Generation Z, iGen, Gen Tech; these are a few of the names given to our generation.  Alongside these names exist a multitude of misconceptions about us. Some are simple misunderstandings, however, many are myths perpetuated as truths, even when they’re not.  

The first misconception is our diversity.  We bolster the image of a group that includes everyone no matter what race, religion, or culture you identify with.  This is not entirely true. Walking into school, you see a rainbow of people and cultures; however, rainbows, while beautiful, have separate and distinct colors.  This is reflected in our generation. The white kids hang out with white kids, the black kids with black kids, and so on. While they all attend the same school, rarely do you see a “diverse” group.  In reality, when we describe ourselves as “diverse”, we don’t necessarily mean it.

The second misconception about our generation regards socialization.  Unprecedented access to technology has led to teens having friends worldwide.  We know that teens nowadays lack in person communication skills, (compared to other generations), but it goes further.  We, as a generation, are surprisingly discriminatory and chauvinistic. Friend groups form early on and tend to remain the same.  Coinciding this is a conservative attitude towards those not in their clique. The second image is of an exchange student from Norway who doesn’t speak English and doesn’t know anyone.  In this moment, she needs someone to reach out. Instead, she is seated alone attempting to complete an assignment she doesn’t understand, because she has no one to turn to for help.

The final image represents the misconception that teens are independent and self expressive, regardless of the outcome.  This is only partially accurate. When it comes to self expression, Gen Z’ers take full advantage of their independence. Nonetheless, this is not a “carefree” depiction.   For many appearance is of the utmost importance. In the age of social media, and superficial relationships, your image is all you have. Everything you see, especially on social media, is a carefully designed and executed performance, as seen in the third picture.