With high schools in the US closed due to COVID-19, many students will miss the chance to go to prom. Not wanting to forgo this experience, teens are holding their own ceremonies on TikTok in the latest example of how social networks are proving key to maintaining tradition and routine.

With their graduations being conducted over Zoom, job hunts on hold, and socializing restricted, Gen Zers are in something of a life limbo. In this context, humorous and absurdist meme culture is connecting them with one another, giving them an outlet for processing anxieties around the pandemic.

Facing prolonged isolation, financial uncertainty, and difficult (but much-needed) discussions around racism, the average American is grappling with a lot more than normal in 2020. Canvas8 spoke to eight people about how challenging times are shaping their communications with friends and family.

For decades, movies about adolescence have depicted cartoonish cliques and underdog triumphs. But in Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade, 13-year-old Kayla is neither bullied nor popular, and her social fate changes little – a realistic take on teen life for a young audience craving relatability.