There’s a viral theory on TikTok and Instagram right now that “young folks” cook everything on high. I’ve seen creators—mostly Gen Z—talk about how they throw every meal on the highest heat possible because they “have things to do” and want dinner ready in 20 minutes or less. Then someone else chimed in: “Young folks always do one big load of laundry. They wait too long, don’t separate colors, and then throw everything in the wash like it’s a race against time.” Naturally, the trend spiraled into a series of very funny jokes and critiques about what it means to grow up in a generation that’s tired, busy, and maybe just a little too fast-paced to care about traditional domestic expectations.

As a millennial and proud ‘90s baby with two younger Gen Z siblings, I’ve been thoroughly entertained by this discourse. But I also see the throughline: a genuine dissonance between romanticized home routines and the reality of modern life. Like, for example, I’m a working mom with a toddler. So you know I know how it feels to want your house to be Pinterest-worthy, and kid-friendly—while also trying to stay sane, meet deadlines, and raise a kid as a first-time mom. I have to admit: I am not even beating all of the young folks’ allegations. I’m really not.

A Few of the Young ‘Folks’ Allegations

Young Folks Cook Everything on High

Yes, cooking on high heat is a bit chaotic—but to play devil’s advocate, it could also be a symptom of rushed schedules, TikTok recipes, and the need to have dinner ready as fast as possible. Is it a lack of patience, or a sign of burnout bleeding into the kitchen?

Young Folks Do One Big Load of Laundry

On laundry day, the act of separating lights, darks, and delicates is being replaced by one mega-load and the hope for the best. It’s not about laziness—one could argue that it’s about access (hello, apartment laundry rooms), lack of time, and changing values around perfection.

Young Folks Never Make Their Bed

Once considered a staple of “being grown,” the neatly made up bed now feels optional to a lot of folks and I get it. Is it a sign of disarray, or a rejection of performative adulthood?

I’m not even going to lie, sometimes my loads of laundry are bigger than they should be. My toddler eats the same three meals in rotation most weeks because I get decision fatigue with meal planning. I have absolutely been in a rush, put the skillet on high, and then wondered why my garlic turned to ash. Domestic perfection is a moving target, and I think this trend—funny as it truly is—reveals something deeper about the impossibility of traditional domestic ideals in modern adulthood.

Everyone is trying to make homes in the middle of burnout, housing insecurity, rising food prices, and never-ending hustle culture. Sometimes that means skipping steps. Sometimes that means redefining what “home-trained” even looks like. We grew up watching meticulous homemakers on TV—Aunt Viv, Claire Huxtable, even Martha Stewart—but now we’re trying to replicate those vibes without the help, the time, or the same economic stability.

But there’s power in naming it. Whether you’re cooking on high or doing chaotic laundry loads, it doesn’t mean you’re failing at adulthood—it means you’re adapting. Maybe what we need isn’t more judgment, but more dialogue about the pressures we’re all under and the ways we’re reimagining what it means to care for ourselves and our spaces.

So yes, I may be guilty of a few “young folks” tendencies. But I’m also making a home in my own way. And that, I think, is worth celebrating too.