Latest news with #Twenge
New York Post
3 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Gen Z singles giving up on dating as ‘loneliness epidemic' spirals: poll
Burned out by ghosting, mixed signals and endless 'situationships,' young singles are calling it quits on dating — no longer holding out for a fairytale ending that never texts back. 'We're single because we're out here looking for '90s love in this generation,' one fed-up TikToker declared. 'We want slow jams, handwritten notes and phone calls on landlines . . . not 'what are you doing' texts followed by eight hours of silence.' A new Rasmussen Reports poll of more than 1,200 American adults shows 37% of singles under 30 say they're not interested in dating, with half of all singles saying they're not even looking. 3 Gen Z is increasingly reluctant to date, with 37% of singles under 30 saying they're not interested in a relationship. Home-stock – Even the apps can't keep love alive: only 33% of singles have ever used one, and nearly a third of those say they've logged off for good. Democrats were the most likely to be single and not looking, with 49% opting out, while Republicans were more likely to be married and off the apps entirely, with 59% reporting they were hitched, the poll found. That trend shifts by age and gender: among singles under 40, men were more likely than women to say they're not interested in dating, at 39% compared to 30% — a reversal of older age groups, where women were more likely to opt out. The findings mirror a broader hesitation around dating itself, as more young adults question whether it's worth the time, energy or emotional cost. 'Gen Z is pulling back from romantic relationships overall, not just marriage,' said Dr. Jean Twenge, author of 'Generations: The Real Differences between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers and Silents — and What They Mean for America's Future.' 'They are more interested in safety than previous generations . . . and they may see dating as unsafe given its potential for hurt.' In 2000, 80% of U.S. high school seniors had dated in the past year. By 2023, that number had dropped to 45%, according to nationally representative data cited by Twenge. This generational pullback is now part of what researchers call a growing 'loneliness epidemic.' A 2024 study by market research company GlobalWebIndex found 80% of Gen Z respondents said they'd felt lonely in the past year, more than any other generation surveyed. 3 Gen Z doesn't think dating is worth the time or stress and while many may crave intimacy, they don't want endless scrolling or awkward conversations with strangers. oatawa – The 'why' is complex: rising depression rates, a decline in in-person friendships and even easy access to pornography may all be playing a role, Twenge said. But other experts say the shift isn't about giving up on love, just reordering priorities. 'Finding a romantic partner isn't a primary goal — instead, they're prioritizing their mental well-being and dreams for their career,' said Amanda Gesselman, director of sex and relationship science at Many young people may crave intimacy, just not the kind that starts with endless scrolling or awkward conversations with strangers, said Deborah Tannen, a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University. 'They are not comfortable talking to people they don't already know from some natural connection,' Tannen told The Post. 'If their experience of dating is associated with apps, it's easy to understand why many might decide to swear off: too alienating, too much disappointment, too intimidating to put oneself on the line that way.' That discomfort shows up in daily habits, too. 3 In 2000, 80% of U.S. high school seniors had dated in the past year. By 2023, that number had dropped to 45%, according to nationally representative data. Davide Angelini – Some Gen Zers even avoid calling restaurants and prefer to order online, a small example of how communication itself feels riskier to them, Tannen said. On TikTok, the frustration plays out in real time. One post with nearly 300,000 likes read, 'Single because this generation is full of lust, liars and cheaters.' Another viral video, which pulled in more than 800,000 likes, put it more personally: 'Me trying to explain to my friends how I'm literally going to be single forever because dating in this generation is stupid and I'm tired of mfs playing with my time.' Others kept it blunt. 'I'm staying single for the rest of my life,' one user wrote. 'Single because no guy will ever understand me,' another added.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Zohran Mamdani's feeding off Gen Z's misplaced doomerism: ‘They perpetually think things are awful'
