22 Gen Zers share the words and vibes that defined 2024 for them

 

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Gen Z is not lazy. Periodt – Nandika Mishra, 21

If you’re a millennial or Gen X manager pulling your hair out over your Gen Z team, maybe stop fighting the vibe and roll with it. Gen Zers’ tech-savvy, purpose-driven, and borderline self-care-obsessed approach could actually boost productivity and make your team “chill”. That “work-life balance” they insist on? It’s not laziness; it’s boundary-setting. Imagine that—people with boundaries. Crazy, right?

The Kendrick vs Drake battle- Ajay Hanje, 22

Not Like Us is a diss track — a song made by an artist to verbally attack another — by Lamar, targeting Drake during their feud (aka “beef” by cool people) earlier this year. (IMDb)

Kendrick won. The rest is history.

Brainrot- Ishika Roy, 23

Brain rot has victimised me to the point I can hold entire conversations in meme language. An unfortunately short attention span and abysmally high screen time have become supporting characters in my story this year.

Brat- M Som, 25

Brat redefined perfection for me this year. It is not just about being a party girl, brat is bold, raw; Brat does and feels things that are unpleasant and above all, it is about breaking rules to move forward. Brat helped me accept my humaneness and say “I’ll do it anyway,” irrespective of whether I could fail at it or be considered unlikeable because of it. It was a refreshing change after the Barbie era and it definitely redefined femininity.

 

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Resistance- Ashutosh Mehta, 23

For me, 2024 was a reminder that even in the darkest times, people come together to fight back and create hope through resistance.

From the “Eyes on Palestine” movement to protests closer to home after the R G Kar incident, the spirit of resistance was unbreakable. These events, though far apart, showed the same spirit of resistance, people standing against violence, inequality, and oppression.

Politicians and their meme game- Poulomi Deb, 23

Politicians nailed the meme game to the T, but civil debates? Ha ha! And here I used to think it was just us Gen Zers who communicated through Instagram reels.

 

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Out of the lane – Garima Sadhwani, 25

Bothered, unmoisturised, and so out of the lane I can’t even see it.

Horror comedies were the vibe. Just like life- Rahul Pratyush, 25

Munjya, starring Sharvari Wagh and Abhay Verma, was a horror comedy. (Photo: Maddock Films)

Bollywood proved that sometimes, facing ghosts on screen is far less terrifying—and way more fun—than confronting the ghosts of work-place burnout.

Capitalism was the It Girl- Ananya Goel, 18

From the Stanley cup to Kay Beauty’s lipsticks, we bought it all. And who emerged as the winner in this competition with capitalism? Not our bank accounts for sure.

Theme parties- KS Swati, 23

I love being a hostess. I also love knowing every little thing about my friends’ needs. It makes me feel more connected to them. And theme parties, which were really big this year, are probably the best way to do it.

2024 gave me ‘the ick’- Swarupa Tripathy, 27

From dating to life, 2024 was just not vibing like it should’ve. The ick was my reigning emotion.

Playing Dress to Impress- Suhani Sharma, 23

I got REALLY into it. It made a huge comeback mostly because white teens were playing it (hello, globalisation) but then my long-distance friends and I would spend some three hours on the weekend playing that game and it felt like we were kids again together.

Eras tour ending- Tuba, 27

The American pop was on her Eras Tour for the last year and a half. (AP)

I believe the end of Taylor Swift’s Eras tour isn’t the “End Game,” even though this chapter has concluded. Endings can also be stepping stones to something greater, a reminder that every legacy built continues to inspire new beginnings.

Are we always going to be this broke?- Anamm Inamdar, 22

I got my first job this year. I’ve started earning, but not enough. I know creative jobs pay less but according to my research (and the boomers I’ve spoken to), salaries for freshers have remained stagnant for decades. When will it get better?

Touching grass- Ratan Priya, 26

When life got overwhelming, touching grass saved me. Every two months, I started fresh—rebirth vibes all year.

Dazed- Niharika Dabral, 26

This year carried a lot of negativity from last year. Other than somewhat positive election results, things were either pretty much the same or got worse. Think of Gaza, think of pissy opposition, Trump’s return, garbage pop culture •cough• Samay Raina •cough•. 25 turned 26 and somehow the prefrontal cortex remained the same. I disassociated, became dazed—not because I wanted to but as a coping mechanism. This year was sus. I don’t remember. There was nothing remarkable to even remember. I want to move on.

Were we really very demure or very mindful?- Prachi, 23

While everyone was being very demure and mindful, that wasn’t my vibe. I’m talking low-key chaos, high-key stress, and a whole lot of “what am I even doing with my life?” vibes. Definitely not “demure” or “mindful”. But despite all the craziness, I’m still standing, and that’s something to celebrate, right? So here’s to next year being a little more chill… but no promises!

Women in male dominated fields- Vibha, 24

Gen Zers’ take on turning stereotypical behaviour of men on its head — in the evergreen meme way — really had me hooked in 2024. Now, I may have enjoyed the trend a little too much because of how creative (read: relatable) people got or because it’s a heightened sense of community to witness us as fellow womxn of today mastering the perceived “male arts”. That’s also my cue to introspect!

Cookin- Vinayak, 25

My life was “cookin” when 2024 began––full of hopes and dreams, looking for opportunities, motivated to seize the day everyday and figuring out my way. By the end of the year I am “cooked”––not in a bad way, but seasoned. Life threw all the masala, the struggles, the fear of not knowing what’s ahead. Now I’m a dish hot and ready to serve.

Blind eye- Mannat Saini, 23

We watched as war unfolded in Gaza, women were confronted with challenges as their bodily rights came into debate over abortion access and closer home. In India, the echoes of 2012 resurfaced as women once again demanded justice after the horrific R G Kar rape and murder. And me? I stood at a distance, arms crossed, pulling the blinds shut on the chaos outside. We told ourselves it was too far from home, shrugged off the weight of it all, and let guilt slip under the covers as we tucked ourselves in after another “good” day.

2024 ate and left no crumbs- Tanveer Singh, 23

I finally completed my master’s and got my first job in the field of my choosing. 2024 really did eat!

Black dog- Rickin Sanklecha, 23

I’m very happy, but the black dog (a metaphorical representation of melancholy or depression in meme language) was always there, lurking around the corner.