People Over 40 Think Gen Z Is Odd For Doing These 11 Everyday Things
For older adults, they may not totally understand some of the things Gen Z enjoys doing.
Dean Drobot | Shutterstock For people over 40, they've been able to notice all of the rapid changes that seemingly happened overnight. A lot of those changes are things that Gen Z have embraced with open arms and are seemingly leading the charge as well. From how they choose to express themselves to their usage of social media for both pleasure and professional endeavors, people over 40 think Gen Z is odd for doing these everyday things.
Technology truly isn't the only point of confusion, but also how Gen Z dresses, the slang they enjoy using, and how drastically different their daily routines are compared to what people over 40 were doing when they were that young. To keep up with all of the changes, Gen Z has chosen to embrace a lot, which just makes their lifestyles appear that much more quirky to older generations. They might raise their eyebrows or shake their heads in disbelief at some of the things that Gen Z find enjoyable, but just because they might not necessarily understand it doesn't mean that it's inherently wrong either.
People over 40 think Gen Z is odd for doing these 11 everyday things
1. Using multiple apps to communicate with each other
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According to a survey from Pew Research Center, an estimated 64% of young people who have met at least one new friend online reported meeting that friend through social media, while 72% say they spend time with friends on social media.
Apps like Instagram, TikTok, X, and even Snapchat are sometimes how Gen Z choose to communicate with each other. They might start off just using regulariMessage, but they'll quickly transition to other apps just to continue the same conversation. It's how they're able to connect with and speak with the friends that they have, both in-person and digitally.
Those over 40 find it overwhelming to balance using all of these social media apps just to talk to a few people at a time. To them, it's easier to just give out their number and either make a group chat or just talk to them on the phone.
For Gen Z, it's less about staying in touch and more about building up their social community. Each app does its own thing and brings its own vibe, which is why they rely on them quite heavily.
2. Oversharing their lives online
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People over 40 think Gen Z is odd for sharing every part of their lives online. But for Gen Z, social media is about sharing snippets of their daily lives. They find comfort in, essentially, oversharing.
From the meals they've made to the outfits they've put together, it allows them to feel like they're part of a community by documenting it for others to see. Even if they don't necessarily know every single person that follows them, it doesn't really matter to them.
For those over 40, the concept of sharing details of their lives online is such a foreign concept. Mostly because they didn't really grow up with social media, and also for the fact that it just feels a bit unnecessary when private moments should just be kept private.
3. Taking pictures of their food before eating
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One of the first things Gen Zers will do when they get their food at a restaurant or finish cooking at home is taking a photo to commemorate the moment. Those over 40 roll their eyes when they notice young people standing up tall, reaching over the table, and angling their phone a certain way to get a good shot of the food.
They believe it's unnecessary and even a bit cringe. To them, food is about eating, not getting an aesthetic shot of it for social media. But Gen Zers truly enjoy doing it.
It's a way to share parts of their lives with the people that choose to follow them, and even if they aren't posting it to social media, it's just another way to capture memories and remember that delicious meal they had the other day.
There might even be some benefits to taking pictures of your food, too. Research published in Personality and Social Psychology Review found that small, repeated behaviors like taking a food photo offer a sense of order and predictability, especially when life may feel uncertain and dreary.
4. Referring to themselves as the 'main character'
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If there's one thing Gen Z enjoys doing, it's thinking of themselves as the "main characters" of their own lives. It's their way of saying that they're the stars of their story, and it allows them to live life in a way where they just don't care about what other people have to think or say about them.
It doesn't actually mean they think they're above anyone else, but it just allows them to focus on the things that make them happy and pursue the activities that bring them enjoyment.
However, people over 40 may not understand the whole "main character" persona. It can come off as self-absorbed behavior because, to them, life should never be that serious to warrant having to think that way.
But Gen Zers just enjoy the freedom that comes with thinking like that. It's their way of finding the fun in life. It helps bring some control back to their lives when things can feel quite stacked up against them.
5. Shopping exclusively online
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Gen Z tends to rely on the comfortability of being able to shop online, even though people over 40 think Gen Z is odd for doing this. They don't even have to leave the comfort of their home or their couch to buy anything they need. From groceries, to clothes, and even household products, everything is readily available with just a few taps of their fingers.
According to a poll from YouGov, Gen Z is the most online generation. While they still might browse in-store, an estimated 69% of Gen Z shoppers use online browsing to at least begin their decision-making process.
Being able to shop online is about convenience and also seeing all of the options available to them that might not even be an option when they go into the store. For people over 40, they didn't really grow up with the popularity of online shopping and find it better to just go to a physical retail store to get what they need.
