College Seniors ‘uncertain’ About What’s Next After Pandemic Disruptions

Ella Becker, a graduating assemblage senior, expressed emotion underprepared arsenic she approaches graduation. “I consciousness a small underprepared, for illustration I’m not really judge wherever I’m going aliases what I’m doing, and I’m conscionable benignant of going pinch it,” Becker said.

Studies show millions of young adults stock this sentiment arsenic they hole to person their assemblage degrees. The emotion of being mislaid began successful nan outpouring of 2020, erstwhile nan COVID-19 pandemic disrupted their precocious schoolhouse experience, leaving a lasting effect connected really they look real-world challenges.

Ethan Munro, different graduating assemblage senior, recalled nan absence of prom and nan delayed graduation ceremony.

“There was nary prom, and past graduation was besides canceled, but we ended up having it later, for illustration months after,” Munro said.

The COVID-19 pandemic struck arsenic Becker and Munro were wrapping up their precocious schoolhouse careers, looking guardant to college. Instead, they knowledgeable an different modulation pinch nary prom and a graduation ceremonial lacking nan accustomed pomp and circumstance.

Becker’s euphony profession took a unusual move during nan pandemic.

“We utilized to do rehearsals successful personification each week, and past abruptly that had to beryllium transitioned onto Zoom, which was really difficult, trying to believe pinch different group connected Zoom because it ne'er worked. You can’t play instruments astatine nan aforesaid clip because there’s lag and net issues,” Becker said.

Ella Becker

Ella Becker

Upon arriving astatine college, they encountered much “strangeness,” arsenic Munro described.

“The assemblage acquisition was a batch little societal than I thought it would beryllium because of that,” Munro said.

Becker added, “We had to deterioration masks, and each of our chairs were astir six feet isolated from each other, and we were each separated into different rooms because it was for illustration an quiet promenade aliases something.”

Bronwyn Nichols Lodato, an adjunct professor successful arts and sciences astatine Washington University successful St. Louis, noted nan profound nonaccomplishment of nan predisposition acquisition for students erstwhile they arrived connected campus. Lodato’s book, “COVID-19, The Great Recession and Young Adult Identity Development: Shock-Sensitive Dynamic Ecological Systems Theory,” offers a model into nan lived experiences of first-year assemblage students during that time.

Despite nan bonzer times, Lodato discovered that nan students she interviewed were committed to continuing their postsecondary education.

“They were committed to getting their degrees. It gave building to their lives and served arsenic its ain coping mechanism,” Lodato said.

Even pinch universities’ champion efforts, galore students continued to consciousness lost. A 2023 study by Northwestern University recovered persistently precocious levels of worry and slump among younger adults compared to middle-aged adults.

Becker shared, “I’ve ever been benignant of a hypochondriac, but I deliberation since nan pandemic, that’s benignant of escalated, truthful I’m ever wary astir rubbing different group aliases being successful places wherever group are coughing aliases sick.”

Despite their trepidation, this procreation of assemblage graduates isn’t giving up.

“I consciousness for illustration that’s thing everyone goes through. So, I cognize I’m not unsocial successful that aspect, but I’m still hopeful,” Becker said.

Ethan Munro

Munro added, “I deliberation now I’m alert that thing could happen, and nan world could alteration very quickly, and I deliberation that’s thing that I’ve benignant of taken distant from it.”

As they participate nan occupation market, their uncertainty remains evident. Becker hopes imaginable employers will understand and subordinate to their experiences.

“In a occupation interview, do I shingle their hand, aliases do they not want to touch my hand? That’s thing I deliberation about,” Munro pondered.

For companies looking to prosecute these caller graduates, Lodato hopes hiring managers retrieve that these young adults person already been done a batch and still person galore life skills to develop.

“We person to beryllium reasoning successful position of these quality developmental needs, not conscionable arsenic students and younker and young adults alike, but whether you’re enrolled aliases not, they conscionable missed retired connected and understand really we tin capable those gaps to proceed to support thriving,” Lodato said.