Latest news with #GenZ-er
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
The wrestler in lipstick: Why Olympian Amit Elor prioritizes pre-match glam (and romance novels)
Amit Elor makes flourishing in a male-dominated sport look easy. As a 20-year-old competing at the Paris Olympics last year, she became the youngest American — male or female — to win a gold medal in wrestling. These days, the Gen Z-er can be found documenting her life on and off the mat on social media. Sometimes, that means lifting weights. Other times, it's wearing sheet masks. 'I feel feminine even when I'm wrestling,' Elor, 21, tells me during a conversation for Yahoo Life's OT Diaries. 'It's important for me to do things like paint my nails before every competition. I like to match the color of the rubber bands on my hair to my singlet or to my socks if I possibly can.' This isn't something that was always important to her. She recalls being a tomboy when she was younger and refusing to wear dresses or skirts. 'It's probably part of growing up with the sport and wrestling only boys, that I felt like I couldn't show that side of me,' she says. 'So it's kind of been a process of feeling comfortable with my femininity and feeling comfortable expressing it and looking girly and wearing dresses and putting makeup [on].' These days, applying lipstick and nail polish and having her mom help with braiding her hair are pre-competition rituals for Elor, who likes to bake and read romance novels in her downtime. Here's what she says about how these interests help her find balance as a young athlete. Well, first and foremost, I'm making sure to have fun every single practice, even if it's super-intense and it's not fun. I think the environment really helps, and when your teammates are messing around, your coaches are positive, that helps too. And then, of course, having things outside of the sport, like hobbies. I really love cooking and baking. I'm a huge foodie, so if I travel somewhere else and I know that this place is known for croissants or something like that, I'll go and give it a try. I love traveling too, and wrestling allows me to travel a lot. Recently, I also got into reading, and I've been on a romance streak, which has been great. Everybody says balance is key, but balance is hard. You have to put in effort to be able to balance something, but I think that truly is the best. You see a lot with high school wrestlers when they start wrestling, [that] sometimes they're too extreme. They'll not eat for a few days or they'll eat just one thing. My goal is to still get to eat my favorite foods. Unfortunately, when it is closer to the competition, I have to do that in moderation. And it's totally possible and it's actually the better choice, right, to be eating a lot throughout the day, fueling yourself and then putting the work out there on the mat. So obviously, I can't always eat exactly what I want and the amount I want. But I know it's a timing thing too, right? After the competition, it's really fun to go out to eat and really celebrate. It gets a little bit complicated. … If somebody is going up in a weight class, the goal will be to gain muscle and strength. But sometimes [it's the opposite]. I've had this personal struggle that I'm eating well, I'm training hard, but I'm lifting so much that I'm actually gaining muscle, and it's making it harder to drop down a weight. So I've had strength coaches tell me, 'Decrease your reps, go heavy weight, low reps.' So there's these alterations we'll make when we do have to be a certain weight class. And sometimes it's flexible and we can [compete at] our natural weight. But other times it is complicated because one [weight class] is closed, or we're trying to make the strongest team and stuff like that. I think the gym is my safe place, along with the wrestling mat. I enjoy lifting and working out just as much as I do wrestling. It's really fun. I love active recovery. On a rest day or when I have time, I really enjoy walking. I can lose myself during a walk and just walk forever. One thing I was doing a lot before the Olympics, actually, was walking while reading, like an actual book. And I would just do this for one to two hours every day. It was helping me a lot. I would do it on a walking pad. I did it once at this field outside my house, but I've gotten pretty good at relying on my peripheral vision. I have at least one full rest day a week. I'm also generally trying to get better at listening to my body. I recently got really into ice baths. I really enjoy it. I love the feeling after, that kind of high you get from enduring all the cold. … The longest I've done is 10 minutes. But just doing five [minutes], I get the benefits of it. The hardest part is the first 30 seconds to one minute, because your body is adjusting and you're breathing really hard. But then after that, you just feel coolness and your body adjusts. It's actually really cool how your body is able to adjust and then suddenly you feel fine. Wrestlers love the sauna. We go to the sauna probably almost every day for 15 to 20 minutes at least. It's awesome. Seeing all the women that are getting more comfortable flexing, working out, lifting and becoming stronger versions of themselves, it's really inspiring. And it makes me feel a little bit more confident to put myself out there too. Growing up, I was pretty lucky that I was never, never told to be a smaller version of myself. My parents never told me to cut weight. I always ate as much as I wanted and I always loved the feeling of being strong and looking strong. I think that's something that's really important for me to share with other girls, especially even within wrestling: that the smaller version of ourselves may not necessarily be the best version of ourselves. And we really need to pay attention to how we feel, and not just how we look. Life is worth living, and it's so, so fun doing all these things and getting to eat all these delicious things and all that. I've always been a huge fan of peanut butter or almond butter. I love