UK Lockdown

From March 2020 onwards, the UK was thrown into turmoil by COVID-19. One year on, as lockdown relaxes, we’re re-learning how to socialise and embracing a new strange. 

Gen Z students have had their own specific challenges this past year. Many of their pivotal life experiences have taken place virtually. A-level results day 2020 was marred with uncertainty and confusion. Students who moved away to attend university found themselves in two-week quarantines on arrival, unable to leave their accommodation. And like much of the UK population, they’ve spent the past year working and socialising from computer desks – despite often being scapegoated as lockdown rule breakers.

Throughout these turbulent times, Student Beans has stayed close to our student community. We checked in each time the UK faced a new lockdown and noticed changes in student behaviour during pivotal times such as Freshers and the festive period. If we’ve learnt anything from the past twelve months of lockdowns, it’s that things change quickly – and often precariously – for Gen Z students.

Right now, the mood among most UK Gen Zs is one of cautious optimism. For the first time, young people can explore their university towns and socialise in person with their peers. Universities are tentatively set to reopen, vaccine rollout continues across the country – and the mood is positive. 

That said, Gen Z students – like most of us – will not forget the past year in a hurry. To connect with them going forward, you’ll need to balance excitement with caution – and pay attention to their anxieties as much as to their joy and relief. To do this, Student Beans has pulled together a collection of resources to help you to connect with Gen Z students in a post-lockdown world. Here, you’ll find everything you need to be a part of their new strange.