In a French context where universities are thought of and analysed as “weak institutions” that leave learners to themselves, the effects of the pandemic present great risks to students who already face structural obstacles to their education. This qualitative paper is based on the experience of 19 students in a typical non-selective university in France, who have disengaged or have thought of dropping out during the pandemic. We examine how lockdowns and distance learning have impacted French students’ learning and living conditions unequally, unpacking ideas of student engagement and disengagement through a sociological lens looks at students within their social context and places importance on the role of institutions in “holding” students. By unpacking our participants’ narratives, we address the implications of online learning for educational justice and the long-term opportunities of students. Our analysis shows that students’ well-being and learning are entangled with an attachment to the institution, with seeing the worth, purpose, and recognition for what they do and the importance of emplaced learning to do so. We therefore highlight the importance of recognition and regulation in the learning process itself. Our findings allow us to also offer nuance to existing research and discourse about the French university system being a “weak” institution that forces individuals to be autonomous. The article also points to the strategies employed by students and teachers with a view to maintain engagement that contribute to considering solutions to help student retention for the sector as a whole and in our pedagogical practice.