According to Gen Z, the pandemic is “not the vibe anymore.”

According to Gen Z, the pandemic is “not the vibe anymore.” “Pandemic fatigue” is real for young people, and they’re eager to start owning their space in the post-vaccine world instead of waiting for life to be exactly how it was pre-pandemic. Many young people have returned to in-person learning or working to some extent, returned to in-person experiences (like going to restaurants and bars), and have been hanging out with friends and family since getting vaccinated. And while they’re approaching their activities with caution as new COVID-19 variants pop up, it’s clear young people don’t want to miss out on more life milestones and experiences. Carisa Parrish, a child psychologist at Johns Hopkins University explains how it’s not strange to see young people wanting to return to their life after an extended period of isolation, uncertainty, and loss. While every person’s experience with the pandemic is different, the vaccine has steadily improved their ability to go out and experience the world in some way, and one 24-year-old sums it up: “We just take the precautions as much as we can, and I feel better now that we’ve all had our booster…I’m not as paranoid now.” (The Atlantic)