Being young has never been more difficult, and Covid is the least of our worries | Alex Mistlin

What with disrupted education, rising rents and low wages, it's hard to be optimistic about the supposed end of the pandemic

Every two months since March 2020, I have declared the pandemic over. Grow up, Covid's over now," I say to no one in particular. The pronouncement comes more in hope than expectation; the truth is, I'm miserable and desperate for all this to end. The only lingering concern is that the bright 22-year-old I was two years ago is gone for ever; and, like masks on the tube and vaccine scepticism, the perpetually tracksuited homebody I've become is the new normal.

I'm not alone in feeling I've lost my groove. According to a study by the Prince's Trust, happiness and confidence among 16- to 25-year-olds has slumped to a 13-year low. It goes without saying that Covid is a significant cause of the malaise. Most of the house parties, let alone nightclubs, festivals and holidays, have been cancelled, often before they were organised in the first place. Not only does this mean more time spent alone, staring blankly at the screen that seems to be permanently 20cm from my nose, it also means nothing to look forward to: no reward for all the effort I put into college, university and trying to get a job. Where once the end of exams meant parties and trips abroad with friends, it is now marked with depressing Zoom drinks - if indeed it is at all.

Alex Mistlin is a commissioning editor on Guardian Saturday