With COVID-19 cases climbing across the state, Catherine McAuley College year 12 student Charlotte Brook said the school holidays proved to be an anxious time for many.

During the holidays, everyday we saw the cases of COVID-19 rising. Being in regional Victoria, we were blessed with having very low case numbers so that provided me with an optimistic outlook.

There was a worry for what would happen for our final year, but it was out of my control so I tried not to focus on the "what if's". VCE students across Victoria are experiencing the same situation. We can all provide support and motivation to each other.

I remember the relief that washed over me when I watched Daniel Andrew's press conference when he announced the stage three lockdown for Melbourne, but said VCE students would be returning to school as normal.

Read more:

As much as I liked remote learning, with being able to sleep in and wear trackies instead of a school uniform, I prefer being at school. I am aware that changes could be made everyday but I don't need to worry about that as plans are in place and I will be able to adjust.

I know that support will be provided to students by my school, just as they offered for remote learning in term two.

I am prepared for the rest of the year and want to enjoy my last few months of high school. Events that we usually have every year are being adjusted to a "COVID-friendly approach" to ensure we are following guidelines and keeping distance.

There are other things that are taking place in my life, such as university applications which open soon. I am doing virtual open tours as we were unable to visit the universities in person.

I am focusing on my last full term at school and trying to achieve the best marks possible, rather than worrying about COVID-19 cases.

It is in the back of everyone's minds, but we need to learn to accept what we can and cannot regulate, and focus on the positives rather than the negatives.

Bendigo Senior Secondary College year 12 student Greta Schaeche said she was glad to be back in the classroom.

Well perhaps to everyone's amazement, school has returned to on-site learning this week.

For me personally, this was an extremely positive thing to hear, as going back to home learning would now almost mean sacrificing the thought of finishing our year 12 studies in 2020.

The worrying thing for us as VCE students is how little wriggle room the rest of the school year provides if we were to shut back down, which is why the government are doing everything in their power to ensure it doesn't.

So, although it's certainly still very ambiguous and takes a toll on teachers and students alike, all we can do at the moment is the right thing by maintaining social distancing where we can, and staying vigilant in hygienic practises while at school.

And while it's still been so great to remain at school, the lack of that prime social aspect of year 12 is really hard sometimes, particularly knowing all the things we are perhaps missing out on because of these unprecedented times.

But it's important to remain positive, continue to take things as they come, look out for our friends and work hard in our studies, perhaps with fingers crossed that we can finish our school year as "normally" as possible.

Catherine McAuley College year 12 student Tania Hutchinson said she was also trying to be optimistic about the year ahead.

Throughout the holidays and beginning term three, I felt apprehensive about what might happen as it appeared we could enter a second wave of COVID-19.

As I see the numbers increasing, I am very aware of the fact that we could easily enter stage three restrictions and home-based learning again.

However, I am not letting this apprehension stress me or overtake the other important things occurring in my life.

Being halfway through year 12, I am seeing this as a victory and am looking forward to completing the rest of the year.

After everything we have experienced during this year, I am taking this freedom and return to some level of normalcy as a positive time - a time when I can enjoy being with my friends and be excited for the school year ahead, however different it may be to ones I have previously experienced.

If we do return to home-based learning, it will be another setback, but I know that I now have the skills, optimism, and social connections to help get me through it.

For now, I want to focus on the present and be happy and not worry about things that I can't control.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.