Generation Z Receiving Much Needed Family Time Thanks to Coronavirus
Being quarantined with your family for weeks may be a good thing for the generation addicted to social media.
All of us who are currently enrolled in school and who's lives have been turned upside-down due to the Coronavirus pandemic fall under the iGen/Gen Z generation.
We are a generation that is more tolerant to others and cautious than prior generations; but according to The Generations - Which Generation are You? we also fall under the category of being too connected to our smart phones, lack "in person" or "face to face" contact with others, and inevitably end up more depressed.
While you may see this quarantine as an opportunity to fall down a Netflix or social media rabbit hole, I argue this is a time to get Gen Z'ers back on track with what's really important in life: good old fashioned family fun.
My senior year of college was ripped away from me due to COVID-19. I was forced to pack up my house where I lived with five of my closest friends and move back home with both my parents and my seemingly annoying 19-year-old brother.
I'm not going to lie and say the transition was easy because let's be honest, it wasn't. After being out of your childhood home and "independent" for four years it's difficult to suddenly move back into an environment where you aren't necessarily treated like the adult you think you are.
One way my parents thought would make my transition easier was to redo my bedroom. Graduating from college with a Pepto Bismol pink bedroom, a twin bed, and hand-made crafts was not ideal. I chose a light yellow to paint on the walls and we took my queen sized bed from school to replace my bed at home.
The best part about this home project was that my mom and I could do it together. Over the span of two weeks we taped, put a primer on the walls, and painted a room that desperately needed it. While re-doing my room we also purged everything necessary out of it; which meant throwing out non-essentials or putting memories into boxes for safe keeping.
My mom and I talked about the good old days when I was younger playing softball and competing in pageants. We looked through old yearbooks and baby books with my hospital bracelet from the day I was born. We talked about college and my plans for the future. We got to relive moments together while literally painting over the old memories with the new ones to come.
The world is both an "exhilarating and frightening" place for those growing up as a Generation Z according to Psychology Today. This world influences us to be so different than other generations, causing our parents to be frustrated until we drive them away. As a generation we strive to do better than our parents did, almost believing we can correct their mistakes. "I love my mom and dad, but I will never do that with my kid." It may be a subconscious act but it sure is noticeable especially to the ones we love.
What we can do differently while stuck at home during COVID-19 is give our families the appreciation they deserve. It gets exhausting constantly fighting with your father who is just as stubborn as you are (where do you think you got it from anyway?) But sucking up your pride and sitting down with him to talk things out is better than the damage fighting could do to your relationship in the long run. Thank your mother who is cooking four meals every night for dinner instead of two while still going to work. Acknowledge your brother who helped rip the twenty-two year-old carpet out of your room because it gave you unreal allergies.
When Gen Z and Millennials work together who knows what could be accomplished.
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While I hope everyone's families are safe and healthy during this pandemic I encourage you to open your eyes and look at what's right in front of you.
We're all stuck at home until further notice and I promise you won't find anything new on social media and you definitely don't need to watch "The Office" for the tenth time. Find a puzzle and slowly chip away at it with your family. Eat dinner together and talk about your day. Hook up your Wii again for a MarioKart tournament. On the nicer evenings sit outside with some drinks by a bonfire and play corn hole. Find things that bring you joy and do them together as a family.
As a generation we are more likely to develop mental health issues according to the American Psychological Association. But we can prevent this by spending quality time with those we love away from social media.
These are the people who raised us and made us the proud, hardworking Gen Z'ers we are today. While we think we never want to end up like our parents, we could still learn a thing or two from them about life before smartphones. So as a generation, we should take this time to give back to our families everything they've given us. Help your mother cook a meal, listen to your dad's corny stories about when he was our age, and maybe you'll even realize your annoying brother isn't that bad after all.
Put your phone down and spend time with your embarrassing family, you won't regret it.
Don't take them for granted.
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