Are Gen Z sad?
Jayla Johnson doesn’t think so. The 23-year-old, who works in music and entertainment brand partnerships in New York City, said people her age are simply brutally honest about their feelings.
She is like the majority of members of Generation Z who say they have a great future ahead of them, according to a new poll released Thursday by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation. Still, only 47% of those surveyed said their lives were currently fulfilling.
According to the study, this number is the lowest of any generation in the United States today and is much lower than what Millennials reported at the same age. Additionally, the study found that the only generation comparable to Gen Z with such sentiments is the Silent Generation, Americans age 71 and older, of whom only 45% said they believe they are thriving. It has said.
“It’s clear that Gen Z is struggling in many ways,” says bestselling author Ryan Jenkins, who has written extensively about Gen Z and millennials.
A survey conducted this spring among 3,000 young people found that Generation Z, a diverse group of approximately 68 million Americans born between 1997 and 2012, has the experience that past generations have experienced. This was done at a time when he had already had to overcome many life-changing challenges. This includes spending months in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected education for many and limited face-to-face social interaction with colleagues. It was done.
For some Gen Zers, finding a first job in an economy with record inflation and experiencing unprecedented political conflict at home has also been a challenge.
Generation Z Americans surveyed were asked to rate how they view their current and future lives, and if they gave high ratings in both categories, they were considered “thriving.” It was defined as “
“Decisions that affect public policy, learning environments, and workplaces need to consider Gen Z’s perspectives, the challenges they face, and the solutions that best meet their unique needs, rather than being about Gen Z.” says the study.
“We are disruptive, innovative and bold,” said Johnson, who was not involved in the study. “We don’t have mean thoughts. We are real and have very strong hearts. If I want something, I don’t wait for it, I work hard for it. intend to.”
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And while 76% of Gen Zers surveyed agree that they have a great future ahead of them, only 44 say they feel prepared for their future. % was.
Ms Johnson said her generation needed to show more resilience in such a short period of time. Johnson, a self-described “social butterfly,” has had to take many of her college classes via Zoom due to the pandemic and hasn’t been able to go to concerts or hang out with friends. She said she gave her contemporaries a new perspective on life. .
“There are so many obstacles thrown at everyone, no matter their age, it’s just a matter of how you overcome them,” said Johnson, who graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University in Philadelphia. “We’re going to roll with the punches and adjust and adapt.”
Nearly 70% of those surveyed said their hope for the future was to earn enough money to live comfortably, and 64% said financial resources were a barrier to achieving their future goals and aspirations. I said yes.
For many Gen Zers, finances remain top of mind, says Jenkins, who “came of age during the Great Recession and are taking that to heart as they do their best to be financially responsible in a world in turmoil.” He said that there is.
Gen Z is more open about mental health than past generations
When asked about their current mental health and well-being, only 15% of Gen Z members surveyed said they were in good shape. Generation Z reports experiencing negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and loneliness.
This is a significant decrease from a decade ago, when 52% of millennials in the same age group said their mental health was good, the study said. And in 2004, 55% of people ages 18 to 26 reported good mental health, including both Millennials and Gen X respondents.
“That said, some of this gap may be due to an overall decline in mental health from 2013 to 2023. Millennials and (now) Gen “reported significantly lower mental health ratings than in 2004 and 2004,” the study said.
Johnson said Gen Z is the real deal.
“We’re not going to bring things to the surface,” Johnson said. “We say exactly how we feel. We can’t expect anyone to know what we’re going through.”
For better or worse, Jenkins said, social media is giving Gen Z “a platform to have their voices heard and speak up from day one.” He said many technologies are giving Gen Z “overstimulation that other generations didn’t have to experience.”
Jenkins said the impact of Gen Z is still a work in progress.
“They’re a very anxious generation, they’re bold, they’re confident, they’re socially conscious. It all goes hand in hand,” Jenkins said. “How the pandemic has changed them will not be fully understood for years to come.
Johnson has a similar assessment.
“How we are defined is still not the complete picture. No one is perfect. Our lives are just beginning,” Johnson said. “Our generation is truly a melting pot. We will be a generation of change.”
