The Youth Lab

HOPE ONE: DISCOVERY & NEW EXPERIENCES

‘Finally, be ready to step out of my comfort zone and have new and exciting experiences.’ Amy, 23

‘Progression in work. Starting something new. Meeting new people.’ Marcus, 26

‘I want to reach my highest self. I know I am on the right track to becoming my highest self. I just hope the next step is in 2023.’ Emma, 22

‘Ok so I’ve decided I want to glow up for 2023.’ @Kyleelombard, 21

New experiences can be both on and offline, equally driven by social occasions or tech-driven ones. TikTok recently reported that 38% of TikTok users say that entertaining ads on the platform teach them something new (1.3x more likely for TikTok entertaining ads vs. other video platforms).

HOPE TWO: TRAVEL & FREEDOM

‘I want zoom to be a thing of the past. I can’t stand being online anymore. It turns me off applying for jobs when it’s hybrid working. I never want to go back to pandemic times. It's time to be free and travel and see people.’ Anna, 23

‘I'm hoping to focus on more ‘me time’. It's hard to do sometimes when college is so busy. I'd love to travel some more. I have a load of countries still on my bucket list.’ Eric, 22

‘My hope for 2023 is to move out of Ireland. I need to get as far away as possible from my family. I want to travel more and travel on my own more.’ Emma, 22

‘I want 2023 to be the year I complete my college course and finally finish my third-level education. I hope that I will have the opportunity to travel for a while during the summer to relax after a busy year.’ Mat, 24

This hunger for adventure comes as countries also feel the effects of climate change more acutely. Pinterest predicts that in 2023 more sustainable travel will trend, with younger generations finding a renewed love for the train: “Searches for Europe interrailing, train quotes and train travel aesthetics are all trending way up… They’re choosing trains as their primary form of transportation—and boasting about it!—leading to a new term: “train bragging.” As countries add new train routes, introduce sleeper cars and make some journeys free, train travel seems to be just the ticket in 2023.”

HOPE THREE: SECURITY & A BETTER WORLD

‘Not to go too 'Miss America', but I really would love to see less division in the world. Without trying to project an impossible utopia, I'd love to feel that warm friendly sense of community one feels when in the throws of a music festival, every day. On the bus, on the street, online and beyond... Here's hoping!’ Billy, 28

‘For 2023, I want to enjoy people and the moments I spend with them, I want to stop worrying about everything and anything, and I hope to feel happy again as I was.’ Agethe, 23

‘In 2023 I would love to see Ireland make a real effort to commit to change for the better with housing and rent, making cities more people focused or making bigger sustainability commitments. I feel like in the last couple of years our generation has lost a lot of faith in Ireland and I would love to see it earned back.’ Kate, 25

‘I also hope to become fully financially independent.’ Amy, 23

‘For 2023, I wish I could have a good, paid job and travel around cuz I didn’t get the chance to do that during the pandemic.’ Joy, 29

‘I want 2023 to be the year I focus on my studies and worry less about money. I hope to go on a meditation retreat in Iceland once college is finished. A perfect way to celebrate the end of my college.’ Niamh, 23

‘For 2023 I dream of a more peaceful, economically stable world and I hope to play a part in it.’ Dewan, 25

‘I hope to see a continued sense of vibrancy in my city, in terms of culture, events, gigs and clubbing spaces. The dream would be improvement in terms of the housing crisis, and a country more focused on keeping its youth here rather than driving them abroad.’ Aimee, 26

SPACE10 x DAZED Studio’s Impermatculture Report stated that while 67% of Gen Z have home ownership aspiration, home ownership is on a global decline. The reality for many is that important goals, like home ownership, still feel out of grasp. Instagram’s 2023 trend report also speaks to how young people will engage in a ‘financial renaissance’ - nearly two thirds of Gen Z plans to use social media to make money in 2023.

HOPE FOUR: EMBRACE JOY & CREATE GOOD HABITS

‘My ultimate dream for 2023 is to live in the now and appreciate all the good that I’m surrounded by. The last few years have been shadowed by a lot of gloom with the pandemic, cost crises and climate anxiety - it’s easy to drown in pessimism. This year my goal is to focus on small, tangible changes that will eventually make up the bigger picture and see things through a more optimistic lens!’ Ellen, 26

‘Personally, I would love to spend less time being distracted by my phone and more time practising mindfulness and getting to know my inner self more. And dancing. Lots of dancing!’ Billy, 28

‘Some healthy habits I want to start next year are better diets and stopping vaping.’ Eric, 22

‘I want to be more sustainable in my everyday life and, most importantly, get more tattoos.’ Niamh, 23

Instagram’s 2023 trend report speaks to youth’s aspiration to create more sustainable habits this year, noting how “As climate concerns rise, DIY clothing offers a sustainable alternative to fast-fashion. In our study, more than half of Gen Z respondents said they plan to DIY their clothes in 2023.”

TikTok’s 2023 trend report also notes: “Despite all the self-care advice out there, people are still burning out. So they're looking for meaningful self-care amidst an endless cycle of public health issues, work-life balance struggles, and personal hardships. Everyday people are changing their relationships with their jobs and letting go of anxieties about hitting traditional life "milestones" like getting married and having kids. They're being more vocal about what true happiness looks like for them and making space for fun… 4 in 10 TikTok users say 'lifting their spirits' is key in motivating them to make a purchase.”

HOPE FIVE: CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLES & DO IT MY WAY

‘My hopes and dreams for 2023 are pretty simple, I want to spend more time on things that actually make me happy, whether it's reading or friends, I really want to prioritise moments that will bring me good energy for the year. An outlandish dream would be to see 2023 be the year of respect. 2022 was so full of hate and animosity online for everything from celebrities to activists, hopefully we'll see this progress into a more positive world to live in!’ Niamh, 24

‘Be cringe in 2023. Your life will legit get better on every front this is not a joke… the reason you need to get over being cringe is because success requires shamelessness. Once you feel no shame, you are free to do anything, to try as hard as you can, to fail and then try again. If you are ashamed of who you are, you can never fully self-actualize.” @Isabelunraveled, 29

From career progression to just feeling good about yourself, a number of young people are starting this year with the intention to make 2023 the year they do things in their own way. Accenture’s Life Trends 2023 report talks about how this sense of control is important in the current context of rapid change and permacrisis: “When circumstances are literally beyond people’s control, it prompts multiple responses designed to stabilize and regain control—often expressed in micro-moments and small opportunities that make people feel like they’ve got a handle on things.”

BRAND TAKEOUTS

For more insight into how youth attitudes and behaviour will shape the year ahead, sign up for the launch of this year's edition of ‘Youth Culture Uncovered’, where we ask “what’s it like to be young today?" (in Ireland) on January 25th at THINKHOUSE - reach out to your Client Service contact for more information.