Gen Z is unlike any other generation. One of the most notable differences lies in how they communicate. Once referred to as Zoomers, the generation was the first to grow up in a digital age, allowing them to communicate in ways that previous generations have not.
The primary factor that sets the generation apart is technology. Easy access to the internet has always been a constant in their lives. “Now it’s easy enough where you can just send an email, or get someone’s phone number and start talking to them. It’s more accessible,” sophomore Grayson del Mundo said.
Being familiar with and able to use the internet is a great skill when in-person interaction isn’t possible—which the generation has mastered. “It helps me connect with my friends from camp and from places I vacation, like my family friends,” sophomore Vanessa Polly said.
Others like communicating online for the variety of methods of socialization it provides. Digital messaging offers emojis, the integration of links and photos, and the ability to create group chats, among other features. “Emojis really help out how I express, how I talk,” freshman Rayan Khabaza said.
Digital communication also broadens reach. A single social media post can reach thousands of people, unlike traditional conversations and letters. “[Gen Z] all are used to communications that are potentially connecting billions of people, and that, on the one hand, that makes you more communicative because you know you have a broader influence,” Stanford Cultural Anthropologist Roberta Katz said.
While Gen Z is often stereotyped as only interacting online, digital means of connecting still haven’t replaced face-to-face interaction. In-person communication is still a more holistic experience and offers aspects online can’t.
“I prefer to communicate in-person because I think there are additional factors that contribute to the conversation, such as facial expressions and body language that would otherwise be impossible to convey online,” sophomore William Khodabakchian said.
“I’d rather communicate in-person because it shows my expressions,” Khabaza added.
Math teacher Evan Lee also disagreed with the stereotype. “I still hear about a lot of my students meeting outside of class, in person. Obviously they’re texting, but everyone’s texting,” he said.
Digital communication isn’t replacing in-person communication for Gen Z, it’s a supplement when in-person interaction is impossible. Katz collaborated on a multi-year study that found that 119 of the 120 Gen Zers interviewed still preferred in-person communication over any form of texting or social media.
Another prevalent myth is that Gen Z struggles with small talk, and can’t interact well in the workplace. However, much of this is due to the vast differences between Zoomers and other generations.
According to Katz, Gen Z isn’t “bad” at small talk because of their frequent technology use. It’s just harder for them to communicate with different generations with separate situations. Every generation has its own norms and conversation styles that inhibit intercultural communication, and it isn’t unique to just Gen Z. “A lot of the issues are simply what I call cross-cultural. They’re not intergenerational,” Katz said.
Technology gives Gen Z a way to communicate that’s easy and powerful. The generation’s digital communication isn’t a problem—it’s an addition to in-person interaction that offers more features and benefits.
