Apr. 8, 2020 7:45pm
Special Report By: Troy McDonald - Generation NOW host
Special Contributor: Natalie Lother
(WGTD )---Youth in Generation Z (those born after 1997) have been the most famous face of ineptitude during the COVID-19 crisis. In March, a CBS viral video showing Gen Z’ers on spring break in Florida riled up Americans. “If I get corona, I get corona,” one flush faced spring breaker told a national audience. Three Kenosha based Gen Z’ers were not surprised, as “IDGAF” culture (Google it) permeates their world. WGTD spoke with three Gen Zer’s (finishing high school or early in their college careers) to hear about their experience during the crisis. COVID-19 has affected their lives, their plans, and their dreams. This time, technology might not be enough to escape the trauma.
“I don’t know if they just don’t understand or don’t care, but so many (of Gen Z) are not taking this (COVID-19) seriously;” Lizzie Barber, a 19-year-old freshman at UW-Stout told WGTD. Barber, who is taking general ed courses at Stout, said she packed up her belongings and moved back home a few days after the campus sent out an email telling students to get out. Barber finds herself balancing her dreams and her family’s expectations, with fear about the future of her friends. “A couple of my friends actually do work at movie theaters and restaurants, so them being out that job is very detrimental to their financials” Barber said. Barber has two sisters. Her 24-year-old sister works at both a hospital and a grocery store to take care of herself and her boyfriend. “She says it doesn’t take a toll on her, but I worry about her.” Barber said.
Barber’s courses have been moved online. She is given assignments every week and told to complete on her time. Despite the importance of getting her work done, Barber finds it hard to do her schoolwork. “With the way that social media is now-a-days, it’s definitely hard to try to keep my focus on my laptop” Barber said. Barber added she can be distracted for hours on her phone.
17-year-old Vanessa Bush, a senior at Indian Trail High School in Kenosha, is just hoping to survive. Her online learning experience is unique. At the time of publication, most of her KUSD course work is ungraded. “I log into Google Classroom….and I’m told to email (my teacher) if I need help” Bush said. Most students aren’t completing the work. “Let’s be honest, no one is going to do that.” Bush says most of her friends have been consumed with TikTok, the Gen Z app of choice that highlights dances, memes, and music created by users across the globe.
Bush isn’t dancing, she’s looking for more hours at her job. Both of her parents are employed essential workers with reduced hours. Her mother is the only one bringing in anything resembling a consistent income. “I worked at a grocery store and then quit right before (COVID-19)” Bush said. Now she works at a sub sandwich place in town. Bush added, “I just want more hours because we have things we need to pay.” Bush said that the need to help her family outweighs the need to complete her ungraded assignments. “I love to learn though… I look at it (online course work) when I can” Bush added.
Bailey Laird, a 19-year-old freshman attending UW-Oshkosh, said that at first he didn’t believe the virus would come to America. Headlines from across the globe changed that. His daily routine and separation from his family, helped him at UW-Oshkosh. Now Laird says he suffers from insomnia. Its only gotten worse since he’s been back home. Laird is attending live lectures in his communications and media program via Zoom, a video conferencing app, which he hates. “It really pisses me off” Laird continued, “some people are essential workers and can’t sit down for certain hours.” Laird is a seasonal worker at a movie theater and is not sure if he will be able to return. “I feel like a lot of people my age, and even a little younger, are handling this very poorly” Laird said.
Gen Z was raised through the 2008 financial crisis as young children, and now as they enter adulthood, face the largest pandemic in 100 years. Nothing has worked out quite right for their generation, or so they think. Therefore, they escape in their devices, but COVID-19 is pushing online interaction to its breaking point. A generation born into the digital age is now suffocated by it.
When asked what she would encourage young people to do in this time, UW-Stout Freshman Lizzie Barber said, “Spend time with your family, it’s not something kids in our generation do.”
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This Saturday’s Generation NOW with host and millennial Troy McDonald will feature complete interviews with these students. Listen this Saturday at 10:00am at 91.1 FM. The show will also be archived.