Like many adults, I blinked and now I’m hurdling towards 40 with two children, a blind canine and a mortgage. And but (AND YET!), when requested if I’d be inquisitive about main a jewelry-making workshop for 50 teenagers, I thought, “In fact! These are my individuals!” I wouldn’t say I’m younger at coronary heart, however I do assume I left a giant chunk of my mind on a crimson tray in my highschool cafeteria. However then the warnings from my (precise) friends got here rolling in. “Are you able to be pranked on a TikTok livestream by a 16-year-old with an alpaca haircut?” “Can you utilize ‘rizz’ in a sentence?” “Good luck getting them to search for from their telephones!” The fact sunk in. My teenage years equaled prank cellphone calls, Nokia Snake and killing time within the sweet aisle at Walgreens. Did Gen Z youngsters have the capability to interface with life exterior their screens? I ready for the worst. However after two hours with 50 14 to 18 yr olds, I’ve modified my perspective.
From the get-go, the children rushed the room able to get their palms on all of the beads I’d arrange. I thought they’d be tired of a tactile exercise, however they had been LIVING for it, not a cellphone in sight. Upon coming into the room, I anticipated the same old scene: heads down, thumbs scrolling. As an alternative, they had been engaged, holding vigorous discussions, and palpably current. Their telephones? Tucked away, nearly forgotten.
Curious, I broached the subject of social media. The desk of scholars appeared perplexed. “What do you imply?” They requested. “Effectively, what do you make of social media? I realize it’s a giant subject for fogeys about how a lot their children are on-line.” I anticipated responses like, “My dad and mom don’t know I’m on social media,” or “It’s a must to be on social media to have any mates.” However as a substitute, they talked about it with a peaceful neutrality. They weren’t defensive or obsessed. They noticed it for what it was: a software. One thing that lets them join, be artistic, and get help.
Opposite to the narrative that social media is detrimental to teenage well-being, many younger individuals discover real worth of their on-line interactions. In line with a 2025 Pew Research Center study, 74 p.c of teenagers really feel that social media platforms improve their connections with mates, and 63 p.c view these platforms as retailers for his or her creativity.
