Opportunity Knocks #86 - Ten Things I Learned About Gen Z This Semester
Every week I share reflections, ideas, questions, and content suggestions focused on championing, building, and accelerating opportunity for children.
J. Robert Oppenheimer, who spent time in the classroom as a professor before directing the Manhattan Project and returned briefly afterward, once purportedly remarked, “No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows.”
Teaching—at any level—is about more than imparting empowering knowledge that leads to independent thinking. It’s also about fostering curiosity and humility in both teacher and student as Oppenheimer’s quote reminds us.
My students are Gen Z, born roughly between 1997 and 2012. They teach me new facts, cultural references I missed or don’t understand, and perspectives I might not have independently come to.
The following observations are anecdotal, drawn from my interactions with students this semester. They are not broadly representative or grounded in significant data. However, I think they are instructive, as many contradict the dominant public narratives about Gen Z.
Students' humor seems rooted in meme culture, which I don’t always fully understand, but it’s undeniably nuanced, creative, and distinct from previous generations.
Students remain upstream of fashion trends (as has long been the case for teens). The aesthetic that persists is no-rules comfort. So, hyper-casual, but with a mix of high-quality beauty and wellness products, footwear, and accessories.
Students use exclusive hyper-local social networks. My sense is that these online communities seem to provide opportunities for context-specific interactions that can lead to connection. Of course, they are also still using big social media. Anecdotally, YouTube and TikToK seems to be the most widely and consistently used platforms.
Students are naturally inclined to practice gratitude. I asked students to handwrite thank you notes to every guest speaker. Though I provided guidance—e.g., your note should: 1) sound like you; 2) be a permanent record of your feelings in the moment; 3) include specific details about what you learned and how you will apply those learnings—every note that I gave a cursory glance was far from a transactional acknowledgment. Each was a sincere reflection on growth, meaning, and values.
Students are socializing differently than even a generation ago, embracing new patterns of friendship and dating that reflect their values. Much more on that in Opportunity Knocks #72. Maybe this is “generation responsible?”
Students are confident in building their own identities, but they want to be part of something bigger than themselves. They want to be shapers of the communities they’re part of. I’ve seen this duality in their constructive peer feedback, their commitment to group projects, and their approach to campus activities and athletics.
Students seem increasingly skeptical of social media influencers, but also really interested in celebrities—particularly athletes and musicians. This one is hard to square.
Students value relevance in their learning. Experiences that bridge the gap between classroom concepts and real-life challenges are sought after.
Students recognize the power of sleep. I begin every class with a “celebration” and I think at least one student in every session “celebrated” getting a good night’s sleep.
The vast majority of students are open-minded and willing to engage in intellectual give and take and to pressure-test deeply held beliefs.
Each semester reminds me how much there is to learn from curious, thoughtful young people. I am hopeful because of them.
Until Thursday, be calm and be kind,
Andrew