dipping apples in almond butter. That's delicious. I'm crazy about Greek yogurt. I can have that for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It's the perfect snack with honey. I had a phase where I really liked protein oatmeal. So you blend oatmeal and protein powder with some almond milk and other things and you can microwave it or bake it or cook it, whatever. It's literally like a dessert. It's so delicious. I'm huge on dark chocolate. I need to have dark chocolate with me all the time. Sometimes I have like half a bar to a bar of dark chocolate every single day. It makes me happy. It's more of a ritual, you know. … That feeling when my hair is braided and I put my singlet on, nothing compares to it. It's that specific competition feeling. I'm ready to go. It's only my mom [that does my hair] just because I'm so used to it and I trust her. If something works for me in competition, I like to replicate it. Sometimes I've been fixated on the same pair of shoes, and if I lose wearing a pair of shoes, I probably won't compete in those again. So I get a little superstitious about that stuff. My strength coach gave me a very special bracelet as a gift. It had engraved on it something in Latin that meant 'I believe,' and it was just so meaningful to me. The night before I left for Paris, I spent like four or five hours looking all over my room and I couldn't find it. I had to leave for Paris without this bracelet that was so special to me, and I remember feeling really superstitious. I was like, I don't have the bracelet. How am I gonna perform? I'm probably not gonna win. They're little, little feelings. But I know at the same time that they don't mean anything as far as competition. But here and there, if I am feeling a superstition, I'm able to go with the flow with it. Always my mom. Probably Friends or Futurama. Ice cream. I can have ice cream for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My biggest fear is regret. I want to make sure I live life to the fullest. When people pick their nose or their ears, that gives me the ick. Greek yogurt. And I'm a water girl. I can say that I drink water every day. Probably food videos, like food reviews or 'what I eat in a day.' I just love it. And then I start looking at restaurants and then saving them. I'm a foodie. ChapStick, I can't go [anywhere] without ChapStick. I recently spent a month in Brazil, so I've been listening to an album of Brazilian funk music. I can't understand a lot of it. But the vibe gets me hyped up for a workout. I don't follow that many wellness trends. Always stretching before you work out. I'm probably the best baker my friends and family know. I played saxophone when I was in middle school and I'm trying to relearn and get better at it. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Business Mayor
25-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
Should I pitch my innovative product to my employer – or keep it for myself? NICOLA HORLICK replies
Working life today is full of constantly evolving challenges and pitfalls. When is it OK to date a co-worker? Can you tell your team to get back into the office five days a week? Whether you're a baffled Boomer, a muddled millennial, or a confused Gen Z-er, our brilliant columnist Nicola Horlick can help. Dear Nicola, I have devised a product, working mostly in my own time, which is the kind of thing my firm sells. I suspect it could do rather well. Friends have tried it and rave about the results. Am I obliged to give my employer first refusal on this? I have created it using my savings, but with skills acquired at work. If I do go it alone, can I offer it to my employer further down the road? Also, if I do take that step, where should I start to find support and funding? Yours, Paul Looking ahead: Paul has devised a product which is the kind of thing his firm sells Dear Paul, You haven't given any information about what the product is, so it is hard to give a complete answer. For example, if it is a better version of a computer game sold by your employer, there will be issues around intellectual property (IP). Even if it is a manufactured item based on something your employer sells, there could be IP issues or patent infringement, if the firm owns patents for similar products. Also if you've developed it partly in working hours, your employer may have some rights over it. It's great your friends tried the product and liked it. This suggests you will earn a great deal of kudos and possibly some financial benefit if you go with it to your employer. If you did set up your own business, you would need capital, and this can be very hard to acquire for start-ups. You may have further savings and your extended family might help, but any new venture carries a lot of risk. Even though the product sounds as if it has real promise, you and your fellow investors could lose all your money. I suggest that you talk to your employer to see if the product could be added to its range. I once had a colleague who developed a computer system widely used in our organisation. When I joined the firm, no one had considered that he owned the IP and that, if he had left the company, he could have turned the system off. As manager of the business, I tried to negotiate to buy the product. Strangely, he refused to sell, so I had to engage an external firm to build something similar so we weren't at risk. This illustrates the issues when creative employees come up with innovations. If you are still keen to set up a business, it is vital to take legal advice on the position of your employer, its IP and any patents first. The last thing you need as an entrepreneur is to find yourself embroiled in a costly court case. Yours, Nicola
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Survey Finds 80% of Parents Prefer Their Teens Listen to Vinyl or CDs — & Gen Z Is on Board
