In 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health recommendations suggested and, in some cases, required that people limit their social contact to only those in their household. These public health measures created a unique opportunity to examine how social isolation and loneliness manifest in young adults. While young adults live alone at increasingly high rates, very little research discusses how this age cohort copes with social isolation and loneliness. To better understand these responses, this study undertook 12 qualitative interviews focused on understanding college-age young adults’ experiences during the pandemic. The data revealed that while respondents’ social networks shrank during the pandemic, their relationships became stronger with select people they described as close to them. Both online and in-person, respondents maintained and strengthened their deepest relationships while losing touch with those beyond their immediate circle. Respondents were able to lean on these tightly-knit networks as their source of social support, which played a critical role in their coping with the loss of their extended networks. However, respondents who self-identified as extroverts were less likely to find these networks sufficient. Knowing that young adults have leaned in more to closer networks during this period indicates that after the pandemic young adults will have lower levels of social support and their networks will be less resource-rich than they would have without the pandemic. This lack of resources may make it difficult for this age cohort to bounce back from the pandemic.

Dr. Prener served as my primary advisor for this project. Dr. Prener met weekly with the researcher and provided guidance for every part of the project. From the IRB application to the final analysis, Dr. Prener's thoughtfulness and feedback throughout the year was critical to this project's development and fulfillment. Additionally, Dr. Prener provided invaluable support throughout the graduate school application process.