Generation Z is growing up in an age with technology different from any generation before. One of the most notable differences between Generation Z and other generations is that Generation Z has grown up squarely in the digital age, immersed in technology that older generations have difficulty grasping.

We have grown up with smartphones, tablets, streaming, surfing the web, sharing and uploading pictures to the internet and using social media to communicate with our family and friends. We are addicted to our phones, so much so that they have become an extension of ourselves. A majority of people will admit that one of the few things they could never live without is their smartphone. In contrast, Generation X and Generation Y grew up watching television and had much less access to digital technology compared to Generation Z.

Being constantly bombarded by texts, Snapchats, Instagram Direct Messages, Tweets and YouTube videos may have reduced our attention span, but has simultaneously created a generation that is able to multitask. We are masters at multitasking, making us more productive and efficient while we go about our daily lives. This technology has also taught us to be more inventive and autonomous than the previous generations by enabling us to condense our lives online.

Looking at another aspect of life unique to Generation Z is growing up in the aftermath of 9/11 and living in an increasingly polarized world. Growing up in a post 9/11 world has given us the sense that the world we live in is scary and unsafe. In recent years, there has been an increase in hate crimes throughout the world. This keeps us all on edge, particularly in large crowds or touristic areas. We have also gone through an economic recession where many families lost their jobs and homes. These large scale events our generation has gone through has largely developed a skeptic mindset to the world around us. This skepticism has led to many people in Generation Z not being very involved in politics, because of skepticism against a dark world and a system that is continually proven corrupt and driven by greed. Most of Gen Z wants to create change, but only if they system in which they participate is functioning and fair.

We want to use technology and our entrepreneurial spirit to change the world. We are proactive and we are ready to tackle the root of these problems which plague our society. Every unique piece that comes together to make generation Z are crucial elements in defining the mindsets, daily habits and other characteristics of our generation. Technological and political developments have helped shape the values, concerns, motivations and characteristics of our generation, which will continue to impact the future of the world as we grow up and begin to pursue these strong passions.