Written by Saffron Vanderkolk – Pellow, 16

The last two months have been the strangest of my life; from having my GCSE’s cancelled to celebrating birthdays virtually, everything is upside down and back to front. The strange thing is this is the calmest I have felt in ages. In an ordinary world I’m constantly running from school to extra-curricular activities, while studying for exams, working a parttime job and finding time in my schedule to see friends and family, it’s like being on treadmill; always going but never ending. Now it’s stopped… Suddenly clubs are cancelled, schools and workplaces are shut, and I’m not allowed near elderly relatives however, I have time for me.

Of course I miss going out, I was going on holiday with my friends this summer but now it’s cancelled. I can’t wait to have a real life conversation with someone other than the people in my house but I’ve learnt to cook, started DIY projects and read books I’ve been planning to for ages, all things I have never had the chance to do before. I know for some lockdown has been a terrible time and it’s not easy on anyone, but I’ve managed to find the positives and I’m feeling the best I have in a long time. Lockdown has taught me the importance of taking time out for myself and focusing on things that make me happy.

Bywyd yn ystod y Cyfnod Cloi

gan Saffron Vanderkolk – Pellow, 16

Y ddau fis diwethaf fu’r rhai rhyfeddaf yn fy mywyd; o gael fy TGAU wedi eu canslo i ddathlu penblwyddi’n rhithwir, mae popeth yn wyneb-i-waered a’r tu ôl ymlaen. Y peth rhyfedd yw ‘mod i’n teimlo’n fwy tawel fy meddwl nag ers amser maith. Mewn byd cyffredin dwi’n rhedeg yn gyson o’r ysgol i weithgareddau allgyrsiol, wrth astudio ar gyfer arholiadau, gweithio swydd ran-amser a dod o hyd i amser yn fy amserlen i weld ffrindiau a theulu. Mae fel bod ar beiriant rhedeg; bob amser yn mynd ond byth yn dod i ben. Nawr mae wedi stopio… Yn sydyn mae clybiau’n cael eu canslo, ysgolion a gweithleoedd ar gau, a dydw i ddim yn cael bod yn agos at berthnasau oedrannus. Fodd bynnag, mae ‘da fi amser i fi.

Wrth gwrs ‘mod i’n gweld eisiau mynd mas, ro’n i’n mynd ar wyliau gyda fy ffrindiau yr haf hwn ond nawr mae wedi cael ei ganslo. Alla i ddim aros i gael sgwrs go iawn gyda rhywun heblaw’r bobl yn fy nhŷ i ond dwi wedi dysgu coginio, dechrau prosiectau DIY a darllen llyfrau dwi wedi bod yn bwriadu eu darllen ers oesoedd; pethau dwi heb gael amser i’w gwneud o’r blaen. Dwi’n gwybod bod y cyfnod cloi wedi bod yn ofnadwy i rai, ac nid yw’n hawdd ar unrhyw un, ond dwi wedi llwyddo i ddod o hyd i’r pethau cadarnhaol a dwi’n teimlo’n well nawr nag ers amser maith. Mae’r cyfnod cloi wedi dangos y pwysigrwydd o wneud amser i fi fy hun a chanolbwyntio ar bethau sy’n fy ngwneud i’n hapus.