skills in everyday life, such as fine motor skills and basic interactions. Ofsted has recently suggested that this progress has regressed as some toddlers are “back in nappies having previously been toilet trained” and according to a survey of 900 children, 53% have fallen behind in personal, social, and emotional development, 25% in Mathematics and 24% in basic Literacy skills. It is noticeably clear that if any more school is lost, there will be an increase in those falling behind and as a result of this, it will have a severe impact on their future learning and prospects, hence why lockdown is having a negative impact on both our mental and physical health.

In conclusion, though there are many positive impacts to solitude in lockdown, such as increased exercising and productivity, we believe that it has had a more negative effect, especially on those who are living completely alone. This virus has had a profound impact on all our lives and our abilities to adapt to radical change whilst maintaining some form of our lives virtually. In this present era (the 21 st century), we are fortunate enough to be surrounded with technology that allows us to stay in touch with loved ones and continue with our education or work. However, some people do not have access to this technology, making them even more separated from society in an already isolating new lifestyle. For those that do, being online almost all day is having detrimental impacts on our health, and we can’t just log off; we now rely on technology heavily in all situations – in fact is has completely taken over our lives and replaced “physical” versions of events, people and places that we used to be able to experience. In a time where mental health is being recognized and talked about much more frequently, strain on all our wellbeing is being felt amidst worries about finances, losing jobs on the furlough scheme, future employment prospects and social life. Vulnerable people are not even able to see anyone, placing great uncertainty on what will happen next for them. Schoolchildren are lacking in social interaction, stunting their emotional development, and further time alone will greatly impact their ability to interact when we return to “normal”.

If we remain in lockdown for too much longer, we will struggle to adjust to the way we used to be and remaining in solitude will become our new normal.

By Alexandra and Eleanor

The Storm of Solitude The rattle of the thunder shook the windows violently as the rain relentlessly beat down onto the fragile panes. The lightning illuminated the storm - and the damage to the little wooden barn where we were taking refuge. Rain dripped through the gaps in the soiled, peeling wood.

Every time the window shook, I looked down at my fingers, white with tension from gripping the window ledge.

I turned away from the window to face the girl hidden in the shadows, but she was firmly looking away from him, with arms crossed across her chest. Anger radiated from her body.

“It’s not looking good,” I announced tentatively. She slowly rotated to face me. Her face was dark - not just because it was cast in a shadow. “Really?” she said, feigning surprise. “Wow! I couldn’t tell,” she deadpanned.

“I’m sorry!” I exclaimed defensively.

“You should be,” she retaliated. “It’s your fault we’re here,” she pointed it. “In the middle of nowhere, alone, with no method of communication.” I looked down at my water-logged boots in shame. She wasn’t wrong. She rarely was. “I know,” I admitted in a small voice. “So,” she started, walking towards him. “I’m leaving.” And with that she went out into the raging storm.

I screamed, pleading for her to come back, but the deadly storm drowned out my voice. I watched my sister disappear into the woods, leaving me alone. I didn’t dare follow her. I could never leave the security of the barn. She was always braver than I was.

And just when I was losing hope, I saw a girl with flaming red hair the same shade as my own running back towards the barn. It was my sister! But she was screaming. Telling me close the doors of the barn. And barricade myself in. And then she dropped to the floor. My mouth fell open. In the distance I could just make out a figure dressed in all white. The monster that killed my sister. The wolf dressed in sheep’s clothing. Solitude.

By Hana

The Values of Solitude While solitude is so often associated with loneliness and unhappiness, I do not think that it should be thought of in that way. There are many ways in which it is beneficial, and spending time alone is often essential to our health, mentally and physically. People who like to be alone more often than most should therefore not be labelled as ‘anti-social’ or even worse, as having a mental illness.