It's their chance to get out of the house, and to them it is something that is part of shopping and they can't really let it go as easily as Gen Z are willing to.
6. Wearing headphones everywhere
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Gen Z simply enjoys having their headphones in, even if they're running a quick errand down the street. It's simply not uncommon to see earbuds or huge headphones on at all times, from sitting on public transportation, walking through the grocery store, waiting in line at the coffee shop, and even walking their dogs.
Sometimes they're not even really listening to music at all, it's just about the comfort of having the headphones in so that no one tries to make unnecessary conversation with them. But people over 40 think Gen Z is odd for having headphones in all the time. Even at work, Gen Z have their headphones in; in fact, an estimated 25% of Gen Z are always using headphones when they're at their jobs, most likely listening to music.
For those over 40, they may not get the appeal of having headphones in all of the time. They believe that it simply impairs your senses and just feels a bit bizarre in their ears. They might listen to music, but they're not always walking around with headphones in.
7. Constantly changing their hair color
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Gen Z truly enjoys changing aspects about their appearance. From getting new piercings to a new tattoo, they are always looking to reinvent themselves. The same can be said for changing their hair color.
Being able to experiment with different colors is fun for them. One moment they may have purple hair, and the next they may have jet black hair. The options are endless and that's what's exciting. It's their way of being able to express themselves and their creativity.
But for people over 40, the days of always changing their hair color are long gone. It might have been something they indulged in when they were young, but they tend to just stick to their natural color or other colors that aren't too out there.
They simply prefer the consistency and stability of sticking to their usual appearance, while Gen Z enjoy treating their hair as an outlet for trying something new and switching up their identity.
8. Switching out hobbies often
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One day, Gen Zers might be trying their hand at sewing, and then the next day, they might transition over to taking a pottery class. For them, hobbies are supposed to be fun and they enjoy switching them out often to learn something new.
Having a hobby is something that's good for your health and also your mood. Spending time doing something outside of your career and responsibilities can help with staying creative and engaged.
While those over 40 know that, they tend to just stick to one or two hobbies rather than switching them out as consistently as Gen Zers might do. While they might be labeled as being "flaky" with their hobbies, it's just because they enjoy trying new things and exploring all of their different options and interests. They simply want to get in as much as they can, despite the fact that people over 40 think it's better to just dedicate their time to only a few.
9. Preferring streaming over watching cable TV
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Streaming is considered one of the most popular forms of media that Gen Z uses to watch their shows and movies. Gen Zers spend 59% of their TV screen time with streaming. It's interesting though, considering many older Gen Z adults grew up with parents that paid for cable, but as they became adults themselves, the appeal of streaming services just felt better than having to pay for a cable box.
They enjoy the freedom and control of having access to things like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max. They can simply put on anything they want, even shows that are no longer airing on actual TV.
For people over 40, streaming services can be hard to maintain. There's just something classic about turning the channel to NBC or ABC and actually watching shows and movies, equipped with the usual commercials and everything.
But for Gen Z, sometimes it's just cheaper to have these streaming services than it is to actually pay for cable. Plus, it just fits in with their technology lifestyle.
10. Making playlists for every possible mood
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Gen Zers are the type of people who need to have a different playlist for every single mood that they find themselves in. From a playlist full of sad songs when they're feeling down, a playlist for when they first wake up full of songs that can pump them up for the day ahead, and even a playlist for traveling, their music collection is filled with hits for everything.
It's about setting the right vibe. And there's nothing more fun than curating songs you love into a specific playlist that is readily available when you need it.
For those over 40, making playlists isn't as important to them as it is for young people. They may just find random playlists on either Spotify or Apple Music made by other people and listen to that. The concept of actually sitting down to make a plethora of different playlists just to match their mood feels a bit unnecessary to them.
11. Using screens to read instead of books
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Gen Zers often choose to read on their phones, tablets, or e-readers, like a Kindle. Rather than going to the bookstore and picking out a physical book, they appreciate the freedom of being able to whip out their device and get to reading their favorite book or study for an upcoming test in school by going over their textbook that they downloaded.
For older generations, it feels strange to swipe over to the next page on an electronic device versus having the actual book in your hand and getting to feel the pages. To them, it almost feels as if you're missing out on the "real" experience of being able to read.
But for Gen Z, being able to digitally read means they are reading more often. Considering their devices are usually always on them, it allows them to get through multiple books in quick succession without having to plan a trip to the bookstore.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
