My first day at school after Covid-19 imposed lockdowns

The first day of school is usually filled with smiling faces, excitement and much more. However, returning to the school after COVID-19 was filled with both challenges and opportunities. I was thrilled to be back and meet the Apeejay School, Saket family. But the very first day was a mix of excitement and nervousness.

The evening before, I packed my bag with books and notebooks along with essential items like sanitiser, masks, handkerchief and a face shield. Before going to bed, I also prayed to god hoping for a smooth day ahead. Finally, the long-awaited day arrived.

I had been looking forward to this day for the past two years! And so, I was eager to reunite with my friends and teachers and walk in those corridors filled with laughter and chatter. As I boarded the bus for school, I felt a bit shy since the other students were mostly unknown to me. However, I soon got introduced to Veer Malhotra, a student who seemed like a potential first friend on the bus. After a few days, I got to know Anshuman Sarangi, my second best friend.

However, I kept thinking that going back to a normal school day will be a regular schedule. But I didn’t really know how school was going to work during the pandemic. Upon reaching my classroom, I greeted my friends. Walking back into the class again after a long break seemed to be filled with love, joy and happiness.

Instead of gathering near the green stage for our morning assembly, we directly went to our classroom and started with a wonderful morning prayer. Once it ended, we took our seats, maintaining social distancing. Our class teacher and French teacher, Nadia ma’am, came into the class and warmly welcomed us for our new session. She also gave us some guidelines for our safety and protection against COVID-19. It was a great experience sitting in front of her. I felt deeply happy to see her smiling.

The day then continued with classes from Sanjana ma’am, Kavita ma’am and Priyanka ma’am. During the English class, some of my classmates entertained us, creating a hilarious moment. After that, we indulged in an interactive session with Kavita ma’am while studying Hindi grammar. Lastly, Priyanka ma’am made learning new things with friends very interesting.     

Then came the period which we missed the most in the last two years: Physical Education/Games period! All of us were excited to attend the class. Our teacher, Gautam Sir, welcomed us with enthusiasm and organised a quick warm-up followed by two rounds of the ground. Although I felt a bit tired after running, it was still enjoyable.

After a short break, he directed us to play some sports while adhering to social distancing norms. I started playing basketball with Aadya, Misheeta and Yashica and many more classmates. Later on, Sir joined us. At the end of the day, we packed our bags and headed for the dispersal. We greeted our teachers and proceeded towards the bus.

The next day, I became friends with Isba, who eventually turned out to be my seat partner. Through her, I met Nidhi, Asmi, Hasnain and Manan. They were incredibly kind towards me. In this manner, in just a few months, we became best friends. These days were truly memorable. They taught me the value of making new friends and interacting with teachers without hesitation. Finally, as I recall those times, I will say that it was fun-filled, brimming with
new hope.