Pessimism, confusion and vibes fueled young voters' support for Zohran Mamdani in last month's New York Democratic mayoral primary, experts told The Post. Well-educated white progressives have been taught to feel guilty about their identity and have been fed an expectation that they're up against so many challenges — climate change, student debt, AI, mental health struggles compounded by social media — that they can't possibly get ahead in life. And it's affecting their political POV. 10 'It's 'Vote the bastards out,' no matter who is in office,' psychologist Jean Twenge said of young voters' support of Zohran Mamdani. 'Because [for Gen Z], things are always awful, even if they're not.' AP 'They perpetually think things are awful,' acclaimed author and psychologist Jean Twenge told The Post. 'It's 'Vote the bastards out,' no matter who is in office. Because [for Gen Z], things are always awful, even if they're not.' This bleak mindset, rooted in rising mental health struggles and economic illiteracy, drove under-35s to embrace Mamdani's Marxist bombast — even if they're unclear of what, exactly, they're supporting. Twice as many young adults are clinically depressed now compared to a decade ago, said Twenge, author of 'Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America's Future.' 'Depression isn't just about emotions; it's about how you see the world. That has all these downstream implications, including for politics — that we need to completely start over, throw out capitalism, no more billionaires,' Twenge told The Post. 10 Well-educated white progressives have been taught to feel guilty about their identity and fed an expectation that they're up against so many challenges that they can't possibly get ahead in life. And it's affecting their political POV. Laura Brett/ZUMA Press Wire / 10 Mamdani's vibrant merch — tote bags, T-shirts, hats — appeals to a craving for connection. AP 'It's taking to extreme things that could be more reasonable reforms. This extreme reaction is consistent with the pessimism: 'Let's just burn everything down and start over.'' Depression often impairs critical thinking. Academic performance, from elementary school to college, dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't recovered, puzzling researchers. Today, only 15% of teens read books — a slump encouraged by teachers, of all people. In 2022, the National Council of Teachers of English declared: 'The time has come to decenter book reading and essay writing' as the foundation of English class. 'It brings to mind the decline in religion, particularly among young adults. Also, the decline in relationships among young adults. They are seeking something that gives them meaning, connections with other people,' Twenge said. 10 Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee in the NYC mayoral race, has called for a rent-freeze, government-run grocery stores and de-commodifying the housing market in favor of government communes. Instagram/@zohrankmamdani And Mamdani's vibrant posters and free merch — tote bags, T-shirts, hats — appeal to that craving while also signaling a 'one of us' membership. (Not unlike MAGA.) 'Some political movements give you a sense of belonging and rightness,' Twenge said. 'And those things used to be satisfied via other means.' Eric Kaufmann, professor of politics at the University of Buckingham, in the UK, also sees a religiosity in socialism's young Western following, one in which Mamdani — a charismatic, Punjabi, Ugandan, Muslim polyglot — is an archetypal emissary. 'The symbol of the person of color is very important in the religion of what I would call progressive illiberalism,' Kaufmann, author of 'The Third Awokening,' told The Post. 10 Twice as many young adults are clinically depressed now compared to a decade ago, said psychologist Jean Twenge. 'Depression isn't just about emotions; it's about how you see the world. That has all these downstream implications, including for politics … ' 10 Twenge is the author of the acclaimed book 'Generations.' In large coastal cities, 'white progressives are the ones voting all the time, because their politics is a big source of meaning in their lives,' Kaufmann added. 'It falls flatter for Hispanic and Asian working-class people who want more bread-and-butter stuff … They don't identify with the faculty lounge religion of anti-racism.' That checks out with last month's primary election results. Challenger Andrew Cuomo received his strongest support in the Bronx — New York's poorest and least white borough — whereas Mamdani's big boost came from gentrified Brooklyn. Mamdani also led by 20 points among New Yorkers earning over $100,000, while Cuomo led by 34 points among voters making less than $50,000 a year. 10 Depression often impairs critical thinking. Academic performance, from elementary school to college, dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic and hasn't recovered, puzzling researchers. Tasneem H/ – 'They're seeing themselves as part of this almost worldly utopianism,' Kaufmann said of privileged young voters. 