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Introducing Gen Z-mail!

Gen Z is, allegedly, the loneliest generation.

The oldest of us are nearing our mid-twenties. The youngest are in middle school. (I’m 21.)

Basically, both ends of the Gen Z spectrum are in a state of flux right now, trying to figure out what the fuck it means to “come of age” in this chaotic world. Navigating adolescence is hard enough without a pandemic and potential breakdown of society breathing down your neck.

Our boomer parents just don’t understand what it’s like to be a young person right now, so as the “loneliest generation,” we tend to rely on the internet for answers to our most personal questions.

As I binge-watched Sex and the City during fall quarantine, I couldn’t help but wonder… what would Carrie’s column look like if it included the perspectives of BIPOC and queer people who weren’t walking stereotypes? (¡Hola Papi! by JP Brammer does a great job of this!)

Better yet: what if there was an advice column that talked about these issues, targeted to Gen Z?

Most advice columns are written by and for people who are at least a decade into their careers. After many exhaustive Google searches, I haven’t found any advice columns specifically designed with Gen Zers in mind. (But please let me know if I’m wrong!)

Thus, Gen Z-mail was born. (Yes, pronounced like ‘Jen’s Email.’)

In this monthly newsletter, I’ll help other Gen Zers deal with the biggest problems they’re facing today — both in a traditional Q&A format and through personal essays.

I want to help people my age struggling with young queer problems or anything else us 25-and-unders deal with. I hope to create a better, more personal alternative to posting on sites and getting anonymous feedback. Ideally, I’d also like to connect with my Gen Z community and learn more about them.

I’m obviously not a licensed professional, but I’ve suffered from depression and anxiety for a looong time and have gone through multiple rounds of therapy as a result. I’m also an older Gen Zer who just entered the workforce (sadly) and would love to impart some fresh wisdom to whoever needs it. Plus, as an incredibly stereotypical Cancer, I care deeply about other people’s emotions (and their business).

Think of this newsletter as your personal Yahoo! Answers — so go ahead and send me your questions.

We’re all going through it, so let’s at least get through it together.