8 things retirees do for fun that Gen Z is weirdly adopting as a lifestyle trend

Retirement used to conjure up images of quiet afternoons, golf courses, and maybe the occasional shuffleboard tournament.

But something strange has happened. Gen Z—the generation raised on TikTok, memes, and constant screen time—has started adopting habits and hobbies that retirees have been doing for decades.

What looks like “old person fun” on the surface is turning into lifestyle trends for young people carving out new ways to live.

Let’s dig into some of the most interesting ones.

1. Eating together

Remember when family dinners were just…normal? Retirees never really let that go. Meals for them are as much about the conversation as the food.

And now, Gen Z is rediscovering the magic of eating socially—whether through potlucks, brunch clubs, or those chaotic Friendsgiving spreads where ten people bring hummus and nobody brings plates.

There’s a reason this feels so good. As noted by Breaking Bread: The Functions of Social Eating, “People who eat socially more often feel happier, more satisfied with life, have more friends they can rely on, and are more connected to their communities”.

I see this all the time in my own life. I’ve spent years chasing efficiency—solo lunches, eating at my desk, skipping meals altogether.

But the times I’ve felt most alive were when I slowed down and shared a meal. Gen Z seems to know this intuitively.

2. Playing games

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” That line from George Bernard Shaw could be the thesis statement for this whole trend.

For retirees, games—card nights, bingo, puzzles—are a lifeline to community and joy. And Gen Z? They’ve taken that same spirit and turned it into Dungeons & Dragons meetups, board game cafés, and digital trivia nights that last way too late.

The psychology is simple. Play lowers stress, sparks creativity, and strengthens bonds. When I was traveling through Japan, I saw older folks in parks playing Go together daily. It struck me that the healthiest communities treat play like a necessity, not an afterthought. Gen Z seems to agree.

3. Journaling

Here’s a curveball: handwriting is back. Retirees have always kept diaries, gratitude journals, or even just notes in spiral notebooks.

And Gen Z—despite living on screens—is obsessed with journaling. Bullet journals, mood trackers, and aesthetic notebooks dominate entire corners of Instagram and TikTok.

This isn’t just about pretty stationery. Research by James Pennebaker & Beall shows that expressive writing improves both emotional and physical health, reducing stress and even the number of doctor visits.

Personally, I didn’t take journaling seriously until my late 30s. Now it’s part of my morning ritual. I write down what’s on my mind before I even touch my phone. And it’s amazing how different the day feels. Gen Z adopting this early? Smart move.

4. Gardening

Retirees have always loved digging in the dirt, growing tomatoes, or tending to flowers. It’s grounding, slow, and deeply rewarding.

What’s funny is that Gen Z—often accused of being glued to screens—has flocked to gardening too.

Urban gardens, balcony plants, hydroponics—it’s everywhere. For many, it’s not just about plants; it’s about taking back control in a chaotic world.

When everything feels digital and temporary, watching something grow day by day offers a kind of therapy you can’t swipe away.

I tried it myself last summer with a few basil plants. Let’s just say my pesto game leveled up, but more than that, it taught me patience.

There’s something about waiting weeks for a sprout that recalibrates your sense of time.

5. Thrifting

What retirees call “going to the secondhand store,” Gen Z calls “curated vintage.” Same thing, different vibe.

For older generations, thrifting was about saving money. For Gen Z, it’s both an aesthetic and an act of rebellion against fast fashion.

They’ll line up outside Goodwill before opening just to snag a denim jacket that smells faintly of the 80s.

This crossover fascinates me because it’s a perfect example of values aligning. Retirees value practicality. Gen Z values sustainability.

Thrifting happens to deliver both. And as someone who’s hunted down vinyl records in dusty thrift bins, I get the thrill. There’s a treasure-hunting energy you can’t fake.

6. Walking clubs

If you’ve ever seen retirees power-walking through a mall at 8 a.m., you know walking isn’t just exercise—it’s community.

Gen Z has taken that template and rebranded it as “hot girl walks,” group hikes, and city walking tours.

The deeper point here is that walking together provides both movement and conversation. It’s exercise without pressure. Socializing without screens.

When I lived in Spain, I noticed how people ended their evenings with a paseo—a casual stroll through town.

It wasn’t about getting steps in. It was about being together. Gen Z seems to be tapping into that same rhythm, even if they’re sharing playlists while doing it.

7. Book clubs

Book clubs were once the domain of retirees with too much time on their hands. Now? They’re trending on TikTok.

Gen Z is devouring physical books again and treating book clubs like social events, not chores.

This makes sense. Reading is a solitary act, but discussing a book turns it into connection. I joined one recently where we read essays on behavioral science, and the conversations often outlasted the snacks.

Here’s where Rudá Iandê’s new book, Laughing in the Face of Chaos, has been showing up in my own circle.

His insights on authenticity over perfection and questioning inherited beliefs hit hard with younger readers.

One line in particular stayed with me: “You have both the right and responsibility to explore and try until you know yourself deeply.”

That’s exactly the energy Gen Z is bringing to their book clubs—treating reading as a way to experiment with identity and values.

8. Crafting

Knitting, crocheting, woodworking—these were classic retiree hobbies. But if you’ve scrolled through TikTok recently, you’ve seen 20-somethings proudly showing off their handmade sweaters, candles, or pottery.

Why the resurgence? Because making something with your hands is an antidote to digital fatigue.

It slows your mind, builds skill, and produces something tangible in a world where most of our “work” disappears into the cloud.

I started dabbling in photography years ago as a creative outlet. What surprised me wasn’t the end product—it was the meditative state of the process itself.

Crafting works the same way. Gen Z adopting it en masse feels less like a trend and more like a survival strategy.

The bottom line

What retirees have known for years—connection, play, creativity, and patience—Gen Z is now adopting as lifestyle choices.

It’s ironic, but maybe not so surprising. In a world that moves at breakneck speed, slowing down and reclaiming these “old” ways of having fun feels radical.

So maybe the generations aren’t as different as we think.

Maybe retirees and Gen Z are just meeting in the middle—choosing joy, community, and meaning, one shared meal or thrift-store find at a time.