School closures and remote learning resulted in major disruptions for final-year secondary school students who were due to take their examinations in June 2020. Using the Constructivist-Grounded Theory method, we conducted 14 in-depth interviews to gain insight into the impact of the coronavirus restrictions on the lives, education and plans of graduating secondary school students in Ireland. While participant responses to the pandemic were diverse, they can be categorised as those who were shielded against negative implications of the pandemic; those who struggled with worry and uncertainty; and those who became discontent as they awakened to the shortcoming of policymaking. Instead of assuming uniform effects of the pandemic in young populations, we need to be attuned to the diverse pathways whereby some young adults can tap into their resources (including creativity and social networks) while others need extensive support to make up for lost opportunities and isolation that ensued from the pandemic.