Visiting Year 7 on Monday, one of the new students asked me: “Nicole, is it normal to feel nervous and excited at the same time?” I responded, “Yes, nerves (or anxiety) and excitement illicit very similar physical responses in our bodies and even I feel both of those today”.
I was so pleased to hear this student articulating their feelings and reflecting so willingly, and hope that we can continue to work together to create more open conversations throughout the year.
This year we welcome many new students, families and staff to our college community, and while I have no doubt that everyone is experiencing some apprehension and nerves around the unknown, I can feel the excitement for what is to come. It is clear that 2020 was not the year that any of us had planned and while things have settled somewhat in Tasmania, we know that the challenges have not gone away. At MRC we aim to foster an inclusive, supportive and consistent environment for all and the wellbeing of our community will continue to be a focus throughout 2021 and beyond.
For those that are not familiar, our ‘Student Support Services’ has a MEL page that introduces our team, the supports or services we offer and also has links to a range of other resources and useful information. This can be a first point of call for any concerns with young people and in order to best tailor our focus and supports this year, we ask that our parents please complete this short survey.
Here at Marist, we are excited to welcome back our students and feel blessed to be able to continue to support them in all the ways that we love. We look forward to continuing to work with you on this journey and hope that 2021 brings more clarity, creativity and positivity.
Nicole Young
College Psychologist