To begin with, spending time alone can allow you to understand yourself better – instead of directing your attention towards interacting with other people, being alone means you have only yourself to think of. In this way, solitude provides you with time to explore your emotions and thoughts (without worrying about the presence of anyone else), and this means you can have the opportunity to find out who you truly are. This sounds slightly selfish, but it is important for self-improvement, which will ultimately make you happier.

And surely that is what is most important?

Additionally, several studies have found that solitude can also help increase your creativity.

Being alone means your mind can wander however it wants to, in a way it would not be able to do if you were surrounded by people; you can shut out the world around you and just permit yourself to think freely, which encourages creativity. And why shouldn’t we do that, occasionally, to allow our thoughts to roam, and become even more creative?

Lastly, solitude can even help you to concentrate and memorise things more effectively.

When alone, there is no one else there to distract you – furthermore, you are forced to think by yourself. It was discovered in one study published in the journal Psychological Bulletin that a group of students working together to attempt to remember information did worse than those trying to remember things on their own.

Overall, it is evident that there are many ways in which solitude is a positive thing, even more than when it is negative. However, it also depends on how you decide to use your time alone, and some find it harder to feel happy alone than others (this can also depend on whether you’re an introvert or an extravert). Solitude can make one feel a deep connection with the world and find hope and beauty. Unfortunately, it can be said that society seems to focus more on the negative aspects rather than the positives – wouldn’t it make everyone happier if we brought the good side of solitude out and practised it productively?

By Jiatan

‘I want to be free’ ‘I want to be free,’ he whispers into the wind, as he looks out the window, but everything is grey and lonely. The cheeping birds are his only company, but even their voices are fading.

Leaving him. He turns away.

Numbness. Emptiness. Nothing fills the hole that was left by his happiness leaving. His skin craves the touch of another, the warmth of another body. His suffocating blanket of warmth no longer provides comfort. Any warmth that had previously illuminated his body and laced solace in his soul, had left, leaving him a lonely shell of the person he once was.

He drowns in his own solitude. He certainly feels as if he’s underwater. His body feels heavy.

Every movement drains him of all energy. Sound never quite seems to reach his ears. His vision is dark. Colours look dim. His head is clouded, in a fog.

The cold tears fall silently down his pale face. They are the only contact he has. But even they will leave him eventually.

By Hana

Pigeons I never really liked pigeons, Their squawking, whining, infuriating manner of conducting themselves, Constantly obstructing rushing passers-by in their masses, Begging for crumbs and scraps of food by tilting their heads in a way that is exasperating, and yet so innocent at the same time, And when they manage to obtain their reward, they are always seeming to want much more.

I never really liked pigeons, Gradually deteriorating the gutters and rooftops, Oblivious to the damage they are causing, Their feathers, their whole being, reeking of grime and diseases, Then silently spreading them across the city.

I never really liked pigeons, For, to me, they are the epitome of loneliness, Splattered in a dreary shade of grey by the pavement, Always surrounding us, stabbing at our thoughts and our feelings, But never quite seeming to go away.

My father believes that pigeons should be contained, And I agree, But there are just too many of them to be controlled, And now, with the city transformed into a near ghost- town, There is even more room for the pigeons to roam free.

By Eleanor

Engrained in Technology

By Eleanor

TRAVEL

By Sia, Saanvi, Jennika, Clementine and Arushi

“THE REAL VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY CONSISTS NOT IN SEEKING NEW LANDSCAPES, BUT IN HAVING NEW EYES.” - Marcel Proust Physically Travelling: We arrive at our long-awaited destination!

Coarse, fine-grained sand stings our feet; The sweltering Sun burns our skin Shouldn’t we be enjoying this treat?

A new wave of energy washes over us…

Suddenly the sand feels soft and glossy; The Sun’s rays feel like an embracing caress We enjoy the little things in life – we enjoy their glory Rapidly packing suitcases; gathering family members; interminable airport queues; hastening to the plane; long monotonous flights; travel sickness; the fear of being ostracised in foreign countries; combatting language barriers…These are just some of the stresses and anxieties of travel…that we all miss. The pandemic has brought us a great sense of realisation, as we start to understand how grateful we should be for the most miniscule things in life – things we would never have thought once about to thank.

