17 Random Things You Should Probably Know About Today's Teens

Teens aren't skipping the awkward phase, they just go through it in private!

We recently asked our teenage BuzzFeed readers to tell us all about what it's like growing up in today's world. Here's what we found out!

1. VSCO rule the fashion world.

We asked: What’s the biggest trend right now?

Whether worn ironically or not, the unanimous response was that the VSCO aesthetic is a huge deal, with Emma Chamberlain getting lots of shoutouts for being one of the biggest trendsetters. Most teens pointed out that while VSCO girls are most prolific online, the whole aesthetic is much more toned down IRL.

"Think corduroy skirts, clothes from our parents’ closets, older graphic tees and high-waisted jeans. Hydro flasks and otherwise large reusable water bottles are also in style. Also anything with cacti for some reason."

– jackie811

2. And '90s looks still reign supreme.

instagram.com

We asked: What “retro” things are cool now?

Pretty much anything that Rachel Green or Kelly Kapowski wore is fashion goals for today's teens. The things that were mentioned the most were crop tops, high waisted jeans, chunky shoes, and scrunchies (worn both in and out of the VSCO crowd).

3. You already knew this, but analogue TV is a thing of the past.

Cartoon Network / Hulu

We asked: Do you watch traditional TV?

It's all about watching stuff on-demand, with many teens saying that the content shown on terrestrial TV doesn't really appeal to them, and almost anything broadcast can be easily accessed online. Lots of the teens also pointed out that they'd rather watch things on Youtube, Netflix, or illegally stream than have to sit through commercials and a prearranged schedule. To put it bluntly – "traditional TV is for hotel rooms and my grandpa's house."

– 849389176

4. Most teen dramas completely misrepresent what it's actually like to be a teen in today's world.

The CW / Warner Bros.

We asked: what shows do a crap job at representation?

While some responders said that programs like 13 Reasons Why cover topics related to what today's teens experience, like mental health issues, most think that these shows aren't an accurate depiction of teenhood. Why? Mainly due to all the absent parents, the sexually active characters, and the fact that almost all of the cast members are quite obviously way older than the teens they're playing.

5. But the few shows that don't sensationalise teen life do it really well.

Netflix

We asked: What TV programs show teen life in the most realistic way?

Programs that highlight the non-glamourous ups and downs of being a teen, such as One Day At A Time and Big Mouth were nominated as accurate representations – "I think Big Mouth shows teenage-hood pretty well (except things like the Hormone Monsters and Shame Wizard lol). It’s just an overall accurate portrayal of puberty and the surrounding time."

—charismab

6. Billie Eilish is queen.

We asked: What celebs do you guys adore?

Billie was mentioned in nearly every single response to this one, so she's rightfully deserving of her crown. Not only do teens love her music and think she's really cool, but quite a few people said that they're fans of the positive messages she spreads.

Other stars that came up include Millie Bobbie Brown, Jameela Jamil, and Emma Watson, so it's safe to say that celebs who are using their platform to make a change are getting the teen seal of approval.

7. But teens really don't care about the Kardashians as much as we think they do.

We asked: What’s something that we think is cool, but really isn’t?

Despite many an adult being under the impression that they're celeb royalty in Gen Zer's eyes, it's seemingly not the case. The number of teens who said they didn't care about (or couldn't stand) the Kardashians was staggering, which is surprising when you think about how much they dominate today's media.

8. And they really don't like Tana Mongeau and Jake Paul.

We asked: Which celebs get dragged the most?

It was kind of a loaded question, but these two got a fair share of the votes, followed pretty closely by Logan Paul. This is insightful, but the almost unanimous teen dislike for Tana and Jake has got me wondering...who exactly are their fans?!

9. Speaking of which – influencers just aren't cool anymore.

We asked: Who are your favourite influencers?

Most people actually avoided this question, and the ones that didn't only answered to tell us how much they don't like influencers. Teens aren't here for the excessive flaunting of wealth or unnecessary drama that seem to come hand in hand with influencer lifestyle. So, judging by these responses, Youtuber and influencer culture is on its way out.

10. Teens aren't skipping the awkward phase, they just go through it in private because they feel the pressure to look flawless on social media.

We asked: How are you all managing to skip the awkward phase?

