THE GEN Z STARE: WHY TODAY’S TEENS LOOK LIKE THEY’RE GLITCHING IN REAL LIFE

If you’ve spent five seconds on TikTok, you’ve seen it. The deadpan, unreadable expression known as the Gen Z stare.

It’s already a meme, and now, as summer jobs heat up and Christmas crowds descend, the look is about to be everywhere from retail counters to café registers.

But before anyone rolls their eyes at the next teenager who appears to be buffering like a dodgy WiFi signal, experts at the University of South Australia want Australians to chill.

According to educator Alexandra Gavrilidis, the stare has been widely misunderstood.

The most filmed, online and judged generation

Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, came of age in the harsh glare of the internet. They are the most recorded generation in history, with every awkward adolescent moment digitally immortalised.

Add smartphones, social media and, for younger teens, formative years spent in COVID lockdowns, and it’s not surprising their social cues look different.

“Every generation has its quirks, shaped by the events and technologies of its formative years,” Gavrilidis says. “Naturally, this creates a mix of different views, values and ways of interacting.”

For 13- to 18-year-olds, the famous stare is often less about rebellion and more about basic human coping.

“For younger Gen Zs, the ‘Gen Z stare’ is an identifiable behaviour that some older customers, teachers or colleagues can find offensive, rude or even unprofessional,” Gavrilidis says.

“But for Gen Z themselves, it’s usually more about the mundane: zoning out, processing, feeling awkward, or simply not seeing the point in forced small talk.”

A defence mechanism in a world of unreasonable customers

In customer service, the stare can actually be a form of self-preservation.

“It’s also a response to an unreasonable or frustrated customer, where Gen Z feel that maintaining a neutral, silent expression is the safest approach,” she says.

“Essentially applying the principle of ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all."

Gen Z don’t do fake enthusiasm. They don’t feel obligated to perform cheery “Have a nice day” energy unless it feels genuine.

Their communication style is shaped by digital habits in which silence is the norm, delayed replies aren’t rude, and small talk is optional.

COVID only tightened those instincts. Masks hid facial cues. Socialising paused. Screens took over.

Gavrilidis says these changes made many young people less confident in face-to-face interaction.

“For many young people, the stare isn’t defiance at all, so it’s important to take a moment to reflect before you react by impulse.”

The problem isn’t just Gen Z

The holiday season reliably brings out questionable behaviour from shoppers of all ages. Gavrilidis says the solution is not to critique teenagers, but to reset expectations.

“People fundamentally judge other people’s mistakes differently from how they judge their own, and this bias causes us to misjudge and misunderstand others,” she says.

“But if we choose to assume that others are doing the best they can, and that people are generally well-meaning, we can avoid unnecessary conflict and confrontation.”

And yes, Gen Z could meet the rest of us halfway. “Gen Z can try to understand how their non-verbal cues land, especially in customer-facing roles,” Gavrilidis says.

The bottom line: don’t take it personally

“While the Gen Z stare might be unavoidable, especially at Christmas, the conflict doesn’t have to be,” Gavrilidis says.

“A little curiosity, a little generosity, and a willingness to assume the best could turn that blank look into a far better day for everyone.”

So next time a teenager looks straight through you while scanning your gift wrap and gingerbread, relax. They’re probably not judging you. They might just be buffering.