This may sound contradictory coming from someone who was born in 2003, but I truly believe that our generation–Gen Z–is the least socially adept in human history. I fear that if something doesn’t change as we move forward, it will only get worse.
According to a 2025 survey by the health company Cigna, “Generation Z and millennials, who grew up alongside digital technologies such as the internet, mobile phones, and smart devices, are the most connected,” said a 2025 survey by the health company Cigna. “Yet they have higher levels of loneliness than older generations.”
The luxuries of having a supercomputer in your pocket are numerous, but there are also many drawbacks.
We were told growing up in math classes that you weren’t always going to have a calculator in your pocket, so you needed to learn how to solve math problems with a pencil and paper. But now, not only do we have exactly that, rarely does anyone even use a pencil and paper – unless you count a tablet and a stylus.
We did pass notes in class, but we were also sending Snapchats during recess. We may have had CD players in our childhood bedrooms, but we also grew up with iTunes and Spotify, having access to a wide musical library much more easily than previous generations’ fumblings with 8-tracks and cassette tapes.
As a result of growing up in the years that we did, I believe we have become too reliant and too interconnected to our personal devices.
Part of this observed phenomenon can undoubtedly be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which, for Gen Z, primarily took place during our formative years. Middle school and high school are a critical time in a young person’s socialization. It is the time to discover who they are outside of their family identity and learn how to navigate new social situations every day.
Quarantine took that from us when we had to stay inside the house for an entire year. Many of us turned to online connections in place of making real friends.
We were heading towards it beforehand because we were all so digitally interconnected, but when it became the primary means of social interaction with anyone who didn’t live with you, we began to use it as a crutch.
Now, a few years removed from the pandemic, I think we’re truly beginning to see the consequences. Unless you already know someone, no one is talking to each other in the hallways or around campus like young people did in years past.
We are all masters at navigating our physical environment, all while never looking up from our 6-inch screens. We all have AirPods in or are preoccupied with what’s going on in our own digital landscape to notice what’s going on around us.
Many people have noticed these behavior patterns in themselves and switched back to flip phones as a means of digital detox. Nearly every testimonial I found of people doing this cites improved mood, spending more quality time with those around them and overall having a pleasant experience.
At any given time, when you’re not on your phone, you are present in that moment. Even though it may not be a particularly interesting moment, you are still living in it instead of trying to get away from it by looking at your screen.
It’s hard to talk to people when they’re wearing headphones. I want to be able to speak to somebody on campus without feeling like I am interrupting what they are doing. Small, basic interactions are necessary to build friendships.
But these small moments are nearly impossible when the person next to you literally can’t hear what you’re saying.
You don’t have to throw away your phone, but I think a lot of us could benefit from making an effort to attempt meaningful connection, starting with interacting with those around you more. So take your AirPods out. Complement that person‘s shoes. Say “hello” to the person you are walking in the same direction as and see what good can come of it.