‘In Cyprus, under 30s are screwed!’

If you were born between 1981 and 1996, you belong to Cyprus’ most populous age group. By far. On this island, these Millennials are over a quarter of a million strong – nearly twice as many as the next largest age group.

Generation X (born from 1965 to 1980) number just over 100,000. And Baby Boomers (born between 1955 and 1964) come in at just under 100,000.

Meanwhile, Generation Z – that enigmatic, almost alien age group born between 1997 and 2012, clock in at roughly 150,000 in number. Many are now entering Cyprus’ workforce. And in doing so, they’re proving how very different they are from any previous generation…

Generation Z are the first generation born into a wholly digital world. But they’re also the age group who grew up in recession, with the aftermath of 9/11, and under the constant threat of terrorism. The older members just about remember the haircut and the consequent panic. The younger were coming of age during a global pandemic – and, in Cyprus, multiple strictures and lockdowns.

This is not a generation that has had an easy time of it so far. And what’s to come could be even more bleak…

“There’s no future for us in Cyprus – perhaps anywhere!” says 19-year-old Greg Lazarou, who’s just finished his national service and is now deciding whether it’s worth applying to university.

“We are the generation that will have to fight for a job, even if we get three Masters and two PhDs,” he suggests. “For us, owning a house is just a dream; and if we ever make it to 65, we’re unlikely to get any sort of a pension.

“This is something we’ve known since we were young. And it’s made us different,” he suggests. “But instead of giving up, I think most of us have taken another route: we’re just living for today.”

The latest survey from Deloitte suggests that Gen Zs do indeed have a rough deal. In the face of a financial anxiety unknown to their parents, many are being forced to survive on minimal salaries.

It’s a trait they share with the generation above, the Millennials. But while Millennials often work two or three jobs, Generation Z seem to be throwing economic security to the winds in favour of meaningful experiences and momentary pleasures.

Granted, they’re young. But they’re not wild. Rather they seem resigned to an uncertain future, and are often characterised as stoics.

While Baby Boomers (now aged 60 to 69) were an optimistic, highly driven generation who lived through 1974 and rebuilt Cyprus from the ground up, and Generation X (aged 44 to 59) are considered independent and resourceful, Generation Z are seen as practical hedonists.

“We’re very different from the Millennials above us,” says 21-year-old Maria Panayiotou. “They’re all ‘wah wah wah, it’s a terrible life, everything is so hard for me’.

“I get it,” she adds. “Millennials were brought up to believe the world was at their feet, that they were super talented and would succeed at everything they tried. And then they went into the workplace at a terrible time, especially in Cyprus: recession, haircut and all the jobs and houses taken by wealthy foreigners.

“But it’s no easier for us; it’s much harder, in fact. Generation Z have even less security, fewer opportunities. And we’re not sitting around complaining – we’re just getting with it; trying to enjoy our lives one day at a time.”

Elaina Eleftheriou is a Millennial, a teacher and writer (and sometimes crafter) who agrees with these pressures.

“Growing up, we were promised great jobs and fulfilling lives. Yet here I am, at the age of 37, with three part-time jobs and still unable to afford a mortgage or start a family. Our teachers and parents were like: ‘Yes, you’re amazing! But here’s all this stuff about climate change and inclusion and racism that you need to fix.’ It’s no wonder Millennials are so anxious!”

This is where Generation Z differs from any previous age group, proposes 22-year-old marketeer Zoe Philippou.

“There’s nothing for us, and we know it,” she acknowledges. “Through high school, the understanding was that life would be very difficult for my generation – that the economy was collapsing and there was not a lot left for us.

“Finding a job was never going to be easy, whether in Cyprus or abroad. On this island, it’s a battle for fewer jobs and less wealth.

“I’m in competition not just with my peers and the age group above, but also with Gen X and Boomers who – thanks to their own economic circumstances – haven’t yet been able to retire! For the first time, there are four generations competing for limited jobs, wealth, housing and opportunity. In Cyprus, under-30s are screwed!”

It’s not all bad, though, says 24-year-old Limassolian Jason Theodorou, who works as a remote assistant.

“When you’re born knowing that things are really messed up, you internalise this sense of freedom that translates to a life less planned.

“You end up living for the moment, travelling to Hungary on a €20 flight and staying in youth hostels; spending your last money on a cooking class that looks fun; or teaching yourself to code over the weekend simply because you have the time. You learn to seize opportunities when you can; you invest in experiences over possessions.

“You take everything in your stride, and you make it work for you – because you have to. And if that means living in a 15-square metre flat and owning four shirts, that’s okay.

“In a way, Generation Z are like the Boomers who saw Cyprus fall in 1974,” he muses. “But for us, there’s nothing left to rebuild – the land has been sold; the jobs are gone.

“So we live in the moment. And occasionally, we hope that Generation Alpha” – children born from 2013 to the present day – “will save Cyprus. And the world. Because I don’t think we can.”