After more than a week of school closures due to the dengue fever outbreak, students across Samoa are preparing to return to classrooms on Monday, 1 September. 

The lockdown, while necessary to contain the spread of the disease, has disrupted the normal flow of learning and left many students with different reactions about going back to school.

For some, the break felt more like an unexpected holiday than a continuation of studies. One 18-year-old college student admitted that the transition back will not be easy.

“Going back to school might be complicated for me as a student,” he shared.

“After all these weeks, some of us might not have had access to the online classes because we spent the whole night playing PUBG, watching TikTok, and it felt like we were on holiday. What I mean is, it’s going to be hard trying to catch up on our notes from where we left behind. Yeah, that’s all.”

At the National University of Samoa (NUS), the sentiment is slightly different, though the challenges remain. A 19-year-old student in the Faculty of Arts expressed excitement about reuniting with friends but admitted anxiety over assessments.

“I am so looking forward to going back to school next week, you know, seeing our friends and all that, but that’s not the point. The mid-semester tests are what I fear the most. Yes, we may have done online lectures at home, but it’s a way different experience from sitting in the classroom. Yeah, so much to catch up on, feels like a war to me.”

Students in the Faculty of Science are also bracing for the workload. A 19-year-old science student said the biggest challenge will be adjusting back to structured learning after the break.

“Honestly, I’m a bit nervous,” he explained.

“Science subjects are very content-heavy, and missing even a week sets you back. The lockdown was needed, but now it’s about discipline, catching up on labs, lectures, and assignments. I just hope our lecturers will understand that many of us struggled with resources at home. I’m ready, but it’s not going to be easy.”

Despite the concerns, the return to school marks a step toward normalcy. For many students, it is also a reminder of resilience, the ability to adapt, recover, and continue striving even after setbacks.