In the era of constant documentation, teens are working extra hard to keep those goofy tween years on the down-low. Unnecessary pressures aside, they're using social media to educate themselves on things us Millennials had to work out through trial and error – "from things like learning how to dress to skincare, social media spreads awareness, which makes us less awkward."

– 849389176

11. Celebs that we thought were cool back in the day are having a bit of a renaissance.

NBC

We asked: What '90s and '00s stars do you still consider celeb royalty?

It's not just fashion throwbacks that are going strong – Keanu Reeves, Leonardo DiCaprio, Will Smith, and Jennifer Aniston are still super cool. Quite a few responders mentioned The Fresh Prince and Friends, so I'm guessing this has quite a bit to do with streaming services. It's good to see that some celebs have stood the test of time, and I'm sure Leo will be pleased to hear he's popular with the next generation...

12. TikTok is basically the Gen Z's version of Vine.

We asked: What’s the deal with Tik Tok?

"It first gained popularity as a cringy lip-syncing app called musical.ly and then it basically became funny seconds 15-second videos to weird audios. I think the Millenials had an app like that called Vine."

– rumpelstiltskin

There doesn't seem to be that much more to it, and while most teens described it's as a fun app, the ones that are old enough to remember the iconic 6-second wonder made it clear that TikTok "kind of fills the Vine shaped hole our hearts, but could never come close to the original."

– mickeydeez209

13. Black and LGBTQ+ Twitter make up most of the slang.

Jasmine Masters

We asked: Who makes up the slang?

Based on the answers to this question, the life cycle of slang goes something like this: black and queer people make it up, it finds its way to Twitter, then everyone starts using it and the origin is long forgotten. Oh, and once older Millenials start picking up the slang, it's pretty much dead (think "lit" and "yeet.")

14. Dating still happens IRL, but a lot of relationships really develop over picture messages and DMs.

Warner Bros. / Netflix

We asked: Does anyone date in real life, or is it all about the apps?

The responses to this one made it pretty clear that most teenagers have nothing to do with dating apps, and they view them as a Millennial phenomenon. They mostly date people they go to school with, so the world of teen romance hasn't really changed much, apart from the addition of apps like Snapchat and Instagram, that let you send ~disappearing~ messages.

15. Teens seem to be drinking less because they're more aware of the consequences of their actions than ever before.

Warner Bros. / Netflix

We asked: I hear you guys are drinking less. What's up with that?

It seems that in the age of constant connection, underage drinkers are easily caught, and most people just don't want the hassle. Basically, teens generally have less freedom than they did in the past – "when you guys were younger, things were so much more relaxed. You could just go and drink somewhere. My parents know exactly where I'm going, when, why, and who I'm going with. They would never allow me to drink underage and I would probably be caught by law enforcement."

– rumpelstiltskin

And although some teens obviously do drink, judging by the responses, they're all about being responsible for their actions. One commenter wisely put it: "We understand that we are making crucial life decisions as soon as the age of about 12, and know that alcohol will fuck us up big time if we drink it too often."

–– 849389176

16. And vaping isn't as popular as we think it is.

Jose Luis Magana / Getty Images

We asked: Is it all about vaping now?

If the responses are anything to go by, vaping is a trend that has been blown waaaay out of proportion – sure, some teens are doing it, but they're not as into it as we've been led to believe. Almost every single response said that vaping isn't cool and is mispresented by the media.

"Vaping is purely internet and celeb culture. I’ve noticed that those who do vape at my age are the ones who tend to only be focused on their popularity and are doing it to seem cooler"

—madelynw44ec4ffaa

17. And finally: being a teen today isn't all that different from being a teen in any other era.

Eric Lalmand / AFP / Getty Images

We asked: What defines your teenage era?

This was met with a variety of different responses, but there was one overarching theme: teens of today aren't purely obsessed with their phones and addicted to social media – just like many before them, they want to make a difference.

They might be the generation responsible for eating Tide pods and dabbing, but they're a multifaceted bunch who can't be defined by a single trend. As one teen put it – "our era is summed up by internet culture, VSCO girls, cheerful nihilism, caring about our dying planet, and most importantly a previously unheard of amount of openmindedness, awareness, and activism that can hopefully change the world."

– Indie_Riot

Some submissions have been edited for length/clarity.

Did we miss anything major? Tell us in the comments!