The Critical Life Skill 40% Of Gen Z Struggles To Complete
Gen Z's reliance on technology may be hindering them in more ways we realize.
fizkes | Shutterstock All that Gen Z can do with technology is undoubtedly impressive. However, their apparent reliance on the digital world has some drawbacks — namely, an important skill that young people are no longer developing.
40% of Gen Z struggles with handwritten communication.
In today’s world, phones, tablets, and computers are used almost exclusively for communication purposes. Emails are far more common than letters and texts are even more so. But where does this leave handwritten communication?
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According to a study performed by the University of Stavanger, handwritten communication appears to be going by the wayside, at least among young people. Forty percent of Gen Z — those born between the late 1990s and early 2010s — struggle with handwritten communication.
Brian Foster, who reported on the study for Glass Almanac, noted, “This shift signifies more than just a change in tools; it points to a fundamental alteration in how this generation interacts and processes information.”
There are benefits to handwriting.
A 2024 study found that handwriting increases brain connectivity leading to improved information processing and cognitive function. Audrey van der Meer, co-author of the study, likened it to "doing maintenance work on a busy road."
“The most surprising thing was that the whole brain was active when they were writing by hand, [while] much smaller areas were active when they were typewriting,” she told National Geographic. “This suggests that when you are writing by hand you are using most of your brain to get the job done.”
Handwriting has also been linked to better information retention and memory — that's why teachers often encourage handwritten notes while studying.
So, while some may think that typing is an adequate substitute for handwriting, this kind of data proves that is not true. Handwriting is essential to cognitive development and brain function.
Losing the thousands-of-years-old art of handwritten communication would be detrimental to society.
History.com traced the beginning of handwriting as we know it back to the Roman Empire. “Borrowing aspects of the Etruscan alphabet, the ancient Romans were among the first to develop a written script for transactions and correspondence,” they explained. “By the fifth century A.D. it included early versions of lowercase letters and sometimes flowed like modern cursive.”
Of course, at that time, modern technology was not an option. But nowadays, it feels impossible not to utilize the technology.
The National School Boards Association pointed to information collected by the nonprofit Speak Up that suggested approximately half of the students in grades six through 12 said they received “internet-based homework assignments” on an almost daily basis.
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One high school teacher, Rachel Green, told Foster that she thinks space should be made for both digital and handwritten assignments. “Integrating handwriting exercises alongside digital assignments can help students develop a well-rounded set of communication skills,” she said. “It’s not about abandoning technology, but rather complementing it with traditional practices.”
Although so much of what we do has moved online and can be completed with technology, you ultimately can’t survive in today’s world without being able to communicate through handwriting. Many professional environments require handwritten communication and — believe it or not — technology isn't always available.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.