Year 10 boarder Xavier Leaver, shares with us an insight as to how he handled continuing to learn from home.
Name: Xavier Leaver
What did you miss most about being at Joeys? I miss being surrounded by the boys in my Year. It’s a very different feeling working at home in an empty room not sitting next to anyone. There are no big games of touch footy on at night and no one to have a joke with during the day.
In hindsight, what did you take for granted before the lockdown? Mostly the workload, I thought that the teachers couldn’t keep up with us I think that I definitely took the constant activity of joeys for granted. At home there is so much less to do compared to school where there is always something you can do whether it be having a running around, studying or just having a chat with some mates.
What have you learnt about yourself, through Offsite learning? I’ve found out how easy it is to feel down when you can’t see your friends and how important maintain a good attitude and keeping in touch is. I also discovered how easy it is to get distracted when there is no one pushing you to keep working.
How have you maintained your focus and motivation whilst learning offsite? I think for me maintaining focus is about planning. I have to decide what time I’m going to do and what work I’m going to do before I start so I don’t spend all my time sitting around doing nothing.
What advice would you pass on to a boy in Years 7 and 8? Soak up the limited culture you’ll get this year and really get into it. Enjoy the first XV games and really try to get involved in joeys. Also work hard to take opportunities, doesn’t matter if their sporting academic or any other type just work hard.
Favourite meal you have had at home? The homemade pizza is definitely tasty.
What personal traits will you better utilise when you return to Joeys? More planning of my work so that I can try to work harder and achieve goals. Will also use the boys around me a lot more to help me with work.
What part of your normal day are you missing the most? Sitting next to people in class. It makes so much difference with how engaged you are in class and how willing you are to work if you’ve got people around you who are all doing the exact same thing as you. The boys are also good for a laugh in class.
What does being a ‘Joeys Boy’ mean to you? It means the way you act. The way you act in public when people are watching but also the way you behave when you no one is watching. It’s about working hard and doing it with humility because you know every other boy is doing the same thing.
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