I've been trying to imagine how it would have been if we had been hit with a pandemic when I was a schoolboy back in the 1970s and 80s. 

Of course, we didn't have the technology we have today - no cellular telephones, no computers or iPads.  I imagine we would have been allowed to gather our textbooks and notebooks to take them home and get busy.   

I do remember being very sick back in grade 9 or 10.  I had missed a full week with pneumonia.  One of my teachers called the house to check on me and said she'd be sending me some homework so I could keep up.  One of my friends showed up with a stack of text and notebooks.  I was overwhelmed by the simple sight of it all. 

I would bounce back and get back to class and about a week later I failed a chemistry test - miserably.  That friend of mine who brought my homework over to the house got 100% on his test.  No kidding. 

I said, "I don't know how you do that.  How can you know the answers to ALL of those questions?", I asked. 

He said, "I read the book." 

I said, "What book?" 

He said "The TEXTBOOK.  That's why they give them to you." 

Who knew?