Albatool Abdulamir commenced at GVGS in 2020, resulting in a large proportion of her time at the School was spent undertaking classes from home. “I had about a term in the classroom before we went into virtual learning. It was a very stressful time. I was at a new school and I didn’t know anyone so going online made things really difficult. At the time, it was one of the hardest things I have ever done,” she says.

“I was starting at a school that was very academically inclined and I felt like I was falling behind, which was something I had never experienced before. I felt like I hadn’t met that many people so I was on my own, but eventually I found friends and made connections. It eventually became easier as time went on and I adjusted to this new normal.”

Albatool was happy to return to the classroom in 2022 and embrace her role as SRC representative for her final year of secondary education.

“Although we were still struggling with COVID-19 restrictions, we were able to hold a lot of the regular annual celebrations, such as World’s Greatest Shave, so that was amazing,” she says.

“A highlight for me while being SRC representative was definitely the discussions and meetings we had all together and then seeing everything coming together on the day.”

Albatool says she’s glad she got to experience face-to-face time with her fellow students after a challenging start to her time with the school.

“Year 12 is a weird year because it’s the last time you’ll be with your friends at school, so you have to make the most of it. I got to enjoy normality and on-campus time at GVGS before I finished high school,” she says. “I think it’s so important that you allow yourself to ask for help when you need it. I’m so grateful for my teachers, friends and peers – they were there for me when I needed them during difficult times.”

Next year, Albatool plans to pursue a career in healthcare by studying medicine. “My mum is a GP and I’ve had that exposure my whole life to what she does, so I have a bit of an understanding of what it would be like to choose a career in medicine,” she says. “I’ve witnessed first-hand how skilled my mum is in her work and seeing her patience and caring nature makes me really want to be like her.”