'You had Marxism, anarchism, these other kinds of movements that appealed to intellectuals in the past. Now it's moved on to a cultural version of the left, which is much more around identity and around being defined as 'I'm one of the good whites.'' While Mamdani's ethnographic box-ticking catapults his appeal among Brooklyn's Instagram Intifada, his central campaign message isn't about race, but 'affordability.' The candidate has called for free buses, a rent freeze, government-run grocery stores and de-commodifying the housing market in favor of government communes, and uses the classic Marxist trope of 'seizing the means of production.' Yet young people are doing extraordinarily well, if not emotionally then financially — a controversial fact to point out. Millennials and Gen Z are wealthier than previous generations of the same age and, according to US census data, incomes for younger Americans are at an all-time high even when corrected for inflation. 10 'It's not your grandfather's socialism,' said economic professor Robert Whaples of the philosophy embraced by Mamdani and his young supporters. 'They think of socialism as another form of capitalism — turning this capitalist system into one that's just a little bit nicer and gives you free stuff.' @ subwaytakes/ Tik Tok This has economists shaking their heads over the financial doomerism of today's youth. Grim headlines and outrage-driven social media algorithms amplify negativity. The kids simply don't know how good and fair the system is, even if there's room for improvement, said Robert Whaples, professor of economics at Wake Forest University and editor of The Independent Review. 'When you think about what socialism is, it's an entirely materialistic point of view,' he told The Post. 'One of the core things in socialism is envy. It's driven on you wanting to have the same kinds of things that other people have. And you just don't see as much of that within true conservativism, where the material stuff is nice but not the end goal.' According to data from the Higher Education Research Institute, 85% of college students in 2022 ranked financial success as 'essential' or 'very important,' compared to the 1960s when that number was only 43%. 10 'You had Marxism, anarchism, these other kinds of movements that appealed to intellectuals in the past,' politics professor Eric Kaufmann said of young progressives. 'Now it's moved on to a cultural version of the left, which is much more around identity and around being defined as 'I'm one of the good whites.'' courtesy of Large families once signaled prosperity, but many born after 1990 view having children as a threat to their high material standard of living, fueling the 'I don't adult' trend of dodging grown-up responsibilities to hoard stuff and experiences, Whaples said. While most Gen Z and Millennials attribute their own success to hard work, they see wealthier people's success as undeserved. All this has brewed a stew of contradiction and economic confusion. One 2022 study found that 67% of Gen Z and Millennials agree that 'I don't like to use pressure to get my way.' Only 14% said that 'the best way to get adults to do something is to use force.' 10 Kaufmann is the author of 'The Third Awokening.' Another 70% agreed with the statement: 'The way private property is used should primarily be decided by its owner.' Yet three-quarters of those same respondents support outsourcing pressure and force to the government. 'It's not your grandfather's socialism,' said Whaples. 'They think of socialism as another form of capitalism — turning this capitalist system into one that's just a little bit nicer and gives you free stuff.' The problem, he added, is that we already have that system in place. Whereas once it was shameful to ask for handouts, corporations helped train young people to expect it — and you can blame, in part, the online retail norm of free shipping. 'All those darn free apps get us in this attitude that there should be a lot of free stuff out there,' Whaples said. Capitalism continues to take the moral high ground of being the nicest, most cooperative and least coercive system around — and income inequality isn't nearly as bad as many people think, according to Whaples. 'If you look at the total amount of redistributive spending, it's basically offset all the rise in inequality within the market,' he said. 'Once you factor in the taxes and transfers people receive, the total amount of income inequality in the US is actually no higher than it was back in the 1960s.' Gen Z swung heavily Republican in the 2024 presidential election, leaving some to wonder if Mamdani's youth appeal signals a larger leftward jolt. Generational researcher Twenge doesn't believe so — attributing his victory to feelings over ideology. Politics professor Kaufmann agrees: 'My initial take would be there's a lot of vibe going on. That it's form rather than substance.'
