Yahoo Finance Teachers on Reddit reveal the new Gen Z school cliques: 'It’s just all over the place now'
Millennials got a glimpse into the Gen Z school social scene, after a Reddit user posed the following question on r/AskReddit: “Teachers of Reddit, what are the new student groups replacing the ones (emo, goth, drama, etc) that used to be a thing when you were attending school?”
From “wannabe influencers” to the “stock market kids,” school cliques aren’t exactly what they used to be. Here are some of the top responses from both teachers and students.
The ‘Stonks‘
The thread’s top response pointed out that many middle schools now have a group of stock market-obsessed kids who everyone calls “The Stonks.” “One of my friends legit pulled out his phone and showed his $1,700 in Amazon stock,” wrote one student. “He’s 13 by the way.”
The idea that more kids are becoming interested in the stock market was promising for some users. “This is amazing to read and I’m really happy for these kids,” one user wrote. “I didn’t learn about [stocks] until grade 11.”
The ‘Anime Kids‘
Anime is far more mainstream than it was in the ‘90s, according to many responses. “Apparently being a nerd is cool now,” wrote one user who has a son in high school.
Another user said anime is more popular now because it’s more accessible. “I used to have to torrent each new episode… and when the dub released, it was YEARS behind the Japanese stuff,” the user wrote.
Like all fan groups, some fans are more intense than others. One user noted that there are kids who “dress like anime characters” and even “dye their hair to look like anime characters.”
The ‘Wannabe YouTuber/Influencer’ Kids
Many users shared that their schools have groups of kids who are constantly creating content, trying to gain followers on TikTok and Instagram.
“I had a roommate that worked with kids and she told me that virtually 100% of them have no aspirations other than being a YouTube star,” one user wrote.
There’s solid data to support this trend. According to a Harris Poll for LEGO, today’s children are three times as likely to want to become YouTube stars than astronauts.
Are there even ‘cliques’ anymore?
One of the main takeaways from the thread? Gen Z students don’t necessarily have the same tendencies to break into separate social groups, and the lines are far more blurred than they used to be.
“The students seem more accepting and the barriers to entry into groups don’t seem as fixed or harsh,” one teacher wrote. “The basketball star is into anime. The emo kids now listen to hip hop. Country club kids are organizing social justice protests. It’s just all over the place now.”
If The Breakfast Club were being made today, chances are it would look pretty different!
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