It’s been less than a week into the first month of the new year, and the discourse about one of the most dreadful parts of January has come in full swing: Dry January. It’s clearly on many people’s minds, especially Gen Z — a generation that has been called out for its drinking habits, which pale in comparison to generations before them. But let’s get one thing straight here: That certainly does not account for many of us.
Over the past year, there have been countless articles highlighting how infrequently Gen Z is consuming alcohol. A recent survey from Gallup reported that “62% of adults under age 35 say they drink,” which went down from 72% over two decades ago. Data from Business Insider shows a sharp decline in alcohol consumption from people ages 18-34, and the same group showed a definitive rise in believing that drinking in moderation is bad for one’s health.
Across social media, it’s certainly evident that there’s a major shift in how Gen Z perceives drinking. One example is this recent viral post on X about Dry January that has led to older generations asking: What exactly is going on with young adults these days?
“on “dry january”, before it even starts: if a month without alcohol is a conscious effort that requires any amount of willpower to adhere to, you are definitely an alcoholic,” the post says.
Even the community note, a fact-checked message that pops up on X to provide more context to a post that may be misleading, insinuates that this statement is a stretch. “Clinical definitions of alcohol problems (e.g., Alcohol Use Disorder) are based on patterns of impairment, loss of control, tolerance, withdrawal, and negative life consequences, not on whether abstaining for a month requires willpower,” it says.
“Are zoomers the first generation where the older generations’ complaint is that the kids today are too strait-laced and dull? That they don’t party hard enough or do enough drugs?” this post, in response to the original one, says.
Gen Z Is Rethinking Its Wine Drinking Habits
Is a pattern of generational tastes emerging?In some ways, this is true about Gen Z — and it goes beyond just drinking. They’re swinging toward Christianity, conservatism and opting for more traditional, “tradwife” lifestyles. A popular trend among Gen Z referred to as “the clean girl aesthetic” promotes wellness and cleanliness. It’s become quite a popular thing to be perceived as wholesome and holistic and clean. All of these, in their own varying ways, reject the idea of going out to bars and drinking too much recreationally. Yet many Gen Z-ers online are rejecting the idea that going out and drinking isn’t an ideal recreational activity.
This woman explains how her mom told her she didn’t know Gen Z wasn’t a “partying generation,” to which she gave a confused look and said “We don’t? Who said that?”
In this video, this man explains why Gen Z isn’t drinking because of the popular “clean” aesthetic. The majority of the comments were Gen Z-ers who disagreed with the notion that Gen Z doesn’t drink. One commenter wrote: “hey so i fear gen z most definitely underage drinks.” Another wrote: “what gen z people are yall talking to?? Cause this is/was not me or any gen z person i know.” And another: “‘Gen z does not underage drink.’ I have never found that to be remotely true.”
It’s worth noting, in an argument I haven’t seen much of, that the age ranges many of these studies are observing includes five years of adult ages that are considered Millennial (29-34), three years of Gen Z ages that aren’t legally able to drink (18-21) and five more years of Gen Z-ers who are under 18 (13 and up). So don’t worry, Boomers — there’s still plenty of time to evaluate all of Gen Z’s relationship with consuming alcohol.
Not to mention, several of these of-age drinkers were likely Gen Z-ers who turned 21 and attended college during a pandemic. Being fully immersed in a night out was less of an option during vital, formative years for becoming a person who loves going out and having drinks. I say this as a well-seasoned 25-year-old myself. I just got my horizontal license a few months ago because the DMVs were closed for in-person appointments when I turned 21.
One common argument among Gen Z is that this dip has nothing to do with how much Gen Z is actually drinking — it has to do with the price of buying alcohol at a bar. How can a generation experiencing an atrocious job market and struggling to find stable employment feel comfortable spending $20 on one decently made cocktail, 12-pack or a spirit at a liquor store?
This user also makes the argument that most Gen Z-ers don’t have the money to be spending $22 on a cocktail. The comments agreed: “‘drinking less’ & we’re just too young to buy it for ourselves,” one wrote. “It’s true. They wanted $15 for a shot. That’s minimum wage lol.”
In a New York Times article from September called “Is Partying Dead, or Are You Just Old?” writer Savannah Sobrevilla highlighted that the idea of “partying” and going out may be shifting, but there’s an essence to it that’s alive and well — Gen Z-ers she spoke with “bristled against the notion that Gen Z doesn’t party,” according to the article. If you need more convincing, Emily Sundberg of Feed Me, a popular business Substack, predicted that 2026 would be “the year of the party reporter,” highlighting a surge of party-related columns that have recently launched.
“I brought up the topic in a group chat last night, and a friend said ‘People want to be there. They always want to be “there.”‘ For the last few years we’ve been “there” via Instagram Stories, or boring carousels of photos embedded within magazine articles. I’d argue that today, it’s more exciting to have your name written up in a party report on Substack than to be tagged on a BFA landing page,” Sundberg writes.
If there’s anything here I can tell you, it’s fear not: Hope for this generation is not fully lost. For every comment you hear about Gen Z participating in Dry January or alcohol consumption overall, there’s a Gen Z-er in your neighborhood, drink in hand, laughing at how ridiculous that sounds. I can prove it below with several videos that showcase a range of lacking interest in Dry January among Gen Z.
This user says: “I’m not gonna drink unless there’s, like, a holiday, or a birthday, or a fun dinner with my friends, or if it’s a weekend, or it’s like the middle of the week, ‘cause you deserve that. And maybe even the start of the week, ‘cause it’s like, why should the weekend get all the attention?”
Brianna LaPaglia, a popular creator on TikTok, posted this video saying, “Technically it’s December 37th, because I’m still having a blast, but can you do sober…what is it? Dry January? Tomorrow?”
Meredith Hayden, another popular creator on the app, posted a video giving justice to everyone with a January birthday — you’re not being a good friend if you have to completely avoid going out for a birthday celebration. “We’re all adults here. We can practice in moderation,” she says. “If you can’t go out to dinner and have a few cocktails for one night in the month of January to celebrate your friend’s birthday, you might have a problem.” She didn’t stutter!
“No, the best part about doing Dry January is, like, telling everyone about it,” this user says in a video where he acts like people who are doing Dry January. “Oh no, I’m still going to eat, like, fast food every day,” he says. “No, as soon as February starts, I’m going on a full-on bender,” he says later in the video.
“If you’re seeing this video, it’s because the person that sent it to you or reposted it needs you to know that Dry January is straight up not gonna happen this year,” this woman says in a video. “A few reasons to consider this, why we’re not doing Dry January. Number one? Don’t want to.”
All that I have left to say? I don’t care if you do Dry January. Everyone should just do what they feel compelled to do without making it such an ordeal. As for TikTok user @maddy.brocato, I couldn’t agree with you more.
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