Some Gen Zers are nostalgic for an era of clubbing they didn’t get to experience

In recent weeks, several TikTok creators have created viral videos expressing that the nightlife in 2023 is not meeting their expectations—a sentiment that has resonated with millions of viewers. Many older members of the age cohort, born between 1996 and 2012, were raised on party-forward pop music and shows like "Jersey Shore," where clubbing was depicted as a way of life. As they enter adulthood in a post-pandemic, increasingly digital era, some find their nightlife experiences underwhelming.

Zoomers online are discussing whether clubbing is in its flop era

“I feel ripped off to a certain extent,” voiced one Gen Z TikToker in a video that has received 2.8 million views since it was posted earlier this month. “Every song that came out when I was in elementary school and middle school was about getting crunk in the club.”

The viral discourse surrounding party culture comes amid what experts have described as a loneliness epidemic, especially among young people. A recent Meta-Gallup survey found that 27% of people ages 19 to 29 felt lonely. Members of Gen Z, the first generation to grow up with social media, learned to use the internet as a way to socialize. But while online platforms have allowed young people to connect with others, some find it difficult to translate those social skills offline.

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“We’re using our phones as crutches to feel more comfortable,” said Tiff Baira, 26, a New York-based content creator who posts videos about dating and nightlife. “People are so afraid of being alone or feeling like they don’t have people around them that they look down at their phone rather than being vulnerable and potentially making a connection with someone.”

Many Zoomers feel like they aren’t socializing enough or taking advantage of being in their 20s. That fear of missing out (FOMO) has “come back with a vengeance” post-pandemic and hasn’t gone away, according to Brock Colyar, who writes New York Magazine’s nightlife newsletter.

“Nightlife is just constantly about romanticizing some bygone era that you weren’t a part of,” said Colyar, 25. “People are just constantly thinking that what is past is better than what’s happening now.”

But some experts say there are actually more nightlife options for the current crop of 20-somethings than before. Gen Z drinks less than their millennial counterparts, for example, and “sober-curious” Zoomers have more places to go, said Baira. And just like other aspects of contemporary culture, nightlife has become more diverse and now caters to a wider variety of tastes. So while the big clubs of the early aughts have fallen out of fashion, Colyar said, people have been flocking to techno and house music clubs, as well as bars, house parties and dinner pop-ups.

Zoomers have a wider selection of nightlife experiences, but many have less disposable income to spend, said Michael Kill, CEO of the U.K.-based Night Time Industries Association, a nightlife advocacy group. As a result, many young people are more selective about their nightlife and socialize in other, more cost-effective ways, like apartment gatherings, local bars and online connection.

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“It could be a DJ or an event, it could be the feel of it, it could be the social environment, it could be the fact that they serve a particular drink,” Kill said. “What’s happened with Gen Z in particular is they are more refined in terms of their choices.”

Successful nightlife depends on curation, according to Victor P. Corona, a sociologist and visiting professor at Pitzer College. Young people have always wanted unique experiences that feel special. A venue with an excessive cover fee, an unwelcoming door person or a boring crowd can be a turnoff.

“The holy grail of nightlife is a truly mixed party — you can’t have just one kind of person there,” Corona said. “You need older, younger. You need queer, straight, you know, every kind of identity there to make for a truly fun party that will recur week after week.”

The nightlife experience also varies by region. While New York City is known for its array of bars and clubs, it is also relatively compact, making it easier to relocate if a venue isn’t fun. In Los Angeles, the closing time is earlier and the city is more sprawling, which can make it more difficult to hop around.

Experts and creators who spoke with NBC News said people will get the most out of nightlife by setting an intention when going out and finding like-minded partygoers to club with.

For Los Angeles-based TikTok creator Yasmine Sahid, that means putting her phone away more during nights out. Sahid, who has 2.2 million followers, made a viral sketch in which she joked about how the club is not what she expected based on 2000s music and media. She said that she feels like people’s urge to film the club has hurt the experience.

“Who are you going out for?” Sahid said. “How are you having fun when you’re constantly worried about making a story or telling people where you are?”

Filming can also make other partygoers uneasy, impeding their ability to let loose in the club, said Corona, the sociologist.

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TikTok creator and DJ Griffin Maxwell Brooks, 22, believes nightlife is actually “bigger than it used to be.” The self-described “club kid” said there are more options now, and not every spot is “meant to cultivate fun for everybody.”

“I think there’s disappointment in this because people are just kind of going out to go out,” said Brooks, who is based in New York City. “And when there’s so many options, it’s really easy to have a not very fun night if you’re not really putting a lot of thought about where you’re going.”

Gen Zers exploring the nightlife scene should be prepared for a lot of trial and error.

“You’re never going to be able to navigate nightlife fully and know everything because it’s always ever-changing,” Baira said. “But don’t let one bad night stop you from all the beauty that’s out there.”