Gen Z interests blend digital creativity (TikTok, gaming, content creation) with "cozy" offline hobbies (crafts, cooking, reading, journaling) as a digital detox, all while prioritizing experiences, mental/physical wellness (fitness, nutrition), social causes, and finding balance between online and real life, often seeking authenticity and purpose in their activities. They're known for fast-paced trend adoption but also a return to tangible skills, driven by social media discovery and a desire for meaningful connection and personal growth.
Whilst boomers and millennials may use the 😂 emoji, this has long since been deemed 'uncool' (or 'cheugy') by Gen Z. Instead, this has been replaced by the skull (💀) or the crying emoji (😭), dramatising the idea of 'dying with laughter'.
Social media is a huge trend for this generation. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are, by far, the most frequently used platforms. One-quarter of Gen Zers spend five hours or more per day on TikTok. TikTok continues to soar in popularity among members of Generation Z (911% in 5 years).
The defining traits of Gen Z
And for Gen Z, these pastimes go far beyond entertainment. From creative, hands-on outlets like drawing and cooking, to social activities like gaming or playing sports, this gen uses their free time to explore who they...
Bae – Boyfriend or girlfriend.
93% of Gen Zs take part in socialising involving competitive activities. With young men increasingly keen to try new activities such as VR gaming bars and social cricket; while more 'traditional' competitive activities like bowling and crazy golf have higher appeal to young women.
For Gen Z, many of these fears stem from a combination of things: economic uncertainty and financial insecurity, climate concerns, student debt, job market instability, social media, rapid change and an overall loss of hope and purpose.
Gen Z are typically self-driven, collaborative, and diverse-minded. They value flexibility, authenticity, and a pragmatic approach to addressing problems. Gen Z are misunderstood. Contrary to stereotypes of being “lazy” or “coddled,” Gen Z is entrepreneurial and adaptive.
Most people expect to work to 65. That varies by generation, however: Gen Z expects to retire at age 60, Boomers at 72, Millennials at 64 and Gen X at 67. 32% of Millennials and 30% of Gen Z expect to live to 100 – higher than the 22% of Gen X and 21% of Boomers who expect to become a centenarian.
Social Issues
Those tasked with feeding Gen Z on campus cited these preferences:
Gen Zers value personal growth. They want to own nicer things and make better decisions. That means they favor ethical fashion practices and aim to buy items that are either sustainable or created by niche designers. Ideology.
“Can't lie” “Can't lie” falls under the same umbrella as slang terms like NGL (not gonna lie) and TBH (to be honest). The 🆑 emoji is perfect to use when you're trying to keep things unfiltered and brutally honest.
The upside-down face emoji 🙃 is basically code for “this is terrible” or FML. It's used when things aren't going well or the user is having a terrible day. This modern usage is an update to the millennial sense. For the older generation, this emoji often indicated sarcasm or even silliness.
The 🍋🟩 combination, officially the Lime emoji (🍋🟩), represents a literal lime, symbolizing sourness, Mexican food, summer, or tropical vibes, often formed by combining the Lemon (🍋) and Green Square (🟩) emojis on platforms that support it. It can mean something tart, refreshing drinks (like mojitos), lime green color, or generally mean "lime" in texts.
For Gen Z, the 😭 (Loudly Crying Face) emoji usually means something is overwhelmingly funny, cute, or heartwarming, signifying "crying with laughter" or being emotionally moved, rather than actual sadness, often replacing the older 😂 emoji for intense amusement. It's used for exaggerated, positive reactions to things like relatable humor, adorable pets, or touching moments.
The Gen Z stare is a generally pejorative phrase coined by social media users to describe a "blank stare that members of younger generations give in situations where a verbal response would be more common" or appropriate.
According to data gathered in the United States in March 2023, Pop was the most popular genre for Generation Z.
“A cheery or corporate 'hello' can come across as disingenuous or emotionally performative. Gen Zers value emotional clarity over politeness. They want authenticity, not artifice.” All that said, it's still a little strange.
While 45% of those surveyed described Gen Z as the most challenging to work with, this dropped to 26% for millennials, 13% for Gen X, and 9% for baby boomers. In the end, being “difficult” is probably just another rite of passage.
Gen Z guys flirt in ways that might surprise older generations. Forget the overly rehearsed pickup lines—Gen Z guys are all about humor, memes, and casual compliments. Sliding into DMs with a funny meme or sharing a relatable TikTok is more common than trying to charm someone with a cliché. But it's not all jokes.
Despite being digital natives, Gen Z is more disconnected than ever. While social media is central to their lives, it often amplifies feelings of inadequacy and isolation. Highlight reels and influencer culture leave many feeling like they're falling short.
Social media preferences. TikTok continues to dominate Gen Z's attention, but YouTube is regaining relevance, especially for longer-form content and in-depth product research. According to Pew Research, 67% of teens (which includes younger Gen Z) use TikTok, and 93% use YouTube regularly.