Nicknamed “the Internet Generation,” “Generation V” (for virtual), “The New Silent Generation” and even “the Google Generation,” Generation Z has been described both very negatively and also quite positively. But do these classifications really define who we are?

People born between 1995 and 2005 are classified as being part of Generation Z. This generation has been said to expect instant gratification because of the ease at which we can find answers this day in age with the internet.

“Something we take for granted is the internet,” freshman Tristan Jay said. “We use it more than ever and it is used for everything.”

And even though some students use the internet for schoolwork, many just use it for entertainment.

“People are all about social networks and not education,” freshman Kambri Tomanek said.

Another thing that generation Z is defined by is its laziness. Because of the advanced technology of our time, it is assumed that our generation is lazier or less productive, spending more time in front of a television or computer screen rather than reading, texting more than focusing on homework.

“I think that adults think that we spend too much time on technology.”

Though Generation Z is defined in some negative ways, there are some pros to being a part of this time period.

“I think a perk of being part of our generation is technology because we have grown up seeing how it has changed and how much better it has become,” sophomore Korryn Asuncion said.

Some have called our generation creative, collaborative and good at multitasking, but others feel that because we have such a need for instant gratification and speed, we tend to have less focus and need more time to adjust to certain topics.

Some students think that even though our generation is looked down on by several people it really depends on who is being talked about because a generation as a whole cannot be defined in a few words.

“Our generation is made up of big dreamers,” junior Jasmine Lawson said. “Technology and the speed at how fast our society is advancing has provided us with so many opportunities. Many people of our generation have realized this and have used it to their advantage. We do have many people who are lazy, but we also have a great number of people ready to jump in work hard for the future they’ve dream of.”

16bmathias@usd489.com