Gen Z Back to School Trends That Should Be On Your Radar

Day One Agency and Casey Lewis, trend forecaster and author of the gen z focused newsletter, After School, have compiled some of the rising trends impacting gen z in and out of the classroom this year.

This special edition of After School ‘Back to School with After School’ was developed with Day One Agency, a creative communications agency with the ambition of stopping the world in its scroll with stories that earn a meaningful place in culture. For the past two years, D1A youth insights arm Ask Gen Z has been a resource for Day One’s clients and extended community - to unpack the (real) trends shaping culture and learn what’s next for gen z from gen z and helping brands answer their burning questions about the generation. 

Grade AI

Education has been a major national flashpoint this year: The Supreme Court effectively ended affirmative action, while conservative states are pushing through questionable syllabi filled with historical inaccuracies (DeStandards are falling…rapidly). AI’s role in the classroom is next on the docket, and we’re expecting to see a continuation of the debate around whether or not educational institutions should embrace or eschew tools like ChatGPT. Plagiarism rests at the centre of the discourse (for now), but we can also see how these tools might be a part of the ongoing culture wars that have shifted into the classroom. Even as some studies show that ChatGPT 'leans liberal,' some districts are using it to allegedly help recommend library books to remove. 

Alt-Education 

More high school graduates are foregoing college altogether, questioning the merit of higher ed in a challenging economy and its ability to secure high-paying, fulfilling careers. Brands are tapping in to provide additional value and alternatives, like Roblox’s on-going partnership with Parsons. Google is offering competitive apprenticeship programs, while IBM and Delta are dropping college requirements to focus more on skill set and experience, creating a direct line to the professional world. Edtech company Antimatter is also experimenting with new educational formats: meme flash cards anyone? 

Office Hours

As the cutthroat college admissions cycle grows more competitive, undergrads are feeling the pressure to make their four years picture perfect. Some anxious freshman women are forcing their parents to cough up $4,000 on sorority consultants to learn about appropriate etiquette ahead of rush season, in addition to dropping $20,000 on the proper attire (yikes). Meanwhile, 'silent competition' on TikTok for the most aesthetic dorm décor is boosting retailers’ sales this back-to-school season, pushing newly admitted undergrads to hire interior designers to turn their tiny rooms into stylish spaces. Some students are even joining a college organisation called Reach (also friends of D1A!), which coaches aspiring creators on how to build their personal brands.

Pay-to-Play

The Supreme Court’s 2021 NIL decision - paving the way for student athletes to (now, legally) get compensated for endorsements - has dramatically changed what it means to be a college athlete. Since then, we’ve seen brands get creative (and very weird) with partnership deals: Punter Matthew Coughlin endorsed Locked On Spartans podcast by tweeting, “I’ve never listened to it, but I’m sure it’s not terrible,” While Alabama's Kool-Aid’ McKinstry signed with, well surprisingly, Kool-Aid. We expect the endorsement deals to keep rolling in, especially as (talented!) nepo athletes like Bronny James kick off their college careers. With some athletes earning upwards of $25,000 for a TikTok post, young athletes are pressured to prioritise building an online persona to earn deals. This growing pressure, plus the jaw-dropping sums of money involved, will also inevitably spark more conversations around wealth gaps among college athletes.  

Eli Williams, director, creative strategy at Day One Agency, “For ‘Back To School with After School,’ we wanted to identify the trends that will influence not just students, teachers and parents, but brands as well. This back to school season has sparked more questions and disruptions than ever before (maybe even more than remote learning during the height of the pandemic): Tools like ChatGPT will undoubtedly impact how students learn (and teachers teach), the pressure to keep up with 'trends' and new aesthetics has teens dishing out outrageous sums of money just to 'fit in,' and many parents and students are questioning the merits of higher education altogether, especially as costs mount.”