Gen Z: Why the Future is Ours to Shape

Generation Z is possibly the most diverse generation to date.

In today’s polarized world, Gen Z has discovered the value of unity. Due to ethical diversity, our cooperation with digital technology, and acknowledgment of pressing issues within society, we are the most empowered generation; the future is ours to shape.

As a generation we’ve been born into the age of digital technology. From phones, to Wi-Fi, to games consoles, we’ve never known any different; technology is a fundamental part of our lives. We are living in the most interconnected time humanity has ever seen, and this is only growing. Going into the future hand in hand with technology, effective communication has become second nature to us. Online conferences and zoom calls are staples of our daily lives now more than ever before. The opportunities this holds are endless, because with good communication, no challenge we face as a generation is impossible.

Resilience. After the year we’ve all had, I think it’s safe to say we have all developed some level of resilience. Whether that’s enduring hours of tedious online lessons, not being able to have that extravagant 18th you’ve always imagined, or having to suffer alone in hospital without loved ones, it’s not been the easiest year for any generation. However, as the COVID finishing line approaches, it’s clear Gen Z has adapted to develop an overwhelming resilience, and this new-found strength is something that we will never lose. Although physically separating us, COVID has ultimately united Gen Z, forming bonds that would never have been made without it, even if it were over facetime!

Not every day will be your best day. Not every day will be your worst day. As a generation, we understand and accept what this means. Not every day is going to be a good day; you can’t always be the most hyperbolic and amplified form of yourself. And that is okay. Mental health knows no age, no gender, no generation; however, the empathy we have developed as a generation will set us in good stead for any challenges we face in the future. Our experiences and demolition of the mental health stigma means that no more generations will have to feel embarrassed, unworthy or ‘not normal’ for not feeling themselves. Its okay not to be okay.

Generation Z, and the generations following us, will bear the brunt of climate change. This is no fault of our own. However, to maintain the world we live in now, we need to make a stance. And we have. Protests and awareness continue to expand worldwide, and with increasing amounts of young people joining the fight against climate change, there is hope for a brighter, more eco-friendly future.

For any generation, the future can often seem daunting. It feels like only yesterday you arrived at high school for the first time, in a massively oversized blazer, your backpack full to the brim and butterflies fluttering in your stomach. Now adulthood is fast approaching, and sometimes it feels like the only option is to shy away from it all and hide behind a good Netflix series and some chocolate. But Gen Z is in a better position than any other generation. As the years have gone on, it seems more opportunities have risen to the surface and Gen Z has been provided a bigger array of courses than were previously possible; many more careers and pathways have been created; it seems the future is ours. Your life can be anything you want it to be. With technology progressing by our side the world is our oyster, and however daunting this may feel, we really are left with an advantage over every previous generation. The future is ours to shape.

Written by Jemima Dodwell- Cooke

Photography by Beth Slattery