BMG 2020 Grammarian Issue 4

8 CLASS OF 2020 The year began with hope, possibility and all things new - a new learning centre, new classrooms and a new rugby jumper that would commemorate the Year 12 cohort. What you did not envisage was a new learning environment, new VCAA conditions, new ways to attend the classroom and a new appreciation of the commitment that would bring the cohort together. With these changes came new challenges. It has been said that adversity builds character, however, character was the last thing on your minds. So as the days of lockdown and remote learning went from days into weeks and weeks into months, this unique experience that you all shared demonstrated how character is built over time. Whilst character building is not a visual change, many would see immediately that you have all shown growth in this area as you developed your ability to work, invest in your mindset and adapt to new workspaces such as your bedroom, study or even the kitchen table. In order to build one’s character, the following criteria need to be addressed: WORK HARD, CREATE, EXCEL AND SURVIVE AND survive you did! But not only did you survive, you worked hard despite the uncertainty of what tomorrow might bring, and you continued to focus on working as best you could, creating learning opportunities in ways you never imagined. NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS Humans, by definition, are a social organism, but good strong friendships don’t come without hard work. You saw the importance of that and worked on remaining connected. Whilst we could not come together in a physical space, you made time to touch base with your friends and family and even humoured me and your Tutor Group teachers as we found creative ways to bring you together. This saw ‘Targeted Tuition Time’ have a makeover with the introduction of some new and old activities such as Memorable Mondays, Pictionary or Taboo, Mr Perks’ DAD jokes, themed mornings, bringing your pet to the virtual classroom and even Battle of the Tutor Groups, in which I had you think of what was once buried beneath the oval. No matter how crazy you thought our proposals were, you gracefully took these on board and joined in and supported each other. BE NICE, ESPECIALLY WHEN EVERYTHING TEMPTS YOU NOT TO BE On any given day, in any given week, we encounter situations that challenge the notion of being nice, and whilst you may have waivered from time to time, you stood strong, found your centre, held your values close and embodied the belief of being nice and kind to one another.