From academic stress and climate anxiety to nonstop social media exposure and fears about the future, Gen Z is growing up in a world that feels constantly “on.” And for years, YPulse has been tracking that some of this weight can feel more intense for teen girls. Our annual Mental Health survey shows that 13-18-year-old females are more likely than males to agree they constantly feel stressed, feel anxious about the future, and that they often worry about things that they cannot control. But alongside this heaviness, a powerful shift is taking place. Gen Z girls are reclaiming their joy, agency, and peace in intentional ways, online and off.
The Studio at YPulse, in partnership with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and Être, interviewed 1,000 girls 13-18-years-old to uncover how this generation reclaims power through intentional acts like curating feeds, protecting their schedules, and building offline communities. That report, The Gen Z Rewrite: Joy Is Rebellion (available to download here) shows that while most 13-18-year-old girls say they’re just as or more stressed than their peers, 82% also say joy is a mindset you can choose, no matter the circumstance. They’re choosing joy where they can, on their terms. And the brands that meet them with support? Those are the ones they’ll take with them on their journey. These insights directly informed Hello Sunshine’s new media and experiential brand, Sunnie, showing brands how to meet Gen Z girls as they are: bold, multidimensional, and ready to rewrite the rules.
From creating moments of daily delight to seeking out safe spaces online and IRL, these three stats from YPulse, Hello Sunshine, and Être’s research offer a look into how Gen Z girls are choosing happiness on their own terms:
Headlines often focus on Gen Z’s stress, burnout, and anxiety—and YPulse has certainly shared insights that show they are struggling with issues, from loneliness to happiness. But our Gen Z Rewrite data reveals that there’s another side to the story for Gen Z girls in particular: 96% of 13-18-year-old girls believe they have the ability to create moments of joy in their lives. These young girls aren’t waiting for happiness to happen to them! They’re creating their own joy — not just through small, whimsical moments, but by diving deep into the passions that light them up. Sunnie’s social series, Sunnie Sessions, shows young girls doing this through everything from music and activism to building Substacks and more.
From ordinary routines to spontaneous pleasures (hello, opening shifts!), they’re finding magic in the everyday and reframing life’s most normal tasks as intentional, feel-good moments that center their own joy. We’ve seen this pattern of romanticizing the mundane play out time and time again. Eating snacks instead of a meal? That’s a trendy “girl dinner.” They’ve even rebranded simple walks as “hot girl walks.” These labels are fun and sometimes silly, but often deeply resonant, too. They help Gen Z girls find lightness in tough times and give name to rituals that help them feel more grounded. And yes, it makes their lives more aesthetic and post-worthy, too.
YPulse has said before that Gen Z knows social media isn’t all bad—but they’re also well aware of the toll it can take when left unchecked. Between pressure to stay on trend, unrealistic beauty standards, cyberbullying, and a growing sense of isolation, it’s a lot for them to carry mentally. YPulse research has even found they name it as one of their generation’s biggest sources of anxiety. That’s why Gen Z girls are stepping up to protect their peace through digital boundaries: our data shows 91% of 13-18-year-old girls have taken action to gain more control of what they see online. This sense of agency really matters; Gen Z girls who feel in control of their schedules are 32% more likely to report feeling joyful and 33% more likely to feel confident.
They’re curating their feeds and being intentional about how screens fit in their downtime. It’s not necessarily about turning social media off, because it’s still a huge part of young girls’ lives. But to protect their mental health online, 62% have blocked toxic individuals or content, 59% have used the privacy settings to control who sees their profiles, 56% have unfollowed individuals who don’t make them feel good about themselves, and 39% have reported toxic people or content. At the same time, they’re creating content that reflects the calm they crave—documenting small joys like tidying their rooms, getting coffee, or cooking dinner for others.
As Gen Z reshapes digital life, Sunnie offers an intentional alternative that centers joy, creativity, and community. They’re co-creating online and IRL communities with Gen Z girls featuring social content, events, book clubs, zines, custom curriculums, and more.
Gen Z girls are feeling the effects of social isolation. The social fallout from the pandemic, coupled with fewer dedicated hangout spaces, a drop in youth sports participation, and fewer organic opportunities to meet new people have created a unique set of isolating circumstances for this generation. According to The Gen Z Rewrite research, 74% of 13-18-year-old girls say, “I wish I had more communities in my life.” So, these girls are getting creative—and intentional—about building that community themselves. This research shows 72% of 13-18-year-old girls actively seek opportunities and events to connect with people and community, whether that means extracurriculars, clubs, or fandoms.
YPulse knows experiences matter to this gen—and to brands trying to keep up. YPulse’s Experiences report shows they’re willing to spend on the moments that offer connections that are memorable, low-pressure, and totally shareable. In fact, teen girls are even more likely than teen boys to be willing to spend on concert tickets, be interested in going to brand pop up events, and to say they like going to events that help them connect to community. That’s why young women are often the ones fueling virality for IRL events like Lorde’s pop-up in Washington Square, Polaroid photo shoots, or joining running clubs like City Girls Who Walk NYC. These local hubs are giving them a place to unplug, be themselves, and connect IRL—with community and content baked right in.
Ready to turn Gen Z research into brand wins like Hello Sunshine? Reach out to the Studio today.
