Guwahati, Oct. 26 -- Alina Cosma, Trinity College Dublin

Young people are facing a future that feels increasingly uncertain. Although every generation experiences turbulence while navigating adolescence, the pressures experienced by gen Z - those born between 1997 and 2012 - are different and seem more pervasive.

From climate change and mental health concerns to academic pressure, housing costs, job and economic insecurity, today's young people are navigating a complex set of expectations. Understanding their frustrations, including those expressed through protests across Europe, requires looking beyond individual experiences to the social conditions shaping their lives.

Adolescence has long been seen as a period of "storm and stress"....