As adolescents, one of the important things for you would be the friendships shared amongst your school mates. In these times of forced isolation, the physical distance we are currently experiencing could be used as a moment to ponder what we are learning in the process; about ourselves and the life we once knew; this is a great time for pause and reflection.

Some of the questions we could ask ourselves are: What am I learning about myself each day? What are the things that are in my control? What can’t I control? How am I managing my school work? What are my study patterns? Am I employing appropriate communication skills whilst talking to my friends? How often do I feel like I need to be in contact with my friends? – If it is a lot (a.k.a all the time) – why do I feel this way? Have I been a good friend to others and have my friends respected my boundaries and treated me respectfully? What can I do differently?

As much as we enjoy connection and being in touch with people we care about, it is also healthy for ourselves to have space. Since “space” is forced at the moment, at least in the physical sense, we can use the free time we have to build upon other areas of our lives (many suggestions provided in this newsletter) and then share those experiences and knowledge in our conversations with our friends when we do make the time to connect with them.

Miss Sharika, College Counsellor

wellbeing@crcstalbans.com.au