‘It made us who we are’: College kids, Covid and carving their own path

Friday, 10 October 2025

Four Year 13s who started high school during peak Covid reflect on lockdowns, remote learning and missed milestones — and what comes next. Hanna McCallum reports.

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Covid-19 ‘made us who we are’

Coming out from behind a screen and not knowing anyone, anxiety and tears is how Anabella Furmage describes her first day at secondary school.

In short, it was “not the best”.

Aotearoa had entered a seven-week lockdown just 28 days after the country’s first Covid-19 case was announced, about a year before Anabella’s first day at Fairfield College, Hamilton.

Online learning in her last year of intermediate school had exacerbated her social anxiety, as she stepped onto the school grounds to join a new cohort of about 600 students.

“It was a lot of crying and being anxious about starting this new experience with no one I knew before … it was a lot,” the 17-year-old says.

Covid-19 didn’t help with her preparation for secondary school as online learning meant things could largely be completed in her own time, compared with college where time management is paramount.

The stress of deadlines was her biggest challenge in college, she says.

“I'm trying to get on my feet about what's happening, who I'm talking to and what I'm doing in the classes … It's a lot of changing for a little Year 9 me.”

Restrictions due to Covid-19 continued into her third year when Aotearoa finally waved it goodbye after 1265 days.

She recalls a prizegiving where, instead of gathering in a hall, winners had to walk past a camera to receive their awards.

At college there were still some online classes which made talking to friends feel different and asking teachers questions became a lot scarier when she knew everyone was listening online.

She admits without Covid-19, things would have been a lot more smooth sailing.

But when asked if she would change it, she says: “I think it also made us who we are.” Having to be resilient and adaptable “gave us some character”.

As her time at Fairfield College comes to an end, the thing she is most proud of is her personal growth, “becoming who I am today”.

She took on several leadership roles in her senior years, including mentoring Year 9 students, serving as house captain, and leading academic achievement initiatives.

She gained confidence, expanding her friendship group, and speaking up in class. “I was really proud because that is not who I was in Year 9.”

Keeping a close circle of good friends helped her get through and the encouragement of her teachers and friends helping her gain confidence.

Anabella feels “pretty scared” about leaving college, “but also excited because all my work has paid off, like this is the end, and it's exciting“.

She is hoping to go to Auckland University to study a science degree.

Carving a new future

Kapreez Kingi initially signed up for Māori carving (whakairo) classes when she first went to college because nothing else sparked her interest.

At first the tools felt clumsy and her lines were crooked.

But five years later, and now in her final year at Porirua College, Wellington, what began as a “last resort” subject, has led the 18-year-old to being accepted into a carving course at Te Wānanga o Raukawa in Ōtaki next year.

“Thinking that I am actually continuing it after school is quite cool,” Kapreez says.

Her most recent carving was on display at Te Papa, selected for He Ringa Toi – Māori Art exhibition, which showcases the artwork of secondary school students with a focus on Toi Māori and Pacific Arts.

It was her favourite carving so far, spending lunchtimes and hours after school to complete it.

It is named Waimirirangi – queen of the far north and her grandfather’s marae.

Her teacher, Matua Rakairoa Hori, not only taught her carving but also helped her learn more about her whakapapa through the art.

“My parents never really knew about that, so I got to do it, and I got to go home and tell mum and dad about all of it.”

It felt meaningful to be able to contribute pieces of their whakapapa and it also pushed her mum to delve into te Reo Māori classes.

Kapreez recalls being nervous going to college, having gone from Rangikura School, where she knew everyone, to a much bigger environment with a diverse population.

Her last year of primary school had largely been spent at home due to Covid-19 but disruptions continued into her first year at college. She says navigating multiple teachers for the different subjects was “way harder”.

It also meant her cohort missed out on big events like Polyfest, performing arts and sports.

The youngest of 10 siblings, she dabbled in kapa haka like her older siblings — but found herself drawn to carving, partly because it was something she could do alone, without an audience.

Kapreez is proud that she completed her senior years and achieved all her NCEA credits, taking steps along the way to break things down in a way that she could understand.

