Year in review: For Gen Z, 2023 brings cautious optimism
One of the benefits of still being in high school is being around other peers and part of a generation that is widely unaccounted for. Gen Z — born in the 15-year interval between 1997 and 2012 — accounts for a staggering 68.6 million people in the United States alone, placing the group behind baby boomers (1946-1964) and millennials (1981-1996). The class that grew up with high-tech innovations such as YouTube, the internet and social media, Gen Z is often not taken seriously by their predecessors who charge them with low levels of grit and perseverance and a statistically supported notorious lack of focus (Forbes reported that the average Gen Zer has an attention span capability of just eight seconds.). Yet, in 2022, with a combination of massive market power and an explosion onto the global stage in several aspects of life, Generation Z made a blazing mark on the societal landscape.
The largest strides that Gen Z made have been in politics. Amid a year full of chaos, Gen Z made a substantial impact on the midterm elections with an unprecedented and astonishing turnout of voters. The Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) reported that Gen Z contributed over 8 million new voters this election season — a figure significant enough to constitute a swing vote in several battleground states.
Not only did more young people seize the opportunity to determine the fates of legislative representatives, but for the first time, a Gen Z candidate was elected to Congress. Maxwell Frost, a Democrat in politically polarized Florida, brings rejuvenation and enthusiasm to the House where the average age is well over double his 25 years. His presence in the government will hopefully spur both parties to direct more attention to the youths, their ideals and aspirations.
Stepping back onto the international stage, 2022’s splendid feats and accomplishments were marred by controversies and alarming occurrences. Extremely high temperatures swept across the globe, shattering decades-long records. NOAA reported that over 7,000 daily temperature records were broken in the United States alone in the summer of 2022 — an eye-opening testament to the reality of global warming. During the biggest soccer tournament of the year, Qatar admitted to the deaths of about 500 migrant workers as it raced to complete stadiums and other infrastructure. Wave after wave of COVID-19 variants kept the world under immense stress and anxiety. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine significantly disrupted the global economy and ballooned already rising inflation rates. Without a doubt, the well-being of humanity was imperiled in 2022.
An informal survey of Gen Z students’ thoughts on the closing year made it evident that they harbored a mixture of emotions and opinions. On one hand, a vague sense of normalcy had finally returned to their academic and personal lives. However, a combination of factors around them has led them to show cautious optimism toward what was the general experience during 2022. Yet, it is safe to say that we, as a whole, are excited as we look ahead to 2023. A new year brings a fresh slate of opportunities, and we are determined to use our voices to join in the debates about how best to advance the well-being of humanity.
Alex Seojoon Kim is a high school sophomore in Stillwater.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Guest: Despite cliches about Gen Z, we made large strides in 2022
