It's tough being a young adult in 2026, according to Gallup research out this month. Only 44% of U.S. adults aged 19 to 29 say they're "thriving," down from 64% in 2010 and 51% in 2023. Still, headlines about Gen Z are decidedly more doom-and-gloom than their own social media posts, which reflect vibrant — if complicated! — dating and tech lives, a vocabulary unto itself, a humorous approach to new hobbies and more.
“Playing the credit card game” has helped me afford trips I couldn’t otherwise take.
As a graduate student, I can understand why Gen Z is turning to rewards to offset everyday costs, according to Reuters.
Points covered most, if not all, of my recent trip to RenderATL. I’ve also used Amex points to book affordable flights on Delta and JetBlue for conferences and family vacations. Those redemptions have made a real difference in where I’ve been able to go.
The benefits have helped tremendously at home as well. When my family moved apartments, the $250 Amazon bonus I received for opening a Prime Visa helped us buy things we needed.
Part of my strategy has involved credit card churning: opening new cards to earn their sign-up bonuses. I’ve deliberately timed applications to coincide with higher bonus offers, and those bonuses have helped make some of my trips and experiences possible.
Credit cards have absolutely been a net positive for me. I’ve also learned how easy it is to become reliant on them, especially as a student who doesn't yet have a stable income from a full-time job. Having available credit can make it tempting to keep spending, but every purchase is still money you’re responsible for paying back.
That’s why knowing your cards inside and out matters. Understand how rewards are earned and redeemed, which benefits you’ll actually use, and what the fees and interest could cost you. With sign-up bonuses, you also need to understand eligibility rules and whether the required spending fits your budget. Multiple applications can affect your credit and future approvals.
Repayment needs to be part of the conversation, too. Paying your full statement balance on time should be the goal. If you can’t, make at least the minimum payment by the due date, understanding that interest can continue to accrue and outweigh the rewards you earn.
For students, a more affordable flight or $250 toward household needs can mean a lot. I’ve benefited from both, and I want other students to understand the possibilities and the responsibilities involved.
For me, playing the credit card game wisely means understanding the rules, knowing the costs, and taking personal responsibility for repaying what I borrow.
How has playing the “credit card game” shaped your college experience, for better or worse?
“Why are you checking my LinkedIn?”
is a text I received after going on a first date.
I looked him up because I was curious. We had just met, and I wanted to learn a little more about the person I’d spent time with.
He thought it was creepy and asked me to stop.
I didn’t think looking at his LinkedIn profile was crossing a line. But clearly, we saw it differently.
The awkward part is that I hadn’t realized he could see that I’d viewed his profile. So now I’m feeling self-conscious about something I didn’t think was a big deal.
To me, there’s a difference between checking someone’s digital footprint and continuing to monitor them after they’ve asked you to stop.
I’m not suggesting that a LinkedIn profile tells me whether someone would be a good partner or what their intentions are. I just don’t think wanting a little more context about someone you’ve just met is unreasonable.
But it made me wonder: when we put information about ourselves on a professional platform, do we expect people to look only for professional reasons?
There is a sex recession among Gen Z. Yes, you heard that right. They are having less sex than previous generations, but not because there is less desire, writes musician and reproductive rights advocate Paxton Smith.
Cultural and political divides are playing a big role, most notably the attack on reproductive rights.
"Ultimately, our Gen Z sex recession isn’t about prudishness, laziness, or some sudden loss of attraction; it’s about context. Sex doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and neither do we. When politics feel like personal survival, when algorithms quietly radicalize our social worlds, when reproductive rights feel uncertain, and when the economic reality is harsh, intimacy becomes complicated."