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
10 Things to Say When Someone Won't Get Off Their Phone
Credit - Photo-Illustration by Chloe Dowling for TIME (Source Image: imagenavi/Getty Images) Trying to talk to someone stuck on their phone is such a universal experience, there's a name for it: 'phubbing,' short for 'phone snubbing,' or ignoring someone in favor of a phone. 'Everyone hates it, but everyone has also done it,' says Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of the upcoming book 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. 'When someone phubs you, you feel like you're not important—that whatever is on their phone is more important than you.' Phubbing negatively affects mental health, relationship satisfaction, and overall well-being. That's why it's worth speaking up about digital distraction. 'It's challenging and awkward, but we should be doing this,' Twenge says. 'We need to be confronting this situation.' Here's exactly what to say when the person you're trying to talk to won't get off their phone. A couple years ago, Twenge heard about a group of women who pushed their phones into the center of the table when they went out to dinner. The first person to reach for her device had to foot the bill. That's a clever approach, Twenge says, but you don't even need to put a financial spin on it: Instead, propose you all drop your phones somewhere out of sight, like in your bags. Read More: What to Say When You Forget Someone's Name Twenge likes this phrasing because it isn't accusatory: 'It's a subtle way to get across the message of, 'Hey, we all have stuff going on on our phones, but I want to talk to you right now,'' she says. 'It's a very polite way of saying, 'I want us to focus on this conversation.'' This question allows for the possibility that there's an emergency—while implying that, if there's not, it would be better to put the phone down. It might feel slightly confrontational, Twenge says, but it's better than snapping at the other person to get off their device. 'You have to find a way to thread that needle of acknowledging that there might be something important going on,' she says. 'But it is a call out.' This is a way to get someone talking about what's on their phone—and, as a result, to look up from said device. Do people typically share, or simply take it as a reminder to be more present? 'I've seen it go both ways,' Twenge says. 'Sometimes it's just a text exchange with someone else, but every once in a while, it'll be like, 'Look at this really funny video,' or 'Here's this fun picture somebody sent me.' Either way, the idea is to draw them back into the in-person conversation.' This approach is direct but still respectful. It calls attention to the fact that the other person is clearly distracted, without demanding anything from them, says Tessa Stuckey, a therapist and founder of Project LookUp, a nonprofit that helps families build healthier screen habits. 'It gives them autonomy, while also honoring your own needs,' she says. She's found that making her conversation partner aware that she's noticed they're not fully present is often all it takes to prompt a reset. Read More: How to Reconnect With People You Care About Telling someone you miss them comes from a place of vulnerability, not blame—and Stuckey likes that it's almost guaranteed to tug on your friend's heartstrings. 'You're expressing that the phone is creating distance, and that you want connection,' she says. Plus, it invites empathy: Most people don't realize how their screen use is affecting others until it's pointed out gently. The trick, Stuckey adds, is to say it warmly, with sincerity, so it feels like an emotional nudge rather than a guilt trip. Asking someone to put their phone away for such a short amount of time is realistic—it's a very doable break, Stuckey says. You're not asking them to disconnect forever; rather, you're inviting a shared moment. 'People are more likely to unplug when there's a clear time boundary and a good reason,' she says. Plus, it's collaborative, almost like you're proposing a team challenge. Read More: The Worst Way to Reply to a Party Invite Seven years ago, when Seán Killingsworth was in high school, he struggled with excessive screen time so much, he traded his smartphone for a flip phone. It worked—he felt happier and more present—but his peers were still glued to their phones, so he took things a step further and started Reconnect, a group that now hosts phone-free events on college campuses throughout the U.S. Ideally, more opportunities for phone-free socializing would exist. But in lieu of formal options, Killingsworth recommends bringing up the concept to your friends: 'We should try hanging out without our phones sometime.' Talk through why being present with each other matters. Then, the next time you notice your buddies are more focused on Facebook than your face, issue a gentle reminder. If you're at dinner with friends, or are spending quality time with a family member you don't get to see often, consider calling attention to the significance of the moment. You could even follow up by adding: 'I'd hate to look back and feel like we missed out because of our screens,' suggests Dr. James Sherer, a psychiatrist who treats addiction and co-editor of the Technological Addictions textbook for the American Psychiatric Association. 'It can be very powerful,' he says, and lead to meaningful improvements in relationship quality. Read More: How to Say 'I Told You So' in a More Effective Way Focusing on the way someone's phone usage makes you feel can be more effective than "instigatory" comments, Sherer says. You're not going to get very far by barking, 'You're always on TikTok! You don't care about me!' Highlighting your own observations and how someone's behavior makes you feel, however, plants a seed that can encourage them to reevaluate their habits. 