Page 20 - Luce 2020

S enior C o mmon Ro om

Five things I loved about College in 2020 COVID times

JCH is a place of gentleness and kindness their room until they returned a negative Jack Tan, Natalia Evertz, Carmen Wardle,
and is full of talented and interesting result. No guests were allowed to visit Margie Welsford, Briana Ellis, Henry
people following their passions. Most the College and physical distancing and Leslie-O’Neill, Miranda Richardson
years it is also a hive of activity with mask wearing were also mandatory for
a host of events on offer, within and long periods of time. The consideration traversed fascinating landscapes through
beyond the College building. Last year students showed towards each other and their time at Oxford and Cambridge and
was different and although there are the staff in following these rules their careers beyond academia.
things about 2020 that I am happy to was impressive.
leave behind, including face masks and Connection was a vital component for
the absence of visitors, there are many The mutual care shown towards one onsite and offsite staff. We connected via
that I remember with fondness and another was heart-warming. The Social Zoom for the regular staff meeting each
gratitude. Below are my five favourite Services Committee made up a wall for Monday morning and added a Friday
‘C’s of COVID: COVID compliments. Students and staff afternoon gathering. These informal,
were encouraged to write compliments social sessions involved discussions
Creativity flourished in lockdown. on slips of paper and post them in the around a theme or question. Some
Crochet and knitting tutorials were held envelopes arrayed on the wall. These examples were ‘a memorable holiday
and needles and coloured wools were words of kindness and encouragement experience’ and a ‘favourite film’. With
shared during the long winter months. were most welcome. Later in the many staff new to the College at the start
A large and beautiful iso-blanket was year this same group made up care of 2020, these discussions offered an
created. With gyms and sporting clubs packages, containing herbal tea bags and opportunity to get to know one another
closed, walking became a popular chocolates to cheer up each member of more deeply than in the midst of a
pastime. The Environment Group the community. busy office. Tutors gathered regularly
created and published a walking guide to connect for ‘Fabulous Fridays’ which
to Melbourne, complete with maps and Concentration, academic diligence involved coffee, cakes and chat in
delightful drawings of vistas and fauna. and achievement were also hallmarks the SCR, while remaining physically
Home cooking and baking grew in of 2020 in lockdown. Despite the distanced.
popularity and the talented Environment many challenges of Zoom fatigue,
Group gathered recipes into an boredom and worrying about the future Cindy, our new librarian who was
illustrated vegie cook book. and the health of loved ones, JCHers only onsite for a few weeks at the
concentrated on their studies and commencement of 2020, introduced us
The annual Wintersong event of achieved some of the best results of the to the ‘One school, One book’ program
Semester 2 was spread over a whole last ten years with more than 50% of all which involves encouraging all members
week with art works being displayed marks being First Class honours. of a school or college to read the same
along the corridors and around the book and then gather to discuss it. Two
Dining Hall and JCR. Usually it is held Character building was evident virtual book clubs allowed connections
on one evening. Musical items were throughout lockdown with people between staff members and with alumni
recorded by those onsite and offsite, flourishing despite adversity. The Rhodes as we discussed, with some passion,
demonstrating some of the range of Scholar series which saw a number of Educated by Tara Westover and Hamnet
wonderful musical talent among the younger JCH alumni Zooming in from by Maggie O’Farrell.
students of JCH. around the world, acted as a stimulus for
current students and staff to reflect on As we enter the freer times of 2021, I will
Care and consideration were very how one builds character and career. In miss some of the cosiness and closeness
much in evidence in 2020. JCHers these gatherings, we learnt of individuals of last year but feel optimistic that some
were asked to show concern for their pursuing their passions and overcoming of the other ‘C’s I have mentioned will
fellow residents and do their utmost to setbacks to achieve their goals. From continue to be present in College life.
keep COVID out of the College. This diverse backgrounds of commerce,
meant that, if they demonstrated any law, medicine, neuroscience and plant Margie Welsford
symptoms, they were required to go and biology Leng Lee, Jennie Tran, Alex Deputy Principal
get tested for COVID and then isolate in Eastwood and Madeline Mitchell have

20 LUCE Number 19 2020