The COVID-19 pandemic represented a profound disruption in the lives of adolescents globally, especially in Peru, where prolonged lockdown kept schools closed until 2021. This health and social crisis coincided with a critical stage of human development, a period in which the world acquires new meanings and higher cognitive functions became consolidated. How did adolescents process and make sense of a context of uncertainty and change? This study analyzes how adolescents from Lima incorporated information, translated reality, and constructed meanings during the pandemic. For this purpose, the Rorschach Psychodiagnostic Test under the Exner Comprehensive System was applied remotely to 100 adolescents from Lima of middle and high socioeconomic status, aged between 12 and 16, homogeneously distributed by sex and age. The results show significant differences by sex. In males, a higher presence of responses suggests a distorted or unrealistic interpretation of the world and of themselves (presence of FABCOM and a decreased in H). In contrast, female presented indicators of a partial and self-centered perspective, as well as a rationalizing strategy (decreased in W, increased in EGO, and presence of AB). Regarding age, older adolescents showed a resurgence of indicators associated with emotional and cognitive disorganization in the face of increasing external demands, without having yet consolidated the internal resources necessary to cope with them, they regressed in their adjustment to social expectations and in the clarity of communication and thought (presence of DV and INCOM). Overall, the findings demonstrate that the pandemic had a significant impact on the cognitive functioning of adolescents and the need to continue exploring how exceptional events can leave lasting marks on their development and well-being.