'The most important thing is to approach it from a position of being nonjudgmental,' he says. 'You're not there to dog pile on the person.' Stuckey's son was 8 the Christmas morning when he noticed certain family members were paying more attention to their phones than watching him open his presents. He came up with an idea: The family could designate a silly code word they called out every time they wanted to signal it was time to drop the devices and be present in their surroundings. More than five years later, the family still uses their word ('muskrat'). 'What I love about it is my kids can call us out using that word,' Stuckey says. 'We can call them out with that word. They've grown up with it. It makes people check themselves a little bit and say, 'OK, I'll put it down in a moment—I just have to finish this email really quick.'' Wondering what to say in a tricky social situation? Email timetotalk@ Contact us at letters@
Time Magazine
04-06-2025
- General
- Time Magazine
10 Things to Say When Someone Won't Get Off Their Phone
Trying to talk to someone stuck on their phone is such a universal experience, there's a name for it: 'phubbing,' short for 'phone snubbing,' or ignoring someone in favor of a phone. 'Everyone hates it, but everyone has also done it,' says Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and author of the upcoming book 10 Rules for Raising Kids in a High-Tech World. 'When someone phubs you, you feel like you're not important—that whatever is on their phone is more important than you.' Phubbing negatively affects mental health, relationship satisfaction, and overall well-being. That's why it's worth speaking up about digital distraction. 'It's challenging and awkward, but we should be doing this,' Twenge says. 'We need to be confronting this situation.' Here's exactly what to say when the person you're trying to talk to won't get off their phone. 'I've got a group chat that's blowing up right now, but I'd rather talk to you without getting distracted. Can we put our phones away in our bags?' A couple years ago, Twenge heard about a group of women who pushed their phones into the center of the table when they went out to dinner. The first person to reach for her device had to foot the bill. That's a clever approach, Twenge says, but you don't even need to put a financial spin on it: Instead, propose you all drop your phones somewhere out of sight, like in your bags. Twenge likes this phrasing because it isn't accusatory: 'It's a subtle way to get across the message of, 'Hey, we all have stuff going on on our phones, but I want to talk to you right now,'' she says. 'It's a very polite way of saying, 'I want us to focus on this conversation.'' 'Is everything OK?' This question allows for the possibility that there's an emergency—while implying that, if there's not, it would be better to put the phone down. It might feel slightly confrontational, Twenge says, but it's better than snapping at the other person to get off their device. 'You have to find a way to thread that needle of acknowledging that there might be something important going on,' she says. 'But it is a call out.' 'Anything interesting on there you can share with me?' This is a way to get someone talking about what's on their phone—and, as a result, to look up from said device. Do people typically share, or simply take it as a reminder to be more present? 'I've seen it go both ways,' Twenge says. 'Sometimes it's just a text exchange with someone else, but every once in a while, it'll be like, 'Look at this really funny video,' or 'Here's this fun picture somebody sent me.' Either way, the idea is to draw them back into the in-person conversation.' 'Is now a good time to talk, or should I come back when you're done?' This approach is direct but still respectful. It calls attention to the fact that the other person is clearly distracted, without demanding anything from them, says Tessa Stuckey, a therapist and founder of Project LookUp, a nonprofit that helps families build healthier screen habits. 'It gives them autonomy, while also honoring your own needs,' she says. She's found that making her conversation partner aware that she's noticed they're not fully present is often all it takes to prompt a reset. 'I miss you when you're on your phone.' Telling someone you miss them comes from a place of vulnerability, not blame—and Stuckey likes that it's almost guaranteed to tug on your friend's heartstrings. 'You're expressing that the phone is creating distance, and that you want connection,' she says. Plus, it invites empathy: Most people don't realize how their screen use is affecting others until it's pointed out gently. The trick, Stuckey adds, is to say it warmly, with sincerity, so it feels like an emotional nudge rather than a guilt trip. 'Can we take a 10-minute phone break? I really want to catch up.' Asking someone to put their phone away for such a short amount of time is realistic—it's a very doable break, Stuckey says. You're not asking them to disconnect forever; rather, you're inviting a shared moment. 'People are more likely to unplug when there's a clear time boundary and a good reason,' she says. Plus, it's collaborative, almost like you're proposing a team challenge. 'Hey friend, let's reconnect.' Seven years ago, when Seán Killingsworth was in high school, he struggled with excessive screen time so much, he traded his smartphone for a flip phone. It worked—he felt happier and more present—but his peers were still glued to their phones, so he took things a step further and started Reconnect, a group that now hosts phone-free events on college campuses throughout the U.S. Ideally, more opportunities for phone-free socializing would exist. But in lieu of formal options, Killingsworth recommends bringing up the concept to your friends: 'We should try hanging out without our phones sometime.' Talk through why being present with each other matters. Then, the next time you notice your buddies are more focused on Facebook than your face, issue a gentle reminder. 