Mission Statement

Dear Julia,

HELP!

Kindly,
Generation Z

Dear Gen Z,

Thank you so much for your detailed and thought-provoking note. I found it decently on brand considering our obsession with 10 second videos, character-limited tweets, and our new ability to skip through TV show intros on Netflix. It’s a wonder any of us have the attention span to read through this entire post (keep going, you got it!). 

But not everything in our lives is face-tuned and angled to perfection. Gen Z’ers, we’ve got problems too (refer to song “Hot Problems” by Double Take if you need the tune to which to say this line). Our lives are full of contradictions, and no one seems to know how to point us in the right direction. 

One example that I’ve seen is our generation’s obsession with food and fitness. My social media feeds teem with pictures of the most indulgent, screen-licking worthy food, posted so we can all drool over it as we walk into our school dining halls. Then there are the health accounts run by people with abs that tell us what to eat or not to eat or to try-these-multivitamins-because-they-changed-my-life (probably by giving me the six-pack). Many of my close friends have their own food accounts, and even I find myself at restaurants, hands poised over my plate, taking pictures of my food that will inevitably recede into the depths of my camera roll. From this evidence, it seems like so many Gen Zs are living healthy, active lifestyles, or are at least conscious of and in-tune with what they eat everyday. 

But then why have the rates of obesity, eating disorders, and anxiety disorders been rapidly climbing over the past 10 years, during a large chunk of our adolescence?

Hm. Studies have shown that unrealistic expectations of body image and food intake in the media are linked to the development of eating disorders (can’t cure everything with a multivitamin now, ha). These disorders have many other factors contributing to their manifestation, but I’m not trying to solve these epidemics. Would love to, but can’t. Best I can do is turn Gen Z’s attention to the fact that some of the things that we are involved with and promote under the assumption that it will improve our mental and physical health could actually be worsening it, or having an unintended impact on others. It’s things like this that make me want to throw my phone out the window sometimes, maybe start a society where we send messages solely via paper airplanes (first I’d have to learn how to make one, but that’s an issue for later).

On the flipside, the Internet has given us a shared and absurdly efficient platform through which our actions feel more anonymous. This has had its bad implications of course, but it has also turned us into an honest and passionate force of people. Gen Z has been credited for being inspiringly accepting and open to dialogue about uncomfortable issues. Different body shapes and sizes are used in marketing now that never were before. People are a lot more willing to share their own struggles with anxiety disorders, and it’s possible that a portion of the increase in anxiety diagnosis rates could be due to people who were previously undiagnosed finally seeking help (I know this isn’t true for the majority. Just trying to look on the bright side, people). And outside of the realm of mental health, Gen Z has kicked ass with having our voices heard on issues that we care about. We’ve had absolute powerhouses like Greta Thurnburg stepping up against the President of the United States to fight for what she believes in, and the students from Parkland High School made real change in gun reform and inspired school walk-outs across the country. 

Not all of us can inspire massive change in our lives at this point in time, as sometimes I can’t even find time during the week to take out the trash, but it’s even the small things that I see from Gen Z’ers that make me believe that we all are outspoken and motivated people, who know how powerful of a platform for issues and organizations social media is. When the Australian wildfires started, pictures of baby koalas plastered the screen of my phone. And who knows if that picture I liked on Instagram last year actually planted a tree in the Amazon, but goddammit, I double tapped. There’s no doubt that Gen Z has a ton of potential to be one of the most influential generations to years after us. But in order to do this, we need to figure out how we can make our own lives better.

When I told one of my friends that I wanted to be a therapist, she asked what made me think that I had a right to do that. It sounds pretty aggressive when I typed it out, but I swear her tone came from a place of genuine inquiry rather than you should quit while you’re ahead. As an aspiring double major in psychology and neuroscience (with a minor in creative writing – hence the blog) with no professional degree, I should have no business giving advice. But, I’m a part of this generation, and I’m going to try my best. 

My goal is not to fix Gen Z. I’m not under the impression that this blog will be the turning point that sends my generation on a different path to success and reverence. As a part of a generation fixated on self-help, I find that those people who post broad statements on how to live life to the fullest just sound corny and forced (has anyone done a study on whether putting your Instagram caption as #NeverStop and #NoExcuses actually inspires anyone to go to the gym more often?). 

I just want to write about things people can relate to, and promote open dialogue about problems that our generation, and especially college students, face on a daily basis. I’m a pretty open book and love helping people, whether it’s through local community service or just being there for my friends when they’ve had a bad day. I hope that this blog at least makes someone’s day a little bit better or brighter or a little less stressful, because whatever you’re going through I’m sure you’re not alone.

So, Gen Z, I’m going to try my best to help you but I’m going to need something a little more specific. Send me your biggest, smallest, funniest, most jaw-clenchingly annoying problems that you have and we’re going to try to work out the solutions together. But if anyone asks me how to make a paper airplane, I’m sorry but I can’t help you.

Always yours,

Julia