The main difference between millennials and Gen Z lies in the way we see life. Millennials grew up with a certain blueprint for success: go to school or learn a trade, land a good job, get married, have kids, buy a house by 25, and everything will fall into place. And for many of them, that actually worked out pretty well.
But Gen Z, we’ve got a different mentality. We’re more about breaking free from the traditional norms and charting our own paths. We’re driven by self-discovery and curiosity. We’re the ones challenging the status quo, constantly asking questions about who we are, why things are the way they are, and where we fit in this world. We feel this deep need to explore ourselves, assert our independence, and define what success and happiness look like on our own terms.
What really connects us is a shared sense of loneliness, but also a mutual belief in individual freedom. We strongly believe that every person should have the right to express their thoughts, beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, and religion, things that previous generations didn’t always feel as free to do. For us, inclusivity is key, and we want to create a world where everyone can truly be themselves.
For many of us in Gen Z, our formative years were shaped by the rise of social media, increased awareness around issues like racism, and the ongoing fight for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals. These shifts have had both positive and negative effects on our mental health, and we’re still figuring out how to navigate them. But it’s these experiences, both challenging and liberating, that have shaped us into who we are. They’re also what fuel our desire to find our purpose.
We may still have a lot of growing up to do, but one thing is clear: we’re the game-changers. We’re the generation that’s pushing boundaries, questioning long-held beliefs, and demanding change. The world might have been waiting for us, but we’re also waiting for the world to catch up with us.
Bola writes 