Nearly half of kids and teens in the U.K. say they feel uncertain about the future.

Nearly half of kids and teens in the U.K. say they feel uncertain about the future. After two years of lockdowns and a global health crisis, research firm Childwise found that five-16-year-olds in the U.K. are self-reporting feeling less healthy and happy, and only 44% say they’re excited about the future. Along with anxiety, worry, and sadness, uncertainty was a dominant emotion among those surveyed, with 30% saying they feel unsure about their futures, including their career and school prospects, COVID-19, growing up, and earning money, and 48% of 15-16-year-olds say the same. YPulse explored Gen Z and Millennials’ current mindsets about the pandemic in our The In-Between trend research, and found that many young people are living in a pandemic-created limbo that is fostering moments of uncertainty—but moments of optimism, too. Thirty-five percent of 13–39-year-olds in Western Europe tell YPulse they don’t think life will ever return to the way it was, making “worried” and “cautious” two of the top five words they use to describe their feelings about 2022. But the top words they use are also “hopeful” and “optimistic,” indicating that though their futures may be uncertain, they’re adjusting to their new normal and will continue to show resilience. (Kidscreen)