New intruders at ERHS: Gen-Alpha

Art by Simone Modina and Cadence Kang

Our school just unlocked a new level of chaos: Gen Alpha has arrived. They’ve grown up on iPads, YouTube Shorts, and the kind of TikTok brainrot even Gen Z can’t keep up with. Now they're roaming the same halls as us, and it’s definitely different than before. Gen Z might have survived the rise of Snapchat and Zoom school, but Gen Alpha was basically born swiping screens before they could walk. The question is, can these two generations survive sharing classrooms, teachers, and tables? Or will the 6’7 jokes kill us before we have the chance too? 

But beyond the memes and brainrot, this means that suddenly, Gen Alpha is relevant to us. Even though we are only separated by just a few years we grew up in two completely separate worlds. This creates a unique overlap of different types of socializing, learning habits and growth. Inside of these categories we share many commonalities but many more differences. Most likely, this is going to create some change in our school. So, today I’m going to explore what really sets apart these two generations. 

Who are they?

Introducing Gen-Z: also known as the “Zoomers” are people who were born from the years 1997 through 2012. This generation is made up of more than 70 million people, and is the second biggest generation. A runner up to Millenials. They grew up with technology of all kinds. Spanning from flip phones to the first iPhone. People inside of Gen-Z are really independent and adaptive, due to all of the things they went through during their teenage years; like the pandemic. But at the same time, studies show that the things they went through also affected their mental health. Gen-Z is referred to as the “loneliest generation,” but since they are good at making meaningful relationships it makes up for the loneliness. The oldest Gen-Z’s are now in their 20’s and will start putting their ideas out into the world. Most of Gen-Z wants to change the environmental state of the world and other political things. 

Gen-Alpha is a Greek name meaning, “The start of something new, not a return to the old.” And they're definitely living up to their name's sake, from what we have seen so far. These kids were born from the years 2013 through 2025. Compared to other generations Gen-Alpha is said to be the best educated and the wealthiest. They are also the most diverse generation when it comes to race and income. Before groups were mostly around 50% or more Caucasian, but now Gen-Alpha has broken that. Like Gen-Z, these kids are really independent due to COVID. But that also means that they are disconnected socially because of technology and social media. In school Alphas learn visually (because of technology) and they have extremely short attention spans. Statistics also show that their imagination and creativity has dropped because they played more online than physical games growing up. 

Just to make things clear, the current 8th graders are not, I repeat NOT Gen-Alpha. Since they are in a weird gap year between the end of Gen-Z and the start of Gen-Alpha they technically have no generation. Unless you categorize them as Gen “Z-Alpha.”

Scientific Differences

Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, grew up in a world where social media, YouTube, and smartphones were becoming normal parts of daily life. This exposure has made them skilled at multitasking, adapting quickly to new technology, and expressing themselves online. They tend to value independence, creativity, and social awareness, often thinking about global issues and using digital tools to communicate their opinions. At the same time, constant digital stimulation has affected their ability to focus for long periods, and many struggle with the pressures of always being “plugged in.” Face-to-face communication can also be a challenge, since a lot of social interaction happens online, and studies suggest Gen Z experiences higher stress and anxiety compared to previous generations.                                                                                       

Gen Alpha, born from 2013 onward, has never known a world without tablets, AI, or constant access to digital content. They are extremely comfortable with technology, can find information almost instantly, and often collaborate naturally through games, apps, and online school projects. While their tech skills are impressive, growing up surrounded by screens comes with downsides. They may have even shorter attention spans than Gen Z, struggle to retain information without tech, and sometimes find it difficult to form deep, real-life friendships. Overall, Gen Z is independent and adaptable, while Gen Alpha is hyper-connected and collaborative, but both generations face unique challenges balancing digital life with the demands of school, socialization, and mental health.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, Gen Z and Gen Alpha aren’t really in competition, they’re just learning to share the same hallways, classrooms, and teachers. Sure, Gen Z might roll their eyes at the endless TikTok sounds blasting from the 7th graders phones, and Alpha might think high schoolers are basically ancient, but both groups are shaping the future together. Whether it’s independence and adaptability from Gen Z, or collaboration and creativity from Gen Alpha, the mix of generations makes school a more interesting place. Maybe the biggest lesson here isn’t about who’s better, but how much we can learn from each other.