COVID didn’t just “change everything.” It kind of glitched our whole childhood in the middle of us trying to figure out who we even are.
Instead of learning how to deal with friends, crushes, drama, and group projects in person, a lot of us were stuck in our rooms staring at screens. School turned into Zoom boxes. Birthdays turned into drive-bys. Hanging out became FaceTime, Discord, and endless group chats. And yeah, we stayed connected, but it wasn’t the same as actually being in a room with people, figuring out how to read a look or jump into a conversation without overthinking it.
For a lot of people, that did real damage to social confidence. Stuff that used to be normal-walking into a crowded hallway, eating in the cafeteria, talking to a teacher, going to a game or party-suddenly felt like a big deal. After months or years of mostly online life, going back to “real life” made some of us feel awkward, anxious, or like we’d forgotten how to be around other humans without a mute button.
Some people honestly preferred the online version of life. No crowded hallways, no mean comments to your face, no pressure to look a certain way every single day. Being behind a screen felt safer. But for others, it felt like their whole life was on pause while everyone else was somehow still moving forward. Friend groups shifted. People changed. You might have changed too.
When things started opening up, it was weird. Same school, same streets, same people, but it didn’t feel like “before” at all. And a lot of us were just expected to snap back to normal like nothing happened.
Here’s the part no one really says out loud: if you feel behind socially, you’re not broken. You’re not the only one. You lived through a world event during your main growing-up years. Of course it messed with you. Relearning how to talk to people, how to make plans, how to trust friends again-that all takes time.
Everyone’s timeline is different. If it takes you longer to feel okay in crowds or to stop replaying every conversation in your head, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed at growing up. It just means you’re human, and you’re still figuring it out like the rest of us.
About Alpha News Network
Alpha News Network is your go-to destination for stories that actually get it. We create content specifically for Gen Alpha - the generation that grew up with tablets, TikTok, and a completely different digital landscape. Our stories reflect real situations, genuine emotions, and the unique challenges of growing up in today's world.
Every story on our site is crafted to resonate with your experiences, whether it's dealing with school drama, navigating friendships in the digital age, family dynamics, or just trying to figure out who you are. We understand that your generation faces situations that previous generations never had to deal with, from social media pressures to rapidly changing technology.
Our mission is simple: create relatable, authentic content that speaks to Gen Alpha's reality. We don't talk down to you or try to explain things through outdated perspectives. Instead, we write stories that acknowledge your intelligence, your unique worldview, and the complex situations you navigate daily.
At Alpha News Network, we believe storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to connect, understand different perspectives, and feel less alone in your experiences. Whether you're looking for entertainment, relatability, or just want to see your generation represented authentically in media, you'll find it here.
Browse our extensive collection of stories covering everything from school and friendships to family relationships and personal growth. Each story is designed to be easily digestible while still providing meaningful content that resonates with your life experiences.
Join our growing community of Gen Alpha readers who have found a space where their stories matter, their perspectives are valued, and their experiences are understood. This is your space, your content, your generation's voice.