The impact of the Covid pandemic In some cases, this has affected their confidence in relation to university. Sadly, comments like these were very infrequent. The prevalence of these comments suggests that this cohort may find it particularly challenging to make social connections when they first go to university. Although they are not the first cohort to have their social development interrupted, previous cohorts were older and had more established social skills when the lockdowns began. Additionally some struggled with health anxieties, including OCD, both during and after the pandemic. Others had experienced temporary or ongoing ill health directly relating to Covid, or had lost loved ones in the pandemic. However the pandemic was not a negative experience for all. Some were neutral about it and few experienced a period of calm and self discovery. A few wrote about taking an additional year or more to complete their A-levels or equivalent, or mentioned taking time out of education altogether. Mental health impacts were also mentioned frequently, especially anxiety. A common theme was the loss of social opportunities, leading in some cases to ongoing social anxiety and isolation. Words such as “lonely”, “shy” and “introverted” were used to self-describe the way they have felt since the pandemic. I think it made me more shy and less comfortable around many people because I didn’t have contact with other people for a long time. I think I became more anxious and found public speaking more difficult afterwards. I became less social too so I’m a bit scared for uni. I’ve become more religious and I used that time to get to know myself, my roots & my values which helped me to figure out what I wanted from life and where I want to go. It definitely helped me mentally as well because I got a break from the pressure of school. I now prefer to work and study at home rather than outside. Not as social/few social skills so more anxious about socialising. Unite S tudents | Applicant Index Report 30 INTRODUCTION THEMATIC ANALYSIS LEARNING METHODOLOGY TOPICAL ISSUES BACK TO THEMES