So fall is officially here. Pumpkin spice, Halloween, colorful leaves, sweater weather… Not that we here at Oxford would know anything about that last one because it has been warm and sunny pretty much since August aside from Irma blowing through. However, autumn can be seen in the behaviors of the students, especially the freshmen, myself included. Orientation is over, friends have been made, classes have had their initiation-hazing-ritual-esque first tests, and clubs have welcomed their new members by hosting campus events. After about a month and a half, we have found where we belong for the moment… our roles as new young adults being thrust into stressful, collegiate autonomy.
After all, we have been preparing for this for years. Parents, teachers, coaches, advisors, and counselors walked us through AP courses, early morning SAT drop-offs, essay proofreading sessions, extracurriculars, and college visits to get us where we are. Every step of the way we heard “this is what admissions counselors will like” or “this will look good on applications” or “you want to be a well-rounded person, don’t you?” We stretched our time and energy to simultaneously encompass sixteen hour days and fit into this mold that was created for us. Surpassing that stressful stage earned us our places here at Emory. However, we must remember that our place in this society is not just limited to an Oxford student, an Emory student, or even a Georgia resident. That fact can sometimes be forgotten in the mountain of homework and day-to-day stress. With our noses constantly pressed to the grindstone, we lose sight that we represent a generation that is meant to lead others into a new era, one where the constant change that is weaved into the very essence of this world is not feared, but embraced.
Generation Z, as we are known, consists of those born in between circa 1995 and 2010. We haven’t been very thoroughly studied because we’re brand new. Most of us are barely out of high school, let alone have started working, paying taxes, and seeking mid-life crisis therapy all from which researchers can construct a profile. So everything that has been said about us comes from our background and the society into which we were born. One of the most defining characteristics is that we have never been without technology. It not only occupies much of our lives, but has integrated itself into how we think. Take, the cell phone, that thing that others claim we cannot live without, was invented in 1973. It had come a long way by the time we entered the world. It represents instantaneous communication and results that now manifests as hungry, never satiated curiosity and a need for speed and efficiency. But technology is not the only thing that evolved so quickly within our lifespans. Take the events between 2007 and 2017, in other words, as far back as many of us remember with the most clarity: the invention and development of the iPhone and iPad, the election of two new US presidents, the legalization of gay marriage, crashes of Malaysia flights 370 and 17, the Zika epidemic, the discovery of the Higgs Boson particle, the creation of artificial intelligence, the assassination of Osama bin Laden, the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, the drastic increase of social media, Hurricanes Sandy, Harvey, Irma, and Maria, the earthquake in Italy, the Paris terrorist attack, the spread of Ebola to the US and the creation of the vaccine, the creation of 4G and 5G cell service, the Boston Marathon bombings, online cloud storage, Ferguson, San Bernardino, Google’s self-driving car… All this within the past ten years and yet I’m only scratching the surface.
This list represents both the good and the bad, the duality of change that humanity must sometimes swallow with difficulty. However, this is the source from which Generation Z has gained its power and adaptability. We could never be stagnant and enjoy the moment because we couldn’t afford to. If we paused to smell the metaphorical flowers, then a whole chapter of history could pass by. Instead of clinging to our past and traditions, we have embraced this balance of uncertainty and still living fully. There is no “Golden Age” for us to cling to because we never experienced it. ISIS became active in 1999 and 9/11 occurred less than three years after I was born. Then came the disasters I listed above, along with far too many others. Yet, many of society’s achievements can be attributed to the same fields. The same biological concepts that created the cure for Zika can be used for biological weapons. The development of computer science that created the smartphones and tablets that run our lives is also what makes cyberattacks possible. Part of what Generation Z does best is “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”: we mourn the losses, contribute what we can, and use the loss to improve humanity’s knowledge. It might make us indifferent to some, but it is indeed a need-based ability that has evolved over time. It’s instinctual. That is what puts us in a prime position to help correct the wrongs of the world. Currently, we are at a cultural low, a trough in the life cycle of American society. Citizens are polarized in their opinions, standing face to face instead of side by side. This is mostly brought on by that infamous change. When people fear something, they seek safety and security, which lies in the familiar, not the revolutionary. It’s their lifeline and is mirrored in religion, politics, and even education. Our generation is unique in that we don’t do that, after all, change itself is all we know. So when a plane crashes, a bomb explodes, or hate-inspired words hit their victims, we are fearless in confronting it. That courage is something we can share and spread to others who have not grown up the way we have.
So to all my fellow college students, especially freshmen, wherever you may be… Do not forget this role. Do not abandon it. Never underestimate your position as a first year, undergraduate, or barely-there-adult. Youth and its fresh perspective is not a weakness, but a strength. It is our responsibility as a new generation to bring about a new era, one of tolerance, respect, success, and bravery in the face of change.
All photos from pexels!