By Anna Prytz
Studying for VCE exams and enduring lockdown might seem like challenges enough, but for Alyssa Schneider, adding one more thing to her plate helped her thrive through the pandemic.
In March, inspired by her passion for fighting climate change, the year 12 student started a business making sustainable underwear using offcuts and old stock from designers. Since its launch, demand for House of Blyss products has grown steadily.
Alyssa Schneider says starting a business helped her stay positive during year 12.Credit: Jason South
“There’s a misconception that during year 12 that’s all you can focus on, but I’ve always prioritised other things alongside of school,” Alyssa said.
“It’s nice to know I’ve accomplished something alongside of graduating, which with COVID is a feat of its own.”
Alyssa said starting the business helped her stay positive and engaged as her school, Woodleigh School in Langwarrin, transitioned repeatedly to remote learning.
“We didn’t have a single term for VCE this year or last year where we were completely at school,” she said. “Definitely having other hobbies was super-vital during COVID and during online school. If school was my entire focus during online school I don’t think I’d have been able to cope.”
Alyssa’s mother, Kellena Taylor, said she was proud of her daughter’s resilience and drive.
“There’s been so much doom and gloom this horrible past two years, so for someone to come out the other end with something new and positive just feels wonderful,” she said.
While starting a business during year 12 might be rare, Alyssa was far from the only VCE student searching for positives to sustain them through the pandemic.
Bright P-12 College year 12 student Claire Lock said even though she saw her friends less in person, they were what helped her through.
“We all went into it thinking it was only going to be a couple of weeks. It was off the back of the bushfires for my year level and now here we are two years later,” she said.
“Everyone was helping each other. Sometimes you needed someone to take your mind off it and that was great, and then there were those people you could sit and talk with about what was bugging you and that was really lovely.”
Claire said she had realised the positive effect her friendships had on her schoolwork.
“Especially in those longer lockdowns, it was really hard to get motivated,” she said. “You don’t realise how important your classmates are in that motivation and learning until that’s taken away.”
Taulogomai Aii found that the leadership and wellbeing teams at her school, Kolbe Catholic College in Greenvale Lakes, helped her stay feeling connected despite lockdown.
“They checked in all the time and sent us really great messages. They really understood it wasn’t easy and that we were trying,” she said. “My friends and I, we really did just try to make the best of what we did have.”
Monash University researchers polled 241 Australian year 12 students in 2020 to understand their pandemic experiences. They found social events and interactions were key to helping students cope with the stresses and that missed rites of passage were some of the biggest challenges.
Lead researcher Dr Fiona Longmuir said productive social interactions and clear expectations were vital for final-year students.
“Our findings indicate that positive social connections, access to timely learning support and motivational and celebratory milestones that accompany the hard work of year 12 are valuable not only for understanding how final-year students managed in difficult circumstances, but also as an insight into teaching and schooling practices and arrangements that might support students in any year,” she said.
Follow The Age’s VCE results day live coverage on Thursday, December 16. Our blog starts at 6am.