People on TikTok are embracing the “coastal grandma” style, which consists of wearing linens, caftans, and other comfort items while lounging in cozy homes. Some young adults are going into what they call their “grandma era”, where they take up hobbies often associated with the older generation. This phase includes knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, and staying indoors.
On TikTok, the hashtag
#grandmaera
has been viewed more than 7,000 times. Though this is relatively small for the stereotypical “viral” tag, it still shows dozens of videos of young people, typically women doing the “grandma era.” On Twitter, hundreds have also used it to refer to their personality, expressing it as a more low-key lifestyle.
“We’ve seen that grandmothers are laid back and relaxed and have gotten past the work-really hard, hustle culture mindset. They’re just living life and enjoying things,” said Heather Sims, 28,
who posted a TikTok about being in her “grandma era.” “I think a lot of people this age want to
embody that sooner.”
Many experts think that the change of pace among younger people could be influenced by habits they picked up during the early days of the pandemic. When people were forced to quarantine, it most likely contributed to a rise in more introverted behaviors.
Kelly Moore, the Center for Psychological Services director at Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, stated that young people’s resilience during lockdown led them to pick up hobbies and behaviors that could distract them during the pandemic. “I do feel there’s something very positive about those traditional skills being kept alive by younger generations,” she said, adding that social media most likely served as a tool in helping teach younger people about hobbies usually associated with the older generations.
Jessica Bodie, the director of child services at the University of Pennsylvania, said some teens and young people with social anxiety thrived during the pandemic and doing activities at home but have had trouble getting used to social settings. Psychologists “preach a lot about self-care” and advocate for activities that promote people’s well-being, like knitting, gardening, and baking,” she said. But if a person uses those hobbies to avoid socializing, they could be problematic. But still, people are happy that they are appreciating the older generation and staying with the lifestyle they prefer.
On TikTok, the hashtag
#grandmaera
has been viewed more than 7,000 times. Though this is relatively small for the stereotypical “viral” tag, it still shows dozens of videos of young people, typically women doing the “grandma era.” On Twitter, hundreds have also used it to refer to their personality, expressing it as a more low-key lifestyle.
“We’ve seen that grandmothers are laid back and relaxed and have gotten past the work-really hard, hustle culture mindset. They’re just living life and enjoying things,” said Heather Sims, 28,
who posted a TikTok about being in her “grandma era.” “I think a lot of people this age want to
embody that sooner.”
Many experts think that the change of pace among younger people could be influenced by habits they picked up during the early days of the pandemic. When people were forced to quarantine, it most likely contributed to a rise in more introverted behaviors.
Kelly Moore, the Center for Psychological Services director at Rutgers University Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, stated that young people’s resilience during lockdown led them to pick up hobbies and behaviors that could distract them during the pandemic. “I do feel there’s something very positive about those traditional skills being kept alive by younger generations,” she said, adding that social media most likely served as a tool in helping teach younger people about hobbies usually associated with the older generations.
Jessica Bodie, the director of child services at the University of Pennsylvania, said some teens and young people with social anxiety thrived during the pandemic and doing activities at home but have had trouble getting used to social settings. Psychologists “preach a lot about self-care” and advocate for activities that promote people’s well-being, like knitting, gardening, and baking,” she said. But if a person uses those hobbies to avoid socializing, they could be problematic. But still, people are happy that they are appreciating the older generation and staying with the lifestyle they prefer.