The pandemic has engulfed the world in a dark, cataclysmic veil, concealing our emotions and extinguishing our lights of hope. The virus has infected many physically, but has infected all of us mentally. This is exactly the mindset we must rid ourselves of. We need “new eyes” to see the positivity COVID-19 has brought us. “Hindsight’s 2020.” Travelling, in this new world, means taking a step out into our own garden; smelling the aroma of home-grown roses; feeling the soft caress of the warm shafts of sunlight; watching wisps of clouds drift mindlessly across the sapphire sky; walking on lush, green grass that dances underneath our feet; and just experiencing the joy of breathing in fresh air. We must cherish the little things we used to dismiss as unimportant.

Mentally Travelling: The mind – so many ideas it brings…

It’s monstrous, but still gorgeous and flawless But, do you really know about everything?

Plunge into the wonderful world of your subconscious…

“You have two hands: one for helping others and one for helping yourself!”

Ensure your words of comfort travel to those in need; Travel deep down inside yourself and discover – you’ll excel!

Travel: be freed and succeed.

It has been a year since the beginning of lockdown and lots of us have found new ways to travel amidst the hardships we have faced in these unusual circumstances.

One of my personal favourites is reading – what you are doing now. Books. Our imagination can build new, desired realities and we can travel far from the real world – the current, difficult world of lockdown and the pandemic. Reading creates an atmosphere of serenity and tranquility. We immerse ourselves into the pages of a book; become lost in new universes; undergo unique experiences; obtain knowledge about fascinating people and places; set aside troubles; walk in others’ shoes; view problems from different perspectives; escape without physically going anywhere. Reading reduces stress levels and negative thoughts. It is the cure.

Everyone travels a metaphorical journey: LIFE. There are times when the roads are straight and times when they are winding or meander into the unknown. It is up to us to how we approach these bends, which paths we choose to travel through and how we build new roads to our liking – how we would like to live life to its fullest and strive, to achieve our goals.

Instead of trying to seek changes in the world, be the change. Motivate, inspire and encourage others during these unprecedented times. Travel. This means finding a way to make sure your voice and words travel into the heart and soul of those in need, whether that be through writing, speaking, etc...

Now, take a trip inside your mind. Delve into your subconscious. Discover things about yourself, your personality, your ambitions and what it means to be you. Focus on the inside.

What did you learn?

Travel does not always mean bustling airports and sea nausea – it is simply the act of moving, whether that be physically or mentally, and discovering. It is up to you what you would like to discover…

BY SAANVI

Delve into your subconscious…

Are there more positives or negatives to travelling?

Since the revolution of airplanes and travel in the 21st century, more and more people have had the desire to travel abroad. Even though there has been an immense decline since the start of the pandemic, many still travel due to the opportunity to experience new world cultures, make lifelong friends and new experiences. On the other hand, travelling can have disadvantages towards the environment and is not available for all ranges of wealth. I believe that travelling has a number of benefits and the purpose of this piece is to show the importance of travelling for all people. Do the advantages outnumber the disadvantages to travelling?

Travel has detrimental side effects that can cause loneliness and homesickness as well as the fact that it requires money. Many solo travellers attempt to bury their loneliness under an ocean of carefree happiness hoping it will disappear. However, it festers and hinders at the back of our minds, to the point where you are your own company. Travelling may come across a lot better than it is off influencers on social media, making it appear as if you are failing at travelling and soon wish to come home. Not only this travel requires a lot of money which is not always available for everyone and many can easily become addicted to spending it with haste. Travel demands that you are strong both financially and mentally.

Through all the money discarded, the constant thought of isolation and fear of overspending, is it really worth it?

On the other hand, travelling can forge memories and create friends that stay for a lifetime.

