In times of uncertainty, Gen Z is “locked in”

TikTokers love a challenge, especially if it involves some sort of self-imposed hibernation period that will transform their lives and pay off in physical or financial success.

Currently, my feed is full of young people participating in “The Great Lock-In,” a three-month challenge that began in September and lasts through the end of the year. The goal is that participants enter January having already completed a set of goals and established certain habits, a jumpstart on “New Year, New Me.”

“Locking in” has become its own aesthetic. Videos under the #thegreatlockin and #lockingin hashtags feature Zoomers in sterile apartments wearing neutral workout clothes. They’re usually fixing healthy meals, walking on treadmills, and making lists in journals, complete with timestamps for each activi