Have you ever had a thought about how we, the youth of today, will survive in the next ten years with the current economy? Every day on the news, there are statistics about unemployment, affordability, inflation and job insecurity. While we might dismiss the concern with the hope of “it will get better,” the concern remains unanswered. Our doubts and fear is buried beneath the stress of achieving below our standards. The struggle to uphold our academic and career-related skill set becomes the only goal as we work our way into the reality of adulting. In this article, we will address the concerns that are often times dismissed or suppressed, yet hold a bitter truth about the future.
The Feeling:
Oftentimes, the thought of the future is discouraging, especially when we have high expectations of ourselves. Throughout high school, many of us are working on building our resumes and gaining skills that will help us excel in our careers. Ambition, commitment, passion and anticipation are all the wonderful things that drive youth towards doing well in school and extracurriculars. We have been told by social media, older generations, and the school systems that doing well in school will pave the path for financial freedom and comfort.
While this perspective isn’t wrong, it does not encompass the entire picture of reality.
All of a sudden, when we open the news channel and overhear young adults talking about the ridiculous increase in the cost of living, we feel betrayed. Betrayed by the system, manipulated by our own expectations and hopeless for the future. This is the exact moment we think to ourselves, “Is it really worth the hassle?”
You Are Not Alone:
If you could relate to the slightest bit of this feeling, you are a part of the ” 80% of Canadian youth are overwhelmed by stress” (quoted by Mental Health Research Canada (MHRC) in November 2025).
Oftentimes, we convince ourselves that we need more qualifications to dodge unemployment and affordability. However, whether or not you get a job in the current economy isn’t solely dependent on qualification, but rather it is a combination of many other factors. For example, landing a job in your dream company isn’t only about having a degree, but it involves your interview skills, executive presence, job availability, soft skills, and future scope of the position (will it be replaced by AI?).
At this point, the most important thing to understand is that it is not impossible to get a job; however, the global economic situation does create barriers for the young working population.
So What Should We Do:
Many of the current solutions offered are to work harder and adapt; however, that is NOT the advice we need. Working harder doesn’t change economic uncertainty. As youth, we already face pressure from school, extracurriculars, and our personal lives, which consistently result in mental health issues across the global youth population. Instead of creating more pressure by focusing on the unpredictability of the future, we need to redefine our mindset.
Awareness is more effective than pessimism. Losing hope and quitting because of the situations does not benefit anyone; however, being able to address such discrepancies in society is the only way we can move towards a resolution.
We cannot control our future. While this may sound philosophical, the future is unpredictable regardless of how we shape our present. This means we should focus on what we can control and strive towards a goal to the best of our abilities. Identifying the distinction between devising and controlling can eliminate self-blame and negativity.
At last, while the answer to economic uncertainty might seem vague or blurred, we must understand that the issue is multifaceted. As we try to understand the future of the global economy and what that means for the youth of today, we will be able address the issue with more focus. Above all, we need to remember that the issue isn’t individual but rather systemic; therefore, this issue does not define our worth and capabilities.
Sources: