Missing days gone by

Seasons in the sun: Sindhu’s strolls in the park have been replaced with indoor exercise routines in the wake of the pandemic.

EVER since the whirlwind of the Covid-19 pandemic struck, our lives have been impacted substantially.

It seems aeons ago when I was on a school trip with my classmates engaging in a lengthy discussion about our group project, or on a morning stroll in the park admiring the magnificence of nature.

I have been reminiscing about these simple yet valuable moments. Admittedly, I had not fully grasped the importance of these moments until the pandemic hit us.

I remember exploring the outdoors as a child along with my friends in the little garden in our school.

Whenever my feet got cold, I would warm them up by stepping on the pebbles that had been toasting under the sun for hours. It satisfied me to hear the pebbles crunching under my feet.

We were like little explorers on a hunt for ladybirds hiding in the bushes and plants.

If any of us caught one successfully, we would gather around the person and pass the ladybird gently to each other, allowing it to crawl up our fingers.

Fascinated with its intricate pattern and colour, we would scrutinise the tiny creature intently before carefully lowering it onto a leaf.

This was how I spent most of my days, on a hunt for the wonders of nature.

I truly miss the memorable times I spent in the great outdoors accompanied by my group of adventurous friends.

Most of all, I miss doing the things that I had enjoyed doing on a day-to-day basis.

I used to enjoy my meals in my school cafeteria, giggling and chatting away with my friends around a table.

We would have sleepovers surrounded by piles of pillows and blankets, sharing a bowl of snacks and watching our favourite movies.

We would celebrate birthdays together, filling each other in on each other’s lives. To make things even more exciting, we would dance together to K-pop hits and laugh until our stomachs hurt.

It’s rather unfortunate that the pandemic has completely wiped out all these opportunities.It’s very sad to think about children missing out on the opportunity of feeling the fresh, green grass and running around in the park with other toddlers for close to two years.

Even though the restrictions have been relaxed in stages, many are understandably cautious about their comings and goings.

While we wait for our pre-pandemic activities to resume in full force, let us all make the best of the time we have now.

I, for one, have channelled my energy into baking various types of pastries and cakes with the help of YouTube videos and the abundant resources of recipes online.

I have also been incorporating more indoor exercise routines into my daily schedule, even modifying exercises into dance routines and yoga poses that are easy and fun to do with family members.

Sindhu, 17, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. Throughout the year-long programme, participants aged between 14 and 22 from all across the country experience life as journalists, contributing ideas, conducting interviews, and completing writing assignments. They get to earn bylines, attend workshops, and extend their social networks. To join Star-NiE’s online youth community, go to facebook.com/niebrats

Our BRATs participant Sindhu wrote about missing the “simple yet valuable moments” she had enjoyed during pre-pandemic times. What do you miss most about those times?

Name your Top Three.

Sindhu also shared two activities she has been doing to make the most of her time during the pandemic. What are they? How have you been making the most of your time in the wake of the pandemic? Comment on our post at facebook.com/niebrats.

Since 1997, The Star’s Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) programme – with the Education Ministry’s endorsement – has supported English language teaching in primary and secondary schools nationwide.

Through Star-NiE’s teacher and student workshops, annual contests and monthly English language resources for classroom use, participants of the programme have reportedly shown marked interest in the language and progress in their proficiency.

Starting this month, Star-NiE will continue its role of promoting the use of English language through a weekly activity page in StarEdu.

These activities are suitable for use individually and in groups, at home and in the classroom, across varied proficiency levels. Parents and teachers are encouraged to work on the activities with their children and students. In addition, Star-NiE’s BRATs Young Journalist Programme will continue to be a platform for participants to hone and showcase their English language skills, as well as develop their journalistic interests and instincts.

Recruitment for the BRATs 2022 programme will start in November. Follow our updates at facebook.com/niebrats. For Star-NiE enquiries, email [e-mail].