20-Somethings Lost Something in the Pandemic. They Still Haven’tFound It

In “20-Somethings Lost Something in the Pandemic. They Still Haven’t Found It,” Eric Klinenberg, a sociologist at NYU, explores how the pandemic reshaped the lives of young adults in the United States. Luis, a 21-year-old student in New York, faced persistent unemployment and food insecurity while living with his retired father and disabled mother. He also participated in the George Floyd protests, driven by governmental inaction during the pandemic. Yasmina, another 21-year-old student, found that the pandemic led her to prioritize meaningful friendships, emphasizing shared values over superficial ties. Sharice, a university graduate, experienced a profound sense of disorientation, and Angelica, who lost her job as a paralegal, came to value financial stability more acutely.

Klinenberg connects these individual accounts to broader patterns of political alienation, youth precarity, and institutional failure, making a case for greater governmental support and public recognition of the sacrifices made by young adults during COVID-19.