Anyone who’s spent time around Gen Z — or watched news stories about them — has heard the stereotypes: They are more anxious, fragile, and coddled than previous generations. As a developmental psychologist at Harvard, I study the experience of growing up across generations and I’ve heard every variation on this theme. To be sure,…
Actor Austin Butler attends the 16th Governors Awards at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, Nov. 16, 2025. Valerie Macon | AFP | Getty Images With an affordability crisis taking hold, financial stability is in fashion. Whether it’s wearing a quarter-zip sweater or the latest “401(k) mullet” hairstyle, young men, especially,…
A young woman wearing headphones browses vintage vinyl records in a store. Mihailomilovanovic | E+ | Getty Images Account manager Matt Richards, 23, deleted all his social media apps from his phone last year, and was surprised to find that his life changed for the better. Richards had been using a smartphone since he was…
Farcia Harvey considers herself to be pretty well traveled. The 27-year-old has crossed off New York City, New Orleans for Mardi Gras, Barcelona and Madrid from her travel bucket list. But one of her favorite trips was her 2024 birthday trip to Cincinnati, of all places. “I think about that trip to Cincinnati genuinely all…
Nearly a million young British people, between the ages of 16 and 24, were not in education, employment or training at the end of 2025, per the U.K. Office for National Statistics. Hiraman | E+ | Getty Images Young people are struggling to score their first jobs, and it might be because they’re just not…
A guest poses for a photograph during the Jellycat Road Trip to Joy at Nordstrom Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Jeff Schear / Stringer/ Getty Images Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re a stuck on what to gift your Gen Z family members, a cuddly plush toy might be the answer this…
Nandi Owolo’s first foray into junk journaling came by accident. One day in June 2024, Owolo fell while walking her dog. “I started junk journaling because I broke my foot on my birthday, of all days,” she tells CNBC Make It. She was homebound on doctor’s orders for two months of recovery. Then, by way…
Cambridge Dictionary named “parasocial” as Word of the Year for 2025. Francesco Carta Fotografo | Moment | Getty Images AI chatbots, Taylor Swift, and social media influencers all played a part in deciding Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year, 2025: “parasocial.” Parasocial — revealed by the global dictionary on Tuesday as its word of the…
Shoppers walk through Manhattan on Nov. 7, 2025, in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images High-income consumers are trading down, Gen Z is spending less, and low-income shoppers are still struggling, according to many consumer companies that shared their latest quarterly results in recent weeks. Those trends may not bode well for the…
With politics among the biggest stressors for Americans, and the political gender gap growing among young people, it can be hard to stay motivated when divisions feel more contentious than ever. Few people understand that like Ella Emhoff, the daughter of former U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff and stepdaughter of former Vice President Kamala Harris. Getting…
