LAST Friday marked the end of a school year unlike any other for year twelve students at Orara High School.

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From online learning during lockdown, cancellation of schoolies week and social distanced formals, 2020 has been a tumultuous year for the high school leavers.

“It was really straining on a lot of students, it was hard to keep positivity up, but I think we got very close as a year group. We got through it to the end,” said Orara School Captain Dominic Franklin.

For Vice Captain Rashana Wilkinson, maintaining motivation was the hardest part of school this year.

“Not having anyone there to tell you what to do was hard. It was all up to you,” she said.

Despite the challenges of this year, the students were upbeat about Australia’s COVID situation.

“We got to have the time of our lives this week, we’re turning eighteen, we’re still allowed to go to the pubs, there’s limits but at least in Coffs we’re still able to enjoy ourselves,” said eighteen-year-old Tyler Harvey.

“At least we’re at school now, if we were in Victoria we would still be in lockdown,” said Rashana.

With Queensland’s border closure and Byron Bay residents telling students to stay away, schoolies will also look very different this year.

“We can’t do it this year so miss out on that which really sucks, this is the first year ever where that has happened as far as I know, I guess I’ll invite myself to the next one instead,” said Dominic.

With HSC exams set to begin in October, the students said they are looking forward to completing their studies and for what the future holds in a post-COVID world.

By Miles PROUST