Every generation leaves many trends that some may consider “cringy” or straight-up wrong. For example, Millenials posted random selfies on “Myspace” and Gen X uses “Facebook”. However, future generations are already making fun of what now represents Generation Z. So, let’s dive in to see what trends makeup Gen Z and which trends might get the side-eye from tomorrow’s teens.
Gen Z loves to invent words or, more often, bend them into new meanings. “No cap” isn’t about hats, “mid” isn’t about some location in the middle, and “rizz”? It’s short for charisma. These phrases feel fresh and sharp and are the perfect way to talk casually.
But think about it. How many millennials still use terms from their time like “on fleek”? It won’t be long until, generations down the line, the grandchildren of Gen Z are in hysterics reading back through old group chats. “Wait, grandma said what was bussin’? “Cottagecore. Y2K. Dark academia. If there’s one thing Gen Z has perfected, it’s the art of leaning fully into an aesthetic. They’ve built identities around different vibes, transforming personal style into curated experiences. Their rooms are an extension of their entire personality and aesthetic. Their playlists are the music equivalent of their mood boards. Although it is mesmerizing, it is bound to get old someday. Picture future generations scrolling through vintage Instagram accounts in bewilderment at how much effort went into artfully photographing oat milk lattes on perfectly laid linen sheets. “Why did everything have to be beige and rustic? They’ll say, sipping on their holographic smoothies.
The place to blame for all of these distinct microtrends… TikTok. TikTok is more than a platform; it is Generation Z’s entire lives. From dance challenges to absurd skits, it’s where Gen Z has honed its craft of micro-entertainment. But when the dust settles, some of these trends will seem hilariously niche and absurd. Future generations might stumble upon compilations of people lip-syncing to sped-up pop songs while pointing at text boxes. And they will marvel at the creativity but also laugh at the absurdity of how much influence 15-second videos have on an entire culture. Few things feel quite so quintessentially Gen Z as the aesthetic of Y2K. Chunky flip phones, low-rise jeans, and glittery lip gloss which they never lived through- have made roaring returns. Whereas millennials shudder at looking back on their early-2000s photos, Boomers revel in it. But trends are cyclical, and what’s cool now more often than not feels laughable later. One day, holographic flip phones will be as vintage as rotary dials, and Generation Z’s fascination with wired headphones and rebellion against wireless AirPods will seem so stupid to all teenagers.
Humor for Gen Z is also just as disturbing as the niche trends they make up. Every joke seems to have at least three layers of context to interpret. In the same way, millennials now cringe at their memes, in the future people might squint at the bizarre edits and jokes that defined Gen Z’s humor. Although most of the trends to come from Gen Z seem stupid, they know how to convert a social cause into a trending hashtag, using viral posts and shareable infographics to amplify the most pressing issues. It’s a useful method, but also one destined for a life of continuous evolution. Junior Andrew Gardner says “I learn a lot about the world through social media! I seriously dont know what I’d do without it.” (Andrew Gardner 11). However, one day children will giggle over the perfectly curated carousel posts about climate change on Instagram. Hopefully, they will acknowledge that this generation is laying the groundwork for a more conscious world.
Generational trends are just low-hanging fruit for teasing. It’s harmless and inevitable. But beyond the quirks and the slang, Generation Z is an intention-driven generation. They have mastered the art of weaving creativity, individuality, and activism together in a beautiful digital landscape. They will be laughed at in the future for their own slang, aesthetic, and TikTok dances. Still, they also will admire the courage it takes to be authentically oneself in a world often demanding otherwise. And maybe, just maybe, future generations might see a little bit of themselves in the quirks of Gen Z.