Teenage angst or something more?

A conversation with New York City high schoolers tracks with recent headlines. Today's teens are concerned for the future of our country.

In the past couple of weeks, headlines have (once again) shed light on how young Americans are struggling with their mental health.

Take for example, an NBC write-up on the International Day of Happiness, which said the United States is no longer in the top 20 happiest countries, according to the annual ‘World Happiness Report,’ led by Gallup and Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre. The biggest contributing factor to the U.S.’ drop in happiness, according to the report: young people. Though the U.S. is top 10 in happiness for those over 60, the land of the home and the free ranks 62nd for those under 30.

The survey is just the latest in a slew of many quantitative polls showing that young Americans are feeling anxious, depressed, and worried about the future. We can debate the reasons for Gen Z’s litany of qualms (and potential solutions). But the reality is that young Americans report feelings of stress and sadness at much higher rates than their older counterparts.

A note to readers

This year, The Up and Up is conducting a series of listening sessions with young Americans (mostly) in battleground states. These listening sessions are separate from The Up and Up’s traditional reporting and are treated like focus groups. Participants are offered $25 in compensation for their time. These listening sessions and the travel required for them are made possible thanks to a grant from the Walton Family Foundation.

Photo by Juan Di Nella on Unsplash

A conversation with New York City high schoolers 🏙

I recently sat down with a group of 15 New York City-based teens over Zoom (ironically, given that I do live in NYC)… Our conversation was hosted by YVote, a youth civic engagement organization working with teens across the city’s five boroughs.

Knowing that YVote organizers are steeped in civics and passionate about change making (they’ve opted into the organization as an extracurricular activity), I asked all the YVote organizers to bring one friend who they felt was less politically or socially active. 

Once the conversation started, I couldn’t differentiate between the two. Both groups of students were as up-to-date on current events and eager to share their perspectives.

Here’s some of what they had to say.

‘There’s a shift’: On college — is it worth it?

Our conversation came just one day before I published new data showing that Gen Z teens are 11 percentage points less likely to want to attend college today than millennials were 20 years. The high schoolers had a range of takes on the value of a four-year college degree. But despite their personal opinions and whether or not they plan to attend, they all recognize the steep cost and impact it will have on their generation for years to come.

“It depends on what you want to do, but a lot of people, with the price that it is now, it doesn’t feel worth it,” said Clementine, a 17-year-old junior. “If you don’t have a lot of money to fall back on. If you’re going to go to college but then graduate with $200,000 or more in debt, it seems like not worth it,” she said.

“I had this conversation today because college admissions decisions coming out... Overall, the people that I know still do want to attend a four-year institution, but I think there’s less emphasis on college as the only way to achieve somebody’s dreams and to be successful. We’re seeing more opportunities that are outside the traditional college path. The youngest [self-made] billionaire in the world is literally a college drop out,” said Sophie, a 16-year-old sophomore. “There’s less emphasis placed on the value of college as there was in the past.”

Emmanuel, a senior at an early college high school, said that at his school the emphasis is still on “getting into college.” But, talking to his friends outside school (even those are in college), he said “there’s a shift.”

“They see all these different opportunities, and I guess we reflect on what would happen if things could be done differently,” he said. “Money and experience definitely in the real world have shown their way through and it seems to matter more to them as well.”

‘I want to be a part of something bigger’: What defines success?

As a result of the conversation around college, we shifted to a conversation around the students’ definition of and vision for success. Across the board, the students described a focus on stability, which tracks with past groups of young people I’ve spoken to that have expressed a desire to survive rather than thrive. The NYC students said they’re focused on the idea of giving back and choosing careers that will have a tangible impact on members of their community.

Tazmin, for example, said she wants to go to medical school and become a doctor.

“I feel like I want to do something that makes some sort of impact… a career where I can help others and make a change,” said Stella, a 17-year-old junior. “There’s so much going on in the world. I want to be a part of something bigger.”

Climate change, college, the cost of living, policing, and polarization

When it comes to local issues, the students listed a range of items they see front and center in their communities.

Sophie said climate change. So did Emmanuel, who added polarization, the cost of living, and wages not scaling with the rising cost of living.

Waemary, a sophomore, said over policing is one of her top concerns, especially given New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s recent decision to send the National Guard into the subway.

Emily, a senior, said gaps in funding between communities and the migrant crisis. Mariama said gentrification. And Clementine said the price of college.

“It’s definitely going to affect our generation in a way it hasn’t affected others,” she said. “There's going to be a huge gap in the people who have opportunities for higher education.”

‘We’re on the path to hell and high-water’: Fears and hopes for America

At the national level, the students expressed serious concern when I asked their biggest hopes and fears for the country.

Emily’s stress about the future centers around young people’s political participation.

She said she worries that “young people won’t really take control of the political stage and that the country will continue to be run by old people on the verge of dementia.”

Instead, she hopes “young people to become more aware about what’s going on so that they understand that we have a voice and they can make change they see on a day to day level.”

Emmanuel emphasized polarization, injustice, racial discrimination, and climate change as his biggest concerns.

“America prides itself on being one of the best countries in the world,” he said. “But once you get inside the pearly gates, or whatever, it’s really just a facade.”

“As for my biggest hope, I hope we can at least take steps toward the right direction in becoming a better country because right now we’re on the path to hell and high-water,” he said.

But Karl, a 16-year-old senior, expressed more pessimism.

“One of my biggest fears for America is the lack of bipartisanship in today’s politics,” he said. “For my hopes, honestly, I don’t feel really hopeful about the future of American politics. I just don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel.”