Gen Z isn’t out here trying to be annoying, but some of their habits sure do push our buttons. They’re the things that make other generations stop and ask, “Wait, what are they doing?” And we don’t mean the slang or TikTok. Here are nineteen Gen Z habits that irritate many people for one reason or another.
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Making Every Hobby Into a Side Hustle
Gen Z can’t just enjoy something and leave it at that. The second they get into a hobby, they start thinking that they should monetize it, and what started as a way to relax suddenly turns into anything but. It’s all packaging, pricing, branding, and setting up a link in bio. If you ask how it’s going, they’re burnt out by week two.
Using Dating Apps But Never Going on Actual Dates
They have got four dating apps running at the same time and don’t open any of them with actual intent. It’s just swipe, match, and ghost, which becomes more of a routine than anything else. The conversation dies after two lines. They don’t see it as a way of meeting people, but rather, just something to do while waiting for dinner to finish in the microwave.
Canceling Plans Over Tiny Inconveniences
If it’s raining, they’re not coming, and if they’re “not in the mood,” it’s a no. They’ll only tell you last minute because they don’t care if you booked a table or if you were halfway there. They’ll just send “ugh sorry, can’t” and disappear, with no explanation or reschedule. The vibe was off, so now your plans are, too.
Saying “Main Character Energy”
You’ll call them out on something, but the reply is something about them being the main character, which is supposed to be funny. However, it usually means they did something selfish and don’t want to admit it. It doesn’t matter if they showed up late or ignored three texts because the excuse is that they’re the main character.
Turning Every Opinion Into a Hot Take
You say you like waffles, but suddenly you’re in a debate about breakfast politics because Gen Z can’t just disagree. They have to go full essay mode about why your taste is flawed or outdated, even though it’s usually stuff no one even asked for. Regular opinions turn into full-blown critiques. Now, brunch feels tense for no reason.
Claiming TV Is “Dead”
You’ll hear Gen Z say, “There’s nothing good on TV anymore,” while they’re 12 episodes into the latest reality show, again. They treat new shows like they’re chores. But somehow, they know everything that’s going on with everyone. They’ll quote entire scenes from memory but won’t give a new series more than 10 minutes before saying it’s “mid.”
Typing In All Lowercase
An email that starts with “hi i’m interested in the job” and ends with no punctuation is never professional. This isn’t a casual DM, but rather, a cover letter. Yet Gen Z seems to have forgotten that they need to take some things a little more seriously, especially if they’re jobs. Employers want full sentences and capital letters, not something that was typed half-asleep.
Leaving Voice Memos 2 Minutes Long
There’s nothing quite like getting a voice message in the middle of the day, one where you have no idea if it’s drama or directions. Bonus points if it ends mid-sentence with “anyway, so yeah…” Then, you have to find headphones and the emotional energy to commit. Gen Z fails to realize that it’s not a podcast. They should just text the thing.
Editing Selfies For an Hour
They’ll retake the same picture a dozen times, then throw on filters and adjust the lighting before including a caption like “just me 🙂 raw and real.” Meanwhile, that photo’s been through multiple versions, and you’ll see it pop up on multiple platforms, cropped differently each time. No one believes it’s spontaneous. You don’t need a ring light to post a candid photo of your face.
Making Playlists For Every Mood
They’ll spend half a day crafting the perfect playlist titled “falling asleep in a car during a thunderstorm in 2014,” only to hit skip 25 seconds into every song. If the music is so important, why are they bailing before the chorus? They’ll say they’re curating the mood, but mostly, they’re just clicking around and pretending it’s something important.
Taking Photos of Food They Didn’t Finish
Gen Z will share a photo of a $17 acai bowl with a sparkly filter and then leave most of it untouched. The food’s not for eating, but just for the grid. After that? They’ll push it aside and say it was “mid.” But they’ll still post it because it matches their nails, and even something as simple as a cup of coffee becomes a prop.
Sharing Ultra-Specific Trauma Online
As you scroll past a recipe or a dog video, you’ll suddenly see someone crying on TikTok about their third breakup this month. There are many trends of people crying on camera with sad audio and a vague caption, sometimes even with a filter. The comment section becomes a group venting circle while strangers try to piece together what actually happened.
Scrolling TikTok As a Hobby
They’ll say, “I’m so busy,” and then spend three hours watching TikToks about frogs or skincare, as well as conspiracy theories about clouds. They’ll scroll past a hundred videos and remember none of them except the one where someone ranked fonts based on feeling.
Filming “Quiet Moments” In Public
There’s always that one person silently filming their latte with lo-fi music playing in their head, which makes everyone nearby self-conscious. It doesn’t matter if the coffee’s cold because at least the aesthetic lives on. You’ll see them filming their shoe and a book they’re not reading while everyone else is just trying to eat in peace.
Complaining About Brands While Wearing Their Logos
One minute, they’re roasting fast fashion and corporate greed, but the next minute? They’re dressed in Zara and sipping Starbucks, talking about the ethics of capitalism. They might even post a haul, which makes you question if they’re protesting or modeling. The outfit tags say one thing, the caption says another, and the comment section is just fire emojis.
Talking About “Burnout” While Taking Online Side Gigs
They’ll say things like, “I’m so burned out,” while juggling freelance design and content creation, along with a meme page with 14k followers. Then they wonder why they haven’t slept in two days. Somehow, they don’t seem to realize that they’re the cause of their own problems. Relaxing just doesn’t fit in the schedule.
Turning Everyday Things Into “Content”
Brushing their teeth or peeling an orange becomes a 3-part mini vlog, coupled with dramatic lighting and a trending sound. You’ll see a slow zoom on a sock drawer and a candle burning in real-time. You might even see a clip of them staring into nothing for 12 seconds. None of it has a point, but they’ll post it all.
Saying “That’s a Me Problem”
The phrase “That’s a me problem” is a way for them to avoid apologizing or solving an issue. What happens next? Do we just sit here in the mess? You’ll bring it up again and get the same response, as it’s a way of shutting down the conversation without fixing anything.
Turning Every Group Activity Into Content Planning
Any time there’s a birthday, picnic, or weekend trip, it instantly becomes about photos and captions. Someone’s always filming and checking angles while asking people to “do that again, but slower.” No one just hangs out. It’s pretty obvious when the atmosphere moves from fun to footage.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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