Regrets with not deferring master's

I'm having a lot of regrets not taking a gap year this year.

I'm currently doing a master's and it's not what I was expecting at all. I applied before lockdown, so had no idea what I was signing up for. Once it was clear things would be online, my uni stopped deferrals early so I had no choice but to either do my master's this year, or waste my application fee and deposit and apply next year.

I also I had quite a non-social undergraduate journey. I was self-conscious and quiet. I only made a handful of friends since my flatmates in first year were awful. Now I am more chatty and putting myself out there. But there is no point since I can barely meet my coursemates since everything is online and due to the government rules. I feel like I would've enjoyed next year so much better. In terms of joining events in societies (there is one society in particular I was so eager to join, but now they barely have any events and they are all virtual) and going out clubbing (which I barely did in undergrad due to lack of social life).

I feel like I'm never going to get this experience again. I would look back at my uni years and be disappointed that it was just mediocre.

Well, you have two options:
1) drop out and apply for 2021 (although there is no guarantee that that will be in-person) and accept some financial loss
2) continue on the course and try to make the best of it.

Why did you choose to do a masters in the first place? Was it for career progression?