«When we were told the school was closing, we thought it was great»

«When we first heard about corona, we made fun of this "China virus» a little. It was so far away. Then suddenly we were told that the school was closing. My friends and I thought that was great at first because we thought it meant we wouldn't have any school at all. We then had online lessons, but it was still quite relaxed because we could sleep longer in the mornings. At first, we continued to meet up with our friends until the first parents said that we shouldn't do that.

Before the pandemic, I was training three to four times a week and we often had a game at the weekend. I've been playing floorball for nine years now. I actually wanted to play football in a club, but that didn't fit in with the training times. We looked at what else was available and I liked floorball. Training was cancelled, of course, and I missed that. We all realised that when we started training again after the coronavirus break. We first had to get back into shape. But as we all had the same backlog, it was okay.

I wasn't really bored during the lockdown, which was actually pretty good for me. I had my mobile phone and computer. So I watched a lot of YouTube and played games, sometimes online with friends. Otherwise, my mum always found something else for me to do. For a while now, I've also been taking on more responsibility here at home. I have to clean the bathroom once a week and take out the green waste. Of course I would prefer not to have to do that, but in return I have more freedom. My parents no longer monitor my mobile phone use so strictly and I'm allowed to go out and meet friends more and for longer. When we argue, it's usually about these two topics. Sometimes they feel that I spend too much time on my mobile phone, or they don't allow me to come home as late as I'd like. But on the whole, we have a good relationship and I also get on well with my younger brother.

I think it's cool that I've now entered the phase where I can stay out more in the evenings. I'm enjoying that right now.

I think it's cool that I've now entered the phase where I can stay out more in the evenings. I'm enjoying that right now. I haven't even thought about what direction I might want to take professionally. First I'll finish secondary school and then we'll see."