Long Term Social Effects of the Pandemic

I don’t think it’s up for debate when I say that the Coronavirus has left a lasting impression on our generation. For a lot of us, it’ll be difficult to tell the stories of our lives without a significant mention of this era. This is because throughout quarantine, a lot happened and changed in many people's lives. Some have unfortunately had family members or others who were important to them pass away, others have spent the past year in isolation, and many have been left feeling distant from loved ones.

I know that for me personally, I feel like quarantine has caused me to feel like I’ve completely lost a good chunk of my life to this pandemic. I’ll be a junior next year, and I still have yet to ever get the chance to go to a school dance. I missed out on Sophomore retreat, traveling abroad for excursion, and have spent more than half of my high school career behind a mask while keeping “social distance” from my peers. Also, even though I technically haven’t had even one normal year of high school, I’m expected to be amped and ready to start the phase of my life where I look for colleges and think about next steps, even if I’ve never really gotten to enjoy the majority of my high school experience. 

Then there’s the impacts of this pandemic on my relationship with loved ones and the disconnect it has forced upon us. I have a sixteen-month-old cousin who’s never met me, a two-year-old cousin who doesn’t even know who I am and a cousin who went from being an eleven-year-old girl to a pre-teen with her own social life and opinions without me getting to witness this transition. I can imagine that other people in my family feel similar about me as well. The last time they saw me I was 14,  had just finished 8th grade, was about 5 foot 6 or 7, and was in my initial months of high school. Now I’m 16, taller than most of them, discussing driving, and actively considering what colleges I’m going to attend in the future.

Everyone has experienced consequences of the pandemic, but the impacts on younger people have been especially acute.  Many young children and toddlers have been completely devoid of interaction with the outside world, to the point that many of them may fear others their age. Honestly, they also might genuinely not have any idea as to what the concept of “social interaction” is. Middle schoolers and high schoolers are missing out on some of the most important moments of their adolescence Teenagers are spending the years in which they’re supposed to be trying out new things and figuring themselves out largely in isolation at home, away from their friends and communities.

All of this causes many to wonder how life during the pandemic could impact our generation long-term.  Throughout history, different generations have been defined by the era in which they grew up. Perhaps the most notable example is The Silent Generation, born from 1928 to 1945, who grew up during the Great Depression and World War Two. This was a time when a lot of Americans obviously struggled severely both financially or emotionally As a result, this generation tends to be financially conservative and cautious in comparison to other generations. Even now, almost eighty years later, these characteristics can still be painfully observed within those who grew up within these now adults. You will still see people of the Silent Generation exhibiting these more conservative and cautious character traits,  even into their 80s and 90s.

The Baby Boomer Generation is another often cited example. Those born from 1946 to 1964 are known for what they believe to be a strong work ethic and higher rate of spending in comparison to other generations, mainly due to growing up in a very financially successful time for Americans. Millennials, who were born from 1980-1994, have been shown to be much more reliant on technology because they were raised when the internet was gaining traction. Also, because of their vivid memory of and experiences as young people in connection to September 11th, they are known for being more politically conscious and openly critical about the state of their nation and political leaders than those in previous generations. Even though the extent may vary, it is safe to say that each generation acts noticeably differently from one another based on the circumstances in which they were raised.

This leaves the most recent generations.

It has been just over 100 years since the Spanish Flu pandemic, which is the only pandemic in recent history that compares to the Coronavirus pandemic that we are experiencing now. To what extent this pandemic will affect younger generations, we unfortunately don’t know, which to me is a bit concerning to think about. I wonder if this time period in which our abilities to interact with one another were severely hindered is going to linger with us for the rest of our lives. I wonder if things will really ever go back to ‘normal’ for us, or if we’re always going to feel a bit more uncomfortable when in crowds, or getting close to people, or in tight spaces. 

To those who have unfortunately lost family members to covid, I can only imagine the extent to which the effects of this pandemic are going to stick with you. Families and friend groups will likely never be the same or interact the same. For toddlers who have no clue how to interact with different people, it’s even scarier and harder to predict how they’re going to be affected, mainly because it’s unlike anything we’ve ever really seen or been able to observe before. We don’t know how the stress parents have felt will impact themselves or their kids. We also don’t know how this will impact classrooms or jobs in the future. 

Even though the conversation has many perspectives and can be difficult and stressful to discuss, I believe that it is still an important one to have. I honestly don’t know how we can effectively plan or deal with the repercussions of this pandemic, but recognizing that its  long-term impact goes beyond physical illness is an important place to start. Once COVID is finally behind us, whatever that means, acknowledging the impact it has had on the way we think is going to continue to be important with how we move forward. Regardless of what ends up happening, I hope we all learned a lesson about how nothing is guaranteed, and just how important it is to keep in touch with, appreciate, and value the most cherished people in our lives.

By Kailen Hicks