Dear Readers,

Today I shall introduce you to the generation Z chaos, where nothing makes sense but trends. Our grandparents were probably part of wars and rebuilt nations. Our parents are telling tales of their landline romances and raising kids at 24, And us? We’re out here romanticizing burnout. Swiping for soulmates on Tinder, and spending $7 on oat milk lattes. The GenZ culture has evolved into this chaotic blend of “progressiveness” “self-awareness” and a dash of WTF because we like to keep things spicy.

First of all. I AM TIRED. We all are, exhausted. Like the deep, soul-crushing exhaustion that hits from trying to live, laugh, love in this crumbling economy and capitalist hellfire. Working 11-hour days, freelance in our “free time,” (whatever that is) and somehow still find the energy to curate aesthetically pleasing Instagram stories. Our parents would come home for lunch during a busy workday. And us? We’re lucky if we’re able to sneak a bite before hopping onto another Teams call. And refresh our inboxes like it’s a TikTok for you page. Progress they said.

I swear if I ruled the world at some point in some life, my first decree would be to ban meeting platforms. The Teams ringtone makes me want to commit arson.

But despite being overworked and underpaid, we’ve perfected the art of aestheticizing our misery. crying? Do it in a matching sweatsuit. Burned out? Post a “self-care” picture/video/reel thrashing men with a face mask, a scented candle, and glass of wine while watching gossip girl. We don’t solve our problems, we package them like they’re PR campaigns for our existence because being delulu is the solulu.

I read somewhere that in the future history books our generation’s history will be skipped and rightfully so. This is the most unserious generation. We glorify trauma and mental illnesses. Yes yes.. very demure, very mindful.

The generation wherein Taylor swift drops one album and that becomes a whole personality (Sorry not sorry). We’re the first ones to call out toxicity and push for change, but also the first to bust open a packet of Cheetos at 2 a.m, doom-scrolling into oblivion, watching cat videos and thinking about all the things we should be doing instead of wasting our time. And yet, we keep pushing, sometimes with a side of anxiety and a vape in hand. Welcome to Gen Z where existential crises are a vibe, and we’re all just trying to fit in while pretending we don’t care when we do fit in.

Oh, and social media isn’t really helping us. Our lives are carefully edited, highlights and reels, with just perfect lighting and strategically placed coffee cups. We live in a world where sunsets aren’t just sunsets to admire, there are an opportunity to showcase your deep introspective, thoughts and captions. Sure, I think we are all spiraling, at least we’re doing it in aesthetic, beige tones. Right? Right chat?

somehow, we are simultaneously the most self-aware and self-destructive generation.

Speaking of self-destruction, who had the bright idea of this whole love affair with inhaling battery acid? This generation’s most ridiculous flex, Vape.

One would think, people would learn from decades of anti-smoking campaigns, but nope. Where are those days, when smoking was just standing against a railing with a white and brown cigarette, while staring off into the distance contemplating the philosophy of life? (I don’t condone smoking either, but this is worse.)

Someone really said, “Cigarettes are gross. Let’s innovate.” and made a pastel-coloured love child of battery acid and big nicotine, designed to be sleek, portable and disturbingly appealing to teenagers and even people older than 20 at this point. Of course who wouldn’t love inhaling, cotton candy paradise and blueberry mango rush or whatever nightmares for flavours they have, and have their breath smelling like unicorn farts first thing in the morning.

Here’s a fact:

Studies show that many vapes contain heavy metals like lead, nickel, tin etc. Yes, you’re literally inhaling the same stuff used to build airplanes. Oh, and let’s not forget the most important ingredient, formaldehyde, the good stuff used to preserve dead bodies. Yeah, good luck getting that out of your system.

despite knowing all of this people still lineup outside of vape stores, which are also randomly showing up in literally every nook and cranny, like kids in a candy store (pun intended).

“But it’s better than smoking!” People argue. Sure little one, it may be. Until you consider the rise of “Popcorn Lung” a very cute name for a very uncute lung disease, and looks just as pleasing as it sounds. Some of these blueberry cherry colas and mango strawberry cheesecakes are one Tik Tok hack away from doubling as car batteries, not very demure now is it?