Of all benefits to travelling, it is often the people you meet that make the experience of travel unforgettable. Many of us can become confined by staying in our area, hearing myths and stories about mythological creatures and the news on the TV, from all over the world.

However, why not venture out, open your eyes and have travel burst that bubble? The more you travel, the bigger the world seems, therefore helping improve social skills, learning new foreign languages and escaping from reality and problems. By travelling you can experience a variety of all your childhood dreams, from going on food adventures in Europe to exploring the unique cultures and traditions in Asia. There is no limit to travel.

World travel gets more popular every year leading to issues towards the environment and earth, which we may not notice. Carbon dioxide emissions from flights cause global warming, which increases the temperature. If left unchecked, global aviation will generate an estimated 43 metric gigatons of carbon dioxide emission by 2050. The potential for harm is a common reason many decide against travel. As well as this there is a risk of catching COVID-19 and having the difficulties of not being able to come back to your own country.

There are numerous risk factors to consider as well like safety precautions and security.

Overall, it is not worth risking your health as well as affecting the environment to travel abroad.

Traveling is an adventure for most people as it can be fearsome, risky, and captivating, unlocking our inner child memories. Have you ever desired to go on an adventure to fulfil your dream? You will never experience this if you do not open your eyes to the world. Life is

too short for you to be living a confined, miserable life. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages to a great extent that proves this. There is a famous saying, “experience is better than knowledge”. The experience opens your mind to whole lot of new ideas, diversifies your thoughts, and gives you confidence. Whether it is a local place or a place beyond your limits, travelling will give you an experience that you would not have experienced anywhere in your lifetime. You also have to keep in mind that there are cons of travelling like any possible harms and threats that could happen anywhere at any time.

Travelling actually gives you an opportunity to identify yourself. There is simple saying “you only live once”, therefore go and pursue your travel dreams before you no longer can and COVID-19 obstructs it. You may have pondered at some point what the purpose of your existence is. Travelling can answer that question.

BY JENNIKA

NEGATIVES POSITIVES

Fly Away He wakes up. Another day in lockdown; in his room again. He climbs into the bath. Closes his eyes.

He is sinking in a deep blue water. The big blue, because it doesn’t feel like water anymore, envelopes him. There is nowhere where his skin can feel the oxygen of the world. He continues to sink down. Why should he stop? This is like flying away. Somewhere else.

Anywhere else. In front of him, fish whizz past. Not noticing him. The Sun stands over, blurred in the surface of the water. His sweat has been washed away with his troubles. He is standing now. Next to him a translucent creature floats past. It has no eyes. It has no brain.

It is clearly magnificent because it is not. It knows it's not. It knows nothing. Merrily oblivious. He watches it float away. Its path does not change. Its tentacles glow. It heads to the surface. Why? He opens his eyes again, and he is back in the bath. The sweat is still dripping off his face and his fan is not working. He loses the vivid image of that beautiful ocean in his mind’s eye.

It’s now homework and plans and my God it’s hot.

He feels absent today. Like his mind is tied down by a thread and if he just lets it go, he will never pay attention again. But that thread is stubborn. Keeping him here. Although they have been in lockdown for three months now, the pull to just go somewhere, anywhere, has been in him for a while. That part of him is antsy. Itching to go, go far away from his little house in his little corner of England. The comfort of home is boring. What he needs is some fresh air. He pulls open his garden door. He closes his eyes.

