Tragic youth: why the pandemic has been the hardest on Gen Z

The pandemic has been a stressful time for everyone but a new American poll shows that teens and young adults have experienced the most brutal of struggles growing up during this period of turmoil.

In general, over a third of 13 to 56-year-olds blame the pandemic for being a major source of stress. However, when it came to education, friendships and dating, it was the youth or Generation Z who feel they experienced the most disruption.

Nearly 46 per cent of 13 to 24-year-olds in the U.S. said the outbreak made it harder to pursue their academic or career goals, compared to 36 per cent of Millennials and 31 per cent of Generation X.

The MTV and AP survey also shows that the pandemic was no wingman for the kids. Over 40 per cent of Gen Z said dating and romantic relationships became harder while 45 per cent said even maintaining friendships was tough during the outbreak.

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While Covid-19's psychological impact has been felt across generations, the pronounced effect on youngsters is partly linked to where they are in their brain development, say experts.

Education, which has faced the worst disruption, is a bigger part of Gen Z's identity compared to any other age group. In the workplace, Gen Z is all early-career professionals who have been the hardest hit.

A global Deloitte survey found that 78 per cent of 18-24-year-olds found their professional lives affected while 39 per cent lost their jobs or were furloughed as a result of the pandemic.

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