Pandemic stress weighs heavily on Gen Z: AP-NORC, MTV poll

The stresses of the coronavirus pandemic have taken a toll on Americans of all ages, but a new poll finds that teens and young adults have faced some of the heaviest struggles as they come of age during a time of extreme turmoil.

Overall, more than a third of Americans ages 13 to 56 cite the pandemic as a major source of stress, and many say it has made certain parts of their lives harder.

Among Americans in Gen Z — the survey included ages 13 to 24 — 46% said the pandemic has made it harder to pursue their education or career goals, compared with 36% of Millennials and 31% in Generation X.

While many Millennials also said friendships were harder, Gen Z was less likely than Millennials to say the pandemic actually made that easier, 18% vs.

Roughly half of Americans across generations, including Gen Z, said the pandemic led to struggles having fun and maintaining mental health.

The findings are consistent with what health and education experts are seeing.

For 16-year-old Ivy Enyenihi, just thinking about last school year is hard.

He spent most of last school year in the bedroom of his apartment, with waning motivation to keep up with online classes.

After getting vaccinated and returning to in-person classes, his academics and mental health have improved.

As many confront learning setbacks, they’re also emerging into a world where the future of work and higher education are as uncertain as ever, she said.

But the last year brought life-changing turmoil — her father spent more than 40 days hospitalized with COVID-19, and her own isolation and anxiety led her to seek mental health counseling.

“For a lot of high schoolers I knew, school during the pandemic was a big struggle,” she said.