He is standing in the middle of a bright, verdant jungle. The trees are towering, reaching further and further to the sky and the clouds. Wanting to run. On the ground of this rainforest, it is dark; the sun doesn’t reach him and he likes it. An emerald leaf stretches over his head. He sits, he is relishing the shade. The birds sing, and if he focuses hard enough, he can hear them calling his name. Singing for him. All the hues feel dimmed, and it saddens him that he can’t see it all. As if the universe is listening, a beautiful bird flies down to the branch next him. The bird is gorgeous. There are no other words to describe it. She is red, bright red. Red like the love that radiates off someone when they are reunited with their family. Red like unnatural to this world, like it shouldn’t be found on something so primitive. Red like a bright light against the greyish dark background. When she makes eye contact with him, she lifts her beak, revealing that Mother Nature must have been feeling creative when she made this alluring creature. Splashed under her beak, over the edges of her wings and her tail feathers are a loud shade of lilac. She is a lighter purple than the natural lavender. She is lilac like peace. She is red like love. She is his goodness. The goodness he has lost.

When he opens his eyes, he sees a drab pigeon on his lawn. It is a dull grey. A slate grey like the background of the rainforest. It flies away. He sees in his head that gorgeous parrot and vows that one day he will see her in real life. He will find her.

Now he is fascinated by the way he can wonder. He ponders on the cutting of that thread tying him down. Wouldn’t that mean freedom? A way to escape this mess he made himself.

The reality that a literal deadly disease is spreading through the world and killing hundreds will probably never dawn on him. It will never bring him down from his selfish desire to leave his country. But he knows inside that he would feel happier if he wasn’t stuck in his corner of the world. He knows nothing else of how to fix himself. His part of the world is drab and boring and plain. Too dignified. The rest of the world waits for him. Travel is the one thing he longs for. The idea of flying away.

BY SIA

Fly Away...

Travel And Tourism: The Industries That Lost The Most Now, almost a year after the first lockdown, travel as it was before seems like a distant memory. For the few that have managed to have a holiday, it was most likely full of cleaning, masks and isolations. The companies that rely on travel and tourism have been among the biggest sufferers from the pandemic. In 2019, 40.9 million tourists came to the UK, spending a record £28.4 billion. In comparison, 2020 had just 9.7 million tourists. Which companies have been hit hardest and how have they coped?

One of the most obvious industries to lose out because of travel is airlines. With everchanging quarantine rules causing hesitation and cancellations as well as being unable to fly at full capacity, it’s no wonder that the owner of British Airways, International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG), had a £6.5 billion loss in 2020. Despite cutting 12,000 staff and scrapping its entire fleet of Boeing 747-400 Jumbos, the company’s losses continue a downward spiral. Will, one employee, who managed to escape the job cuts earlier, has commented, “It’s so scary, not knowing when you might be the next one to be fired. Every time the Prime Minister makes an announcement, I watch with bated breath because if it’s positive news, more people will book a holiday and my job will be safer. If it isn’t, I could be cut.” Since Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown, was announced, there has been a spike in holiday bookings, but there is still a question mark on when it will be practical for Brits to take foreign holidays again; our vaccination program may be strong, but the rest of the world still has a long way to go. IAG, the owner of British Airways has called for digital health passes for those that have been vaccinated to safely begin air-travel again and perhaps, that will be the road to recovery for them.

Hotels, though often overlooked, have also had a hard time during the pandemic. With so few people travelling abroad, even fewer go abroad and stay in hotels. The hotel chain Hilton Worldwide reported a net loss of $720 million, $225 million of which was in Quarter 4 (1 October – 31 December). As the hotels continue to lose money, employees continue to lose jobs. In June, Hilton let go of 22% of its corporate workforce. However, unlike with airlines, recovery seems to be coming soon. As of 10th February, Hilton had re-opened 97% of its global hotels, leaving only 220 with suspended operations. Now, with the hotel quarantine system for inbound travellers from at-risk countries, UK hotels finally have a chance to assuage their losses. Often, when it comes to hotel quarantine, those being quarantined are focussed on, but the workers in the hotels overlooked. Emma, an employee of a hotel that will be used for quarantining gives her views, “I’m so relieved to have my job back after months of furlough and uncertainty. This should have been done a long time ago because it gives us back our jobs and is also a safer way to ensure arrivals to the UK don’t spread the virus.” The hotel quarantine system seems to solve many of the problems that hotels are facing, and we can hope that it will be enough.