'These moments with you really matter to me.' If you're at dinner with friends, or are spending quality time with a family member you don't get to see often, consider calling attention to the significance of the moment. You could even follow up by adding: 'I'd hate to look back and feel like we missed out because of our screens,' suggests Dr. James Sherer, a psychiatrist who treats addiction and co-editor of the Technological Addictions textbook for the American Psychiatric Association. 'It can be very powerful,' he says, and lead to meaningful improvements in relationship quality. 'I've noticed that when we're together, you're on TikTok quite frequently, and that makes me feel like I'm being ignored.' Focusing on the way someone's phone usage makes you feel can be more effective than "instigatory" comments, Sherer says. You're not going to get very far by barking, 'You're always on TikTok! You don't care about me!' Highlighting your own observations and how someone's behavior makes you feel, however, plants a seed that can encourage them to reevaluate their habits. 'The most important thing is to approach it from a position of being nonjudgmental,' he says. 'You're not there to dog pile on the person.' 'Muskrat!' Stuckey's son was 8 the Christmas morning when he noticed certain family members were paying more attention to their phones than watching him open his presents. He came up with an idea: The family could designate a silly code word they called out every time they wanted to signal it was time to drop the devices and be present in their surroundings. More than five years later, the family still uses their word ('muskrat'). 'What I love about it is my kids can call us out using that word,' Stuckey says. 'We can call them out with that word. They've grown up with it. It makes people check themselves a little bit and say, 'OK, I'll put it down in a moment—I just have to finish this email really quick.''
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Gen Z is signing up for ‘Adulting 101' classes — because they can't handle basic life skills: ‘A lot of stuff involves money'
They can code TikToks in their sleep — but can't cook rice without a YouTube tutorial. Gen Z is flocking to 'Adulting 101' crash courses, desperate to learn what previous generations might call common sense: how to do laundry, budgeting for rent or navigating a grocery store without Googling 'what is a turnip?' 'I don't know how to change a tire. I don't have a car at all. I don't know how to sew. I don't know how to do a lot of things, other than cooking,' admitted Aldhen Garcia, a freshman at Canada's Toronto Metropolitan University, on CBC's 'The Current.' 'I think it's so important that children are taught financial literacy. A lot of stuff involves money,' he added. He's not alone. Canadian colleges like the University of Waterloo are stepping in to teach the basics with online toolkits like 'Adulting 101,' which covers everything from healthy relationships to how not to set your kitchen on fire. 'There's a lot of things that are missed in education about when you actually become an adult,' echoed Bella Hudson, a third-year TMU student. She told the radio program, 'I do wish that they had classes that taught how to manage yourself and manage your life.' What's cooking — besides ramen — is a cultural reckoning. According to Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University and author of 'Generations,' today's 20-somethings are hitting adulthood with empty toolboxes. 'Kids are growing up less independent. They're less likely to learn how to do adult things as high school students. Then they get to university and they still don't know,' Twenge said on 'The Current.' 'We send them off to adulthood without other skills. If they're not learning how to make decisions on their own and solve problems, that can be challenging.' Twenge blames helicopter parenting and extended adolescence — made worse by rising numbers of young adults living with mom and dad. 'You are just more likely to be financially dependent on your parents for longer,' she noted. Stateside, students are seeing the same gaps. 'NYC high schools are failing their students — not academically, but practically,' Zack Leitner, a New York City 10th grader, wrote in The Post last month. 'Until the 1960s, NYC high schoolers learned to cook, clean and sew as part of their standard curriculum. In 2025, they'd be lucky if they knew how to do their laundry.' Leitner said the long-lost home economics class — ditched during the Women's Liberation movement — left behind crucial life lessons for all genders. Today's students, he argues, are launched into adulthood with no idea how to fold a fitted sheet or roast a chicken. 'What today's youth need are 'Adulting 101' classes,' he insisted. 'A lack of these skills makes youth feel adrift once they enter the 'real world.' ' Pam Charbonneau, Waterloo's director of student success, agrees. 'What you're experiencing is normal. A lot of your peers are going through the same thing at the same time,' she told students like Garcia, as reported by the CBC. And while she supports universities offering help, Twenge says the real fix starts earlier. 'Limiting kids' freedom and not teaching them practical skills is doing them a disservice,' she said. Because whether it's interest rates or ironing a shirt — ignorance isn't bliss, it's expensive.