Teens today have every song (ever?!) available at their fingertips today. All it takes is a quick Spotify or YouTube search, and they can access all their favorite artists, new ones to fall in love with, and playlists to get them through every hangout with friends or late-night study session. And yet, parents wish their kids would go old school and listen to an actual CD or vinyl record. And instead of moaning and groaning about it being outdated, restrictive technology, Gen Z and Gen Alpha seem to actually be on board. More from SheKnows Judy Blume's Forever Taught a Generation About Sex - Now a Netflix Adaptation Can Do the Same for Your Teen There could be a few reasons for this. There is a rise in love for all things 90s nostalgia, the desire to support their favorite musicians by doing more than just streaming, and the desire to rack up a physical collection to display their interests. 'I think mostly for Gen Z it's an aesthetic thing,' one CD-loving Gen Z-er told Axios last year. At the time, revenues from physical music formats (CDs, vinyls, etc.) had reached a decade high with the help of younger fans. Recent research in the United Kingdom found that 46 percent of Gen Alpha are listening to physical music. The survey, conducted by Key Production, also included feedback from parents. Around 46 percent of surveyed parents said their child(ren) listened to CDs, and 38 percent said they listened to vinyl. Even cassette tapes seem to be making a comeback. 'In an age dominated by streaming, it's the younger generations who are continuing to drive the demand for physical music,' Key Production CEO Karen Emanuel said in a statement. ' … For many of these young listeners, physical music offers something digital formats can't: a sense of authenticity, ownership, and emotional connection. It turns music into a tangible experience—something to hold, display, collect, and connect with on a deeper level.' Perhaps most interesting is that 80 percent of parents prefer their children listen to music on CDs and vinyl rather than on their smartphones. This could be because it offers an opportunity to bond over the retro technology. Or, perhaps more likely, it could be because it's a switch away from screens. Teens aren't scrolling through their phone when they are setting up a record player or plugging their headphones into a CD player. And what parent doesn't love to see their kids' screen time decrease? Teens are apparently in it for the digital detox too. More than 70 percent of Gen Z respondents said they listen to physical music to help them reduce screen time, per All About The Rock. And you might be wondering about the costs of this shift. Sure, collecting CDs, vinyls, and their respective players can be expensive, but the survey shows that there is a lot of sharing. Nearly 30 percent of Gen Z respondents said they receive physical music from friends, and some even inherit it from family members. Plus, listening to physical music doesn't have to break the bank. Many libraries have collections of CDs and vinyl that are available to the public, and thrift stores often carry them at a fraction of the price of retail stores. So parents, take note for future holiday shopping. Because, as Emanuel said, it seems physical music is no longer 'a relic of the past.' 'It's firmly part of the future, and it's here to stay.' Looking for approachable makeup for your teen? These are TikTok approved. Best of SheKnows The Rarest Girl Names in the U.S. Right Now Are Also the Most Gorgeous — & Almost No One's Using Them Salma Hayek, Brittany Mahomes, & More Celebrity Moms in the 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit' Issue Through the Years How Priyanka Chopra, Mindy Kaling, & More Celebrities Celebrate AAPI Heritage & Culture With Their Kids
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Gen Z Is Fueling 'Quiet Proposing' Trend
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Generation Z may be known for creating new workplace trends, but their approach to dating and marriage can also be distinctly different from their older counterparts. While baby boomers, Gen X and millennials may have enjoyed big elaborate proposals, Gen Z looks to be more inclined to "quiet proposing," according to a new survey from Diamonds Factory. Instead of one partner surprising the other with a flashy marriage proposal and a ring picked out without their knowledge, Diamonds Factory found more than 50 percent of all engagement ring shoppers are now accompanied by their partner in 2025. Why It Matters Gen Z includes those born into the years 1997 to 2012. The younger generation is bringing forth many changes to both workplace dynamics and personal relationships. While in part due to their younger age, it is far more common for Gen Z-ers to be single, according to a survey from Coupon Birds earlier this year. Just under half, 46 percent of Gen Z was single, the survey found. That compared to 28 percent of millennials, 26 percent of Gen Xers and 22 percent of baby boomers. What To Know While more than half of all engagement ring shoppers are accompanied by their partner in 2025, according to the Diamonds Factory survey, this marks a stark contrast to how many couples of previous generations went about their engagements. This shows that for many couples, the engagement and ring purchase is looked at as a mutual decision rather than a surprise. Ring shoppers also brought their parents in 18 percent of cases, according to Diamonds Factory, and 11 percent of people brought a sibling or friend. Just 18 percent of ring shoppers came in alone. Micaela Beltran, a Gen Z-er and the co-founder and CEO of Courtly, told Newsweek she and her husband opted for a quiet proposal to honor the authenticity of their relationship. "We skipped the big reveal and, instead, worked with an independent designer. We ended up with a ring that feels like us. No staged moment, no surprise audience, just a shared decision," Beltran said. "The appeal is pretty simple: Gen Z is wary of anything that looks engineered for social media, and budgets are tight enough that splashing out on a dramatic scene can feel tone-deaf. Collaborating on the ring let us start the marriage the way we plan to keep it—practical, transparent, and focused