And you know what’s ironic? The same people who vape away to glory, very religiously, go to the gym, drink their protein shakes, take their collagen supplements, and Chia seed shots. Gotta keep those toxins balanced, right? God help this generation.

This valentine’s day if your partner’s got a vape glued to their face, then you’re not getting a romantic dinner, flowers or chocolates. You’re getting secondhand mango raspberry burst flavoured lung cancer. Don’t even bother dressing up, your competition is a $30 flavoured USB stick called Mystical Lust Mist.

They also have some really interesting tricks up their sleeve like blowing rings into the air, while the rest of us are in the corner choking and gasping for some fresh oxygen.

Uh, please keep your cotton candy cloud rings confined to your lungs, Chad. Most of us need this thing called air to you know, breathe. Not all of us are trying to hot box the planet with your blueberry fart paradise.

But you know what? Vaping is just one facet of our chaotic and bizarre culture. Another hallmark of our generation is our dependence on TikTok and Instagram for, well, basically everything. From mental health advice to DIY tutorials. We have turned an app purely designed for entertainment into a source of wisdom from a 19 year-old life coach with 10 million followers.

You want to manifest a new job just repeat affirmations into your camera while holding a rose quartz crystal, it’s just science. Really? Karen? Is it?

The TikTok trends these days move faster than the attention span of a puppy. Someone really woke up one morning and decided “yeah, let’s just do the dumbest thing possible on the planet and call it content.” TikTok and Instagram have become a way of life. And don’t even pretend you’re not doomscrolling the same dumb nonsense for content at 2 AM fully aware that this is the reason you’re exhausted at work.

The Indian instagram trends and reels have literally gone out of control. On one fine night, while scrolling away to oblivion on Instagram a week ago, I came across this video of a literal 10-12 year old dude sitting in probably his uncle’s car, proudly announcing his possessions like, “Guys, mere pas iPhone hai, mere pas car hai, mere paas meri pataka bhi hai.”

Which literally translates to, “Guys, I have an iPhone, I have a car, and I also have my firecracker (girlfriend).” Like bacche, don’t you have school to get to?

I miss who I was before I watched that video.

And the worst part? It had millions of likes and comments and shares on Instagram. Why? That’s a question even universe can’t answer at this point.

Remember the time when TikTok and Instagram used to be platforms that were just meant for pure innocent entertainment like funny dancing to the Harlem shake? Yeah.. good times.

Don’t get me wrong these platforms provide a wealth of information as well. They offer creative insights and global updates that we don’t get from traditional news channels these days.

In fact, social media has become a primary source of real time, news, trends, and discussions that mainstream media sometimes overlooks or filters. whether it is discovering new things and creative skills, staying informed about global issues, or simply learning about different cultures and viewpoints, these platforms have undeniably changed the way we consume information.

But, all the chaos that comes with Gen Z tends to overshadow the positive aspects of social media. From the cringeworthy content that gives us secondhand embarrassment with a barrage of negative comments, some of which admittedly, can be pretty funny actually (yes, I’m going to hell).

If only we could sift through the noise, TikTok, and Instagram can be really powerful tools that offer connection, awareness, and endless opportunities for learning. Until then, I guess it is the chaotic whirlwind of trends that range from outright bizarre to borderline questionable. Oh, and let’s not forget the pressure to keep up with unrealistic standards set by influencers and viral challenges, which can sometimes do more harm than good.

But, here we are, despite all the chaos. We have managed to normalize therapy, embrace inclusivity (for the most part), and make mental health a normal conversation. Sure, we are working ourselves to the bone, and spending way too much time on TikTok and Instagram while most of us are inhaling battery acid, but atleast we’re still here, living and getting things done, one way or another, even on 2 hours of sleep.

But maybe just maybe lay off the vapes, please. Those around you, Your lungs (and your future self) will definitely thank you.

So here’s to us, Gen Z,

flawed, fabulous, and forever confused.