It wasn't only steelworkers who got the jab when the Port Kembla steelworks started offering in-house COVID vaccinations to employees last Thursday.
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Wollongong HSC student Caitlyn Todoroski joined her dad Paul to get their first Pfizer jab at BlueScope's North Gate visitors' centre.
The Smith's Hill High School vice-captain jumped at the chance to get vaccinated so she could feel a bit more safe and secure when she heads back to the classroom from October 25.
"I turn 18 pretty much at the end of the HSC so a big part for me was once everything opens back again I really wanted to be able to go out and live an almost normal life again," Caitlyn said.
"And going back to school I wanted a little bit of security to be in the classroom with my peers just to know that I'm vaccinated to feel a little bit safer.
"I know a lot of my peers are vaccinated too, so that makes me feel a lot better.
"i know many of us are looking forward to getting back and seeing each other in the classroom."
The 17-year-old admitted the last 18-months had been extremely difficult
Wwe are just like mentally exhausted.
- Caitlyn Todoroski
"Honestly me and a lot of peers in my cohort, we are just like mentally exhausted," she said.
"It is really hard to stay motivated with online learning.
"Teachers have been absolute blessings and they've done so much to keep it going and keep teaching us but it is a lot harder at home, especially when you can't change your study environment, you can't use different tools and all of that, it is hard.
"I think that's why we are kind of hoping when we go back to school that those few weeks there will be a bit more of a boost to get us ready for the HSC."
Caitlyn understood why the HSC had been pushed back but said the move meant students would have less rest before starting university next year.
The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) said the HSC will run from November 9 to December 3.
"it was really difficult. We all struggled with the HSC being pushed back," she said.
"It is hard. I think you could justify potentially a week, but now that it is a month, we know it is for our safety but it is hard because every other Year 12 student has this nice long three-month break between the HSC and when they start uni and ours has kind of been shortened.
"It is like they have prolonged the rest of Year 12 for an extra month but I guess we've got to do what we have to."
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