on what matters to us rather than putting on a show." Many of the younger Gen Z couples are choosing "quiet proposals" because they value communication and shared decision making over tradition. "We went back-and-forth about the ring, what website to buy it from, how I wanted it to look etc. before I made a decision and told him what I wanted," another Gen Z-er, Hannah Macie, told Newsweek. "We did this because we had kinda already agreed we wanted to get married and we wanted to make sure I got what I wanted with the ring." Many of the quiet proposals also reflect a more egalitarian approach to marriage, whereas other generations may have been more inclined to have the man make the ring decision. "I think it reveals that our generation has relationships that are more of an equal power dynamic in my opinion," Macie said. "A guy picking out a ring himself then proposing without talking much to his partner about what they wanted, whether they even wanted a future together would be kind of bold and reveals a certain power dynamic, to me at least. Us talking about our future together and picking out a ring together is more of an equal power dynamic." JoJo Fletcher shows her engagement ring at the Levi's Store Times Square on October 30, 2019, in New York City. JoJo Fletcher shows her engagement ring at the Levi's Store Times Square on October 30, 2019, in New York People Are Saying Diamonds Factory jewelry expert Ella Citron-Thompkins said in a statement: "Quiet proposing is a new trend where engagements are kept intimate and private, without public displays or widespread announcements, focusing on a personal, low-key moment for the couple. More couples wanting to choose a ring together reflects a shift towards a more intentional, collaborative proposal process." "Rather than rejecting romance, it shows that many modern, Gen-Z couples value communication and shared decision-making over tradition for tradition's sake. It's less about the surprise and more about ensuring the moment—and the ring—truly reflects both people involved." Leah Levi, psychologist and dating expert at the explorationship app Flure, told Newsweek: "More and more couples feel they don't need a show to confirm their love. It is important to them that it is a shared choice, not a romantic gesture with 'surprise' elements. Couples realize they don't have to perform to express their true feelings. They took time and did not seek to make a big announcement to the world about the status change of their relationship." What Happens Next? Levi said the quiet proposal trend is a "sign of maturity" as Gen Z grew up amid an unstable economy. "With student debt, rent, and financial uncertainty on their shoulders, spending money on a luxury seems a tad bit disproportionate," Levi said. "However, it's not even an issue with money, or at least not a primary one. It's that relationships are now based on honesty, equality, and managing realistic expectations. People want to be confident in themselves and the partnership, not in how creative and expensive the gesture will be." Since Gen Z has been more critical of following outdated patterns and grew up with social media, they crave authenticity, Levi said, and the trend could only escalate moving forward. "Gen Z sees no point in spending money and effort on something that has no real value," she added. "A quiet proposal is a statement of recognition that relationships are not a performance for others."
Daily Mail
26-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
NICOLA HORLICK: I admit it - I AM the office slacker - do I say sorry to my boss or just change my ways?
Working life today is full of constantly evolving challenges and pitfalls. When is it OK to date a co-worker? Can you tell your team to get back into the office five days a week? Whether you're a baffled Boomer, a muddled millennial, or a confused Gen Z-er, our brilliant columnist Nicola Horlick can help. Dear Nicola, After some conflict, I realise that I have been behaving rather badly in the office lately. I've come to the conclusion that if I do not get my act together there could be consequences in this job and others. I have been the slacker in my department. I don't rate some of the bosses, so I have been doing the minimum, gossiping and never volunteering. It's not been so much 'silent quitting' as 'noisy doing next-to-nothing'. It dawned on me over the Easter Bank Holiday that none of this is making me feel better about myself. I have been letting my colleagues down, and some senior people who have been trying to help me. I think I've been ruining my chances of promotion – which I care about. Should I apologise to my manager? Or would the best thing be to be super keen, turn up early, put myself forward and so on? I am hoping that there's a way back. Yours, Marina Dear Marina, Well, the good news is that you have a high degree of self-awareness. Believe me, that's unusual. The perennial problem for managers is dealing with team members who are convinced that they are doing a good job when they really aren't. I think the best route back is to show that you have changed your attitude. You need to prove to your boss that you are totally committed. You should also make sure that you have an unofficial 'sponsor' – someone in a senior position who has your interests at heart. A sponsor is different to a mentor. It's someone with influence who believes in you and can speak up for you in management meetings. Anyone who really wants to progress in their organisation needs one. It may be that it will take some time for your boss to fully appreciate your change of heart and the good work that you are doing. But if you are sure that you are in the right job and you want to give it all you've got, then you should be prepared to wait. Given we spend a good chunk of our waking hours working, I think it's important to enjoy the job and to aspire to greater things within the organisation. Now that you have realised that you do want to do better, I am sure that you can turn things around. I wish you the very best of luck.
