As Pandemic Winds Down Gen Z Students Wonder How They Can Too

The Covid-19 Pandemic appears to be winding down and Americans are excited to get back to their normal lives. However, the lingering effects of the pandemic are beginning to show in many Americans, especially the youngest generation. Uncertainty spreads through Generation Z following the pandemic, political and social climate.

“Gen Z adults report the highest stress level during the prior month, on average, at 6.1 out of 10. This is significantly higher than all other generations.” A 2020 study showed, from the American Psychological Association.

Generation Z students have grown up in uncertain times in arguably the most important stages of adulthood. A global pandemic, a summer of protests and civil unrest, the Russian-Ukraine war and social media pressures all endure as students attempt to complete their degrees. Young adults are stressed out by much more than just the uncertain times in the nation. It is important to remember these are individuals in a collective group and stressors change from person to person.

“The workload can be a lot as an athlete in college. Class and baseball take up the majority of the day. Then you have to find a way to get homework done, when you are just absolutely exhausted from the day,” said Roosevelt University senior Bryan Fox.

“Finals and mid-terms for sure always stress me out. Even if I feel pretty prepared for the test I still will have some type of stress no matter what,” said Roosevelt graduate student TJ Murray.

College students in the Gen Z category have an increased rate of developing mental health disorders. \ Their multiple responsibilities and uncertainty with what the future holds can be very taxing on a developing mind. The rise of social media and Gen Z’s heavy usage of the platforms has led to heightened expectations and feelings of failure throughout the younger generations.

University of Wisconsin Parkside student Charlie Hamilton said “I can see how it (social media) might shape a person’s mind to create unrealistic expectations on how they should be living their lives based on the things they see on social media.”

So how are college students dealing with these stressors? Many students note a wide array of ways they work on their mental health. Some students felt the struggle with mental health is an everlasting battle that continues just as life does.

“I have noticed working out and trying to be mindful of my feelings has really improved my mental health. It is not something that happens overnight. I have been working on it for a while and will continue to, it really comes down to being consistent with the process,” said another Roosevelt senior Grace Koeppenn.

Generation Z shows continued increases in mental health disorders and levels of stress. When talking about large groups it can be difficult to envision the individuals that make up that group. The pandemic may end soon, but the effects of the pandemic have left many scars on the students in Gen Z. These students now look for a way to heal these scars.

Source List

Bryan Fox: bfox@mail.roosevelt.edu

Tj Murray: tmurray@mail.roosevelt.edu

Charlie Hamilton: chamilton395@yahoo.com

Grace Koeppenn: gkoeppen@mail.roosevelt.edu