However, while airlines and hotels are always thought of immediately as having losses from the lack of travel in the pandemic, many tourist hotspots are faring badly as well. From the small shops in London selling tourist merchandise to the picturesque holiday destination of Lake District and Cornwall, losses have been widespread. Isabelle, an owner of a small tourist shop in London says, “It’s been difficult through the entire pandemic because I’ve had to close my shop down. My business is small, so it’s easily overlooked, but I’m still struggling because I rely completely on tourist, international tourists, to make a living.” It’s not just London, however, that tourists visit. In the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park in Scotland, £300 million have already been lost with another £200 million to come if the same restrictions continue. Just like Loch Lomond, many other tourist hotspots are also suffering from the pandemic. Some have managed to do virtual tours, but profits at the rate they had before will only happen when they can reopen. Perhaps as the UK continues to return to normal and more travellers begin to visit, the industry will eventually begin its steady recovery, but unlike airlines and hotels, that seems like a distant future.

As an industry that generates approximately one-tenth of the UK’s GDP, tourism was very important to the economy before the coronavirus pandemic. Now, it is riddled with heavy losses that will take many years to fix. International travel was making airlines and hotels prosperous before. Now, the lack of it is causing their balance sheets to plummet. Covid has had grave impacts on these industries and will continue to do so for a few months.

However, the light at the end of the tunnel is visible and coming closer all the time. People like Will, Emma and Isabelle will be able to work again without fear. Perhaps, in a few years, all will be as it was before, and the travel and tourism industries will prosper once more.

BY ARUSHI

Loch Lomond

Cloud You wake up bleary-eyed at three in the morning and you feel that anticipation rolling in your stomach: you roll out of bed and eye your very over-stuffed suitcase in the corner. On the floor is a crumpled list of everything you had to pack, scribbled over and thrown across the room in a fit of frustration. You can smell toast wafting down the hall and the thought of food makes you do a happy little dance - you are leaving for the airport in just a couple of hours! You get ready in your softest clothes, ready for hours of sitting on plane seats ahead of you and stale air circulating the little space. As you see the rest of your family in the kitchen, you get another bubble of excitement in your throat as you imagine all the adventures to come in the next fourteen days.

It’s not like that anymore. Curling up with a good book and your cat on a Saturday afternoon is now the greatest happiness you can have, and to walk further than your local park feels closer to completing a race. The truth of the similarity of every day is like a bad taste in your mouth; something you need to get away from, to escape. The world floats by, and sometimes it feels as if you have been left behind and everything is empty around you. It has been like that a lot recently, and all you’re looking forward to is the moment you can feel sand under your toes again. You have nothing to lose anymore and a whole world to see, and yet you are trapped in this one place. You have promised yourself that once the lockdown is over, you will pack a bag and get on the first flight you can.

You’ll lie under the warm sun and feel the golden beams fill you up with contentment; you will spend the long afternoons in the waves; in the evening you will watch the sunset as you sip a cold drink. It will be perfect, but the most electrifying feeling will be when you know you have left the country, when you look out of your window and all you can see is undiscovered territory and faces that you haven’t seen every day for the past year. You will be happy in the knowledge that you have your little oasis here, even if it is only for a few days.

BY CLEMENTINE

Perseverance Perseverance. Making its intense descend into Mars’ atmosphere. Will it make it?

The twelve minutes of tense waiting was met with silence. Screens at home were turned on and ready. Most people were excited, I was scared. My job was on the line here. My role as the senior head of technology was to organise the flight of Perseverance, from launch to landing. However, the lack of available staff had hindered my decision. Lead scientists had to stay at home and direct tests through a screen. No-one knew for certain whether Perseverance would fly or fall.

I wanted to delay the launch, wait till the scientists could return in person.

