Crush hard. Tip better. Use ChatGPT (maybe)
Crush hard. Tip better. Use ChatGPT (maybe)
The Bot in the Room…How are Students Using AI?
In 2025, imagining school without AI can feel like writing a paper with a quill. Whether or not you’re using it, you can tell who is. It’s the classmate suddenly writing like a seasoned novelist or the one who magically “understood” complex theory even the teacher seems confused about. At this point, it seems like AI isn’t just part of the process anymore. It is the process.
On college campuses, the AI divide is loud. Some students swear by it. Others complain that AI users are skipping the hard work. Professors aren’t thrilled either. So we asked our Youthtellers (ages 15–27): How are they really using it? And what for?
- 32% said they use AI regularly, and 20% of that group claim it’s for “real life,” not school.
- 50% of all respondents said they use AI to study or break down hard concepts—but don’t see that as “using AI,” because they’re not outsourcing the actual work.
- 48% told us they use AI to brainstorm
- 41% use it for editing their work
But 66% still see it as cheating. That guilt—or pride—creates a weird vibe. Students who don’t use AI often act like they’re keeping academic integrity alive, while quietly eye-rolling anyone who gets help from a bot. And in group projects? It shows.
As AI becomes standard in the workplace, the real debate isn’t whether students should use it, but how. The classroom might just be the next place to figure out where AI helps... and where it overreaches.
And that’s where things get messy.
We Just Want More Crushes
64% of Gen Zers wish they had more crushes. Real ones. The kind that give you butterflies, make your heart race in 5th period, and most importantly—feel like they might actually like you back. They are longing for that spark! That moment when your crush glances at you and it means something.
“I wish people understood that dating is way more difficult than it used to be. Even 20 years ago, you weren’t competing against technology. Now, people don’t look up at each other. They disconnect. And that kills any chance of finding a real romantic connection.” — 24, San Antonio, TX
That disconnection? It’s fueling a whole generation of romantics with no outlet. 51% say they want to be in a relationship and they're maladaptively daydreaming romantic scenarios all the time.
What they really want are moments where the energy is obvious, feelings are mutual, and the romance is real. Not just another blurry interaction to screenshot and dissect with friends.
They want to fall in love a little. And then maybe fall in love for real.
True Life: I’m 18, I Work in Fast Food, and I Wish You’d Tip More
We’re not trying to be negative. This is just the reality for a lot of Gen Z workers clocking in at fast food joints across the country. And here’s the kicker, many of them are doing it while being micromanaged down to the exact words they say to customers. For a generation that values independence and creativity, that kind of script doesn’t sit well.
Our anonymous Youthteller shared this blunt reality check:
“We get paid server wages—like $2 to $5 an hour—because technically we bring food out to people. So yeah, remember to tip your fast food servers.”
Let that sink in. These workers aren't just flipping burgers or handing out milkshakes. They’re playing part-time server, full-time people pleaser, and still taking home paychecks that barely cover gas.
Gen Z is used to being underestimated, but when it comes to service work, they’re tired of being invisible. This is the side of “character-building jobs” that doesn’t make it into your favorite nostalgic teen movie.
*This article was originally posted on Substack. Click HERE to subscribe