What Are The Challenges Of The “Gen Z”?

One of the seminars that I attended in San Diego last weekend was about the challenges that Gen Z (Generation Z) or I Gen face. I wanted to share few things about that today.

Gen Z also called I Gen are people born between 1995 and 2012

They have never known a world without internet, smartphones and social media. They prefer watching YouTube, streaming Netflix, playing video games and being online. They don’t like talking but they love texting. They don’t like meeting people in person but can do snap chats.

They have experienced the Great Recession, terrorist plots, mass shootings and fake news. They have seen the economic crisis and worry about the future

What are the social, emotional and academic challenges they face?

• They spend more time online than reading books
• They also sleep less. Teens take their phones to bed which makes them drowsier and less able to concentrate in class
• More time spend on screen is also linked to unhappiness and less time spent with friends and family
• Kids are looking so much for online validation. If they don’t get enough likes, they think, ” I’m not worthy.” They might have 10 000 IG (Instagram) followers but if one person says something negative, they can’t tolerate that
• More screen time and less in-person interaction raises concerns that IGen’ers lack social skills
• They are more open minded and the most racially diverse generation to date
• They are waiting longer to date, putting off getting driver’s licences, and less likely to have after school jobs
• Students are arriving at college with fewer socializing and decision-making skills, along with less experience reading books. Adjustment can be difficult. Suicide is now the second-biggest cause of death for college students, after motor vehicle accidents

Please talk to your kids, get them socially connected

Teach them basic life skills that they will need in college. Most kids in college have been raised to success academically but not many know how to organize day to day chores, navigate insurance bills, find a doctor and how to make meals.

LAMSA’s note: Thank you Dr Ashraf for your collaboration.