Her advice to Year 9 students is to pick the classes you want to do.

'Just follow your own path cause it’s quite easy to get influenced by your friends.’’ She feels lucky her friends encouraged her to continue with carving.

Going to Wānanga next year was a little nerve-racking because her reo was “rusty” but Kingi hopes to be able to carve something on her own from start to finish and eventually sell her art one day.

“It’s quite satisfying when it's done, knowing that you've done all of that.”

Lifelong friends and healthy competition

For Harry McLeod, 18, his time at Auckland Grammar School has been largely shaped by the friends he has made.

He knew many from his time at Mt Eden Normal Primary School and Saint Kentigern Boys' School in Auckland and “absolutely loved” being at a boys’ school.

It is “pretty competitive” in classes and sport but “I think that forms pretty good friendships”, Harry says.

“I’ve just made so many great friends from this place … it’s probably the best thing that I’ve got from here.”

He found it challenging not to be able to catch up with them during Covid-19 restrictions but he felt well prepared for secondary school and having played cricket, he had older friends at the school which made the transition easier.

Harry had felt nervous hearing about the school’s reputation, especially coming from a family of multiple generations of Grammar students, with exams on the first day and the intensity of it which felt intimidating.

But “I’ve loved it”, he says. “You’re gonna get out what you put in … I think it sets you up really well for the future.”

In hindsight, he feels lucky it was his earlier years that were affected by Covid-19 and not the latter.

“I think I would have struggled more with not having in-person learning, because that's something that I find a little bit easier than doing stuff online.”

Having cricket season cut off was also difficult and not being able to spend as much time outside.

He was most proud of being named a prefect at the start of this year. His name was read out in assembly and, unlike his first years at school, he was able to go up on stage alongside the other prefects.

His final senior year had gone by quickly. He encouraged students to get involved as much as possible during their time at school. “I think you get the most out of this place when you get involved with lots of things.”

Harry is excited to be heading off to Otago University, having been accepted into Knox College, which he is “pretty stoked about”. He is yet to decide what he wants to study.

“I’m gonna miss the environment that’s in this place. I really enjoyed coming to school every day which I think is a pretty good privilege to have,” he says. “I have loved my time at Grammar but I’m ready to get going with the next part of my life.”

An impact through leadership

When Anisha Chand, 17, moved from intermediate to secondary school, she felt prepared, thanks to the support of her teachers.

She had moved intermediate schools because open plan learning didn’t work for her and eventually went from Queens Park Intermediate School to St Andrew’s College in Christchurch.

Covid-19 restrictions in Year 8 were initially difficult, she says. But she was lucky to have a teacher who created a structured plan for classes each day so transitioning to high school felt like less of a jump.

“A lot of teachers were very mindful of the impact that Covid could have had on learning so they really tried to motivate students and help support them with the transition.”

Anisha had felt most excited about “growing up” in high school and having more freedom.

In some ways, going to university next year feels similar to her excitement starting high school.

“It was nice to meet a lot of new people and make a lot of diverse friends,” she says and is excited to meet new people; like minded – or even not like minded people and try new things at university.

Burnside High School had enabled her to push herself out of her comfort zone, trying things like volley ball and knitting club.

“They weren't necessarily all for me, but I think it was still a valuable experience to try things out,” she says.

Anisha also gained a passion for leadership and arts, becoming head staff support prefect and a peer tutor for chemistry.

She likes to think she made an impact on people and it’s what she is most proud of.

Looking back on the Covid years, she says she missed human and face-to-face connections. “It’s never going to be the same as looking at a screen.”

Her favourite memory is the Year 12 formal, partly because she missed this year’s due to having the flu. She enjoyed hanging out with her friends, dancing and seeing staff having fun as well.

It is “bitter sweet” to leave high school. “It’s sad to leave people behind but also, I’m looking forward to university and working.”

Her plan is to do an engineering degree at the University of Canterbury, specialising in electrical engineering.

Her advice to Year 9s?

“Try and get involved as much as possible early on,” she says. “Also try and form good study habits – in Year 9 it might seem like homework is not that important but those habits that you form will really help you once you get to NCEA.”

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