Restrictions were lowering, a chance of their return was nearing. Except, day by day people’s patience was decreasing. Reporters were asking the same question over and over again, “When will Perseverance fly?” All I did was delay, over and over again. Now I gave them a false hope. An answer to a raging question, met with a near impossible promise. “In three months” I said, to keep the reporters at bay, “Perseverance will fly to Mars, to begin its mission, our mission, to collect data on Mars”.

The clock is running out. I didn’t expect it to happen so fast, but here it is. Will Perseverance actually fly, or stay in the warehouse, collecting dust? Years of work was on the line here. The trust of the public. Will I keep my promise? I felt the pressure weighing me down. My boss visited me before I made the final commitment. He told me that he trusted me to make the right decision, and to be calm, but that if everything went wrong, I wouldn’t have a job. So much for staying calm, I thought to myself. Three seconds till I had to choose. I was still weighing out the options. Two. Perseverance isn’t ready yet, it can’t launch. One. I made my decision. “Perseverance will be launched”. By Lily

Discursive Piece Innovation during the pandemic: What impacts has it had?

Innovation is a process by which a domain, a product, or a service is renewed and brought up to date by applying new processes, introducing new techniques, or establishing successful ideas to create new value.

An unexpected and unfamiliar change is what the world was thrown into recently, a global pandemic. It has impacted the way we live our lives and made everyone take a step back to analyse the efficiency of their machinery, their practices and much more. Once these vital aspects were recognised, innovating begun. The Coronavirus has thrown 7.9 billion people into an anthropause (the severe reduction of human activity) and several seized the opportunity to develop their new ideas to aid current situations.

A lot of creativity has been stimulated by the, as some would say, “depressing” situation that we have all had to recently experience. However, these said circumstances didn’t stop the hundreds of innovators all over the world from producing extraordinary devices and much more. We as humans have a natural fear against the unknown and what it holds, things which are unfamiliar scare us and we tend to avoid them. However, when we learn to be adaptable and flexible, we learn that we as humans do whatever we put our minds to. Perhaps that is what many bright innovators thought.

Instead of viewing the situation as a terrible ordeal, they took it as an opportunity to help those in need with their brilliant ideas.

One of the many examples of brilliant innovations during the pandemic is when one of the largest retailers in China, JD.com, utilised autonomous robot vehicles to deliver food, medicine and other supplies in Wuhan. They successfully delivered 100 million masks over a 3-day period. Furthermore, this was achieved by addressing the previous issues Wuhan had experienced with last mile autonomous vehicles, a prime example of development.

Another great innovation is the development of apps such as Teams, Zoom etc. Giving students all over the world an opportunity for education remotely, as well as a chance to see our peers and friends too. However, we may be afraid of how dependant we are on this new technology.

Everything we do must be from a screen, our Education, Entertainment and Social life. We may have laughed over the thought of technology becoming vital in our lives, but recently the remarks we once made as children have turned into a reality. It is understandable that many people are afraid on how essential of a role these mechanisms play in our day to day lives, but as everything around us develops, it is difficult to live in a world where we don’t have easy access to this machinery. We must learn to adapt and be flexible, something which change forces us to do.

Innovation has created some of the most beneficial devices, aiding thousands, even millions of people. Lockdown seems to have stimulated the minds of inventors and creators, as the amount of machinery and systems which benefit us have skyrocketed. These play such an important role in our lives, and it would be very difficult for us to cope without these brilliant innovations, so we must stop fearing the unknown and the future, so we can move forwards.

Girisha

Poem

When our hands could no longer hold each-others Or our arms could embrace those we love, Our breaths could no more share laughing space Or our eyes meet in knowing response.

Zoom has become our greatest friend, Easing our pain of separation, Upholding our need to stay connected, Helping us smile no matter the distance.

A revolution of communication bringing us together, An innovation that celebrates Covid’s cruel rule which has made way for this wonder, Zoom; it ultimately brought us closer.

Elle