Getting through year 12 is difficult enough, let alone during a pandemic.
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The class of 2020 was looking forward to finishing the biggest chapter of their young lives much the same as those before.
What no year 12 student could have seen coming, particularly those in Victoria, is the fact they'd be completing a large part of their studies online.
Schools Australia-wide went to a remote model in the initial COVID-19 lockdown and all returned, before Victoria transitioned back to home at the start of August due to the state's coronavirus cases spike.
Catholic College Wodonga students have reflected on their experience through lockdown, with a struggle for motivation and heightened anxiety about final results a common theme.
Co-captain Nichola Barrett has found online learning challenging and believes regional students are already at a disadvantage to their city counterparts.
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"It's kind of hard to know that we haven't had a case here for about two months, yet we're still on remote learning," she said.
"If we went back to school it would almost make it a level playing field because they (city schools) have more resources and maybe more qualified teachers.
"It's really hard because we live so close to the border and see our friends (in Albury) who live 10 minutes away celebrating their 18ths and going out every weekend."
Her co-captain James McKenzie-McHarg hasn't enjoyed being isolated.
"Year 12 is such an end of an era. There's people I know from kindergarten, primary school and people I met in high school," he said.
"I miss seeing everyone and miss catching up with the year level as a whole.
"You know them so well and you've spent the last six years with them, but 90 per cent of those people you're never going to have contact with again."
Akira Kerr believes the 2020 Catholic College year 12 cohort has had it harder than any before them.
"I'm a massive stress head anyway and I find it really important to be able to talk to my teachers about my work," she said.
"With remote learning, you kind of have an audience all the time and it's made it a bit more difficult.
"I'd planned to do a gap year in Japan (next year) and that isn't going to happen, so I thought I would go to uni.
"However, uni is probably going to be online and I can't deal with that, so I've been trying to get an internship."
With four siblings also studying in the house, Molly McCarty's patience has been tested.
"It makes it hard when you can hear every other sibling on their Zoom at the same time," she said.
"I live across the road from a school as well so you can hear them screaming at lunchtime as well.
"I've tried to find better study habits, I've been working out and have handled it a bit better this time."
Sara Williams is the only Catholic College student leader who has found the home learning setting more desirable.
"It's been pretty crazy, but I guess I'm pretty motivated," she said.
"I actually found I have worked better at home than school. I have more time and less distractions around me.
"But of course I still miss the school environment and being around my friends."
Catholic College deputy principal student development Eamonn Buckley is very proud of the way the students have handled what has been thrown at them.
"We deal with tragedy all the time and you move through your grief, but this has been week after week with at times a lot of uncertainty," Mr Buckley said.
"James and Nichola and our other community leaders are trying to nut out some things we can do when we get back on site to make up on some of the things these guys have missed out on.
"We're realistic and we know it's not going to be the same, but it will be something to celebrate."
Across the border, Trinity Anglican College co-captain Ethan Goodacre is aware how fortunate they've been.
"We did about five weeks off site and the whole working environment you have at school just disappears at home," he said.
"It's been pretty stressful, but now we've kind of got back into the flow of things we're back in the groove a bit.
"We've been lucky to get back to school, unlike the students in Victoria, so I think we've benefited from that."
Catholic College students are hopeful of a somewhat normal finish to the year with a graduation to celebrate their efforts as a group.