Learning in unknown circumstances is a great challenge for young people, particularly those who lack the ability to regulate their emotions. This text presents the results of research on the image of the life of students in higher grades of primary school, measured by the sense of self-efficacy and the sense of helplessness. The research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic among 303 students. It was found that (1) students rather express their belief in their own effectiveness (agency), and, at the same time, (2) half of the students indicated the feeling of helplessness; (3) helplessness is significantly higher among girls; (4) in the case of girls, there is a clear and strong negative relation between the sense of effectiveness and the helplessness.