Gen Z Unmasked
These photos were taken with the intent to argue certain stereotypes about kids in my generation. Some people (in my opinion) believe high school students are rude, inconsiderate and spending all their time buried in technology. I would say this is true for some, but in my experience most Gen Z teens do not live up to these stereotypes. My first picture shows a boy overwhelmed with the responsibilities and stress of high school. He is shown breaking down with no end in sight, depicted by the long, windowless hallway. The other student squatting next to him is attempting to comfort him during this mentally fragile time. Nobody would expect a teenage boy to go out of his way to assist another. He could have easily kept walking, acting like he didn’t notice the struggling student, (how any teenage stereotype believer would expect him to do) but he didn’t. He took the time to bring the student company and motivational words to help him through the day. My second photo was taken at a Migos and Drake concert at TD Garden in early September. Concerts like these typically consist of teenagers and young adults with their phones out, paying attention to their video screens and not the live performance. I chose this picture (although it is very low quality) because as you can see, barely anyone is occupied by their cell phone. This picture helps to squash the stereotype of teenagers being consumed by technology. The people closest to the stage are in what is called the “pit”. This is usually where you can see the most cell phone lights, but at this particular concert everyone was on their feet with their hands up enjoying the music. This was baffling to me, so I decided to take the time to snap the image. The third image shows a teenage boy in the library. Though many adults or non Gen Z people would believe teen boys would be outside playing a sport or in their rooms playing video games, this student decided to find a comfortable, isolated spot and enjoy a good read. The long, carpeted floor between the camera and the boy represents the distance someone would think there really is between a teenage boy and a bookshelf. I believe this image contradicts many unfair assumptions of teenagers.
