In today’s age of technology and online dating, one would think that more and more college students would be in relationships, but a growing statistic shows that students are shifting their focus from finding love to finding a job. More than one in three Gen-Z young adults describe themselves as single. There are many contributing factors to this, including a growing shift and focus on personal growth and education. 

Compared to other generations, 46% of Gen-Z, ranging from 18-24, are single, while only 22% of Millennials are not in relationships. A major reason for this change is a gradual shift in priorities. More and more students and young adults are focusing on themselves and growing independence, self-care, and prioritizing being able to support themselves financially. 

After all, Rowan and colleges in general are here for that very purpose: to help students grow and discover themselves. And if this new shift in focus is true, and students are putting more emphasis on their futures and education, then it could yield promising results for the future of this generation that is often criticized for being “lazy.” 

As for dating apps, which looked to be a new way for young people to talk and meet each other, they have become more recreational than anything. While it is true that dating apps have risen in popularity in the past few years, the reason for that is also changing. 63% of this generation’s respondents said they use dating apps now as more of a way to relieve boredom rather than actually finding a relationship. There is a growing fatigue with these apps, which may stem from a number of reasons, including paywalls preventing people from seeing who they match with and an increasing number of people drifting away from the digital dating world.

Some may see this switch as harmful to young students’ futures and their ability to function in a relationship. However, it may actually have the opposite effect. With more people focusing on improving themselves and prioritizing their own mental health, they will be in a better mindset if they enter a relationship. Additionally, focusing on their studies and college work will advance their careers and yield better grades, so they can be in a better place. Focusing on oneself is not inherently a bad thing.

While Gen-Z’s new changing norms may alarm some, this could also yield a brighter future for this generation. There is nothing wrong with wanting to date someone while in college, and there is still a large percentage of people who can juggle both an education and a dating life. It’s also completely valid for a rising number of students to focus on growing as an individual as their main priority. Dating and being in relationships in college can teach people valuable life skills and experiences, but it’s also equally important to focus on yourself and your relationships with your friends.

Students are in a new age at Rowan, where social norms have changed, and this generation is still evolving and changing. After all these statistics, they are still just numbers. They do not define the people you see around on campus, and most importantly, they do not define what our future will look like in the time to come.

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