Aurora Culpo Explains Why Being Called a ‘Boomer’ Is Actually a Compliment—Especially for Gen Z

You know how everyone jokes that Gen Z is basically turning into their grandparents? Turns out, it’s not a joke—it’s a lifestyle. Forget the late nights and constant FOMO. These days, staying in with your knitting needles or getting excited about free samples is officially a flex.

On Barely Filtered, host Aurora Culpo sits down with creator Anna Kai to break down all the “boomer” habits that Gen Z has proudly adopted. From slippers and baking to boundaries and bird-watching, the two make a case that acting like your grandma is actually the ultimate Gen Z move.

Grandma hobbies are now cool

If you told someone five years ago that Gen Z would be obsessing over knitting circles and sourdough starters, they’d probably laugh. But here we are, and Culpo is leading the charge without an ounce of embarrassment. “I like to knit. I like to bake. I like to putter around my house in slippers and a robe. Like those are my passions actually,” she admits to Kai. Honestly, she’s speaking for an entire generation. 

Those analog passions aren’t trending for nostalgia—they’re intentional. A Wall Street Journal report shows that people in their 20s and 30s are actively turning away from their phones and toward tactile, screen-free activities to escape digital fatigue.

But as Kai explains, it goes deeper than just unplugging. “There’s actually a scientific reason—you like them because the repetition releases some kind of chemical in your brain that relaxes you and is less anxiety-inducing. So it’s actually very Gen Z of you to like grandma hobbies.” She’s right: Studies show that repetitive crafts like knitting and journaling can trigger a meditative ‘flow state’ that eases stress and sharpens focus. 

Early nights > late nights

Culpo doesn’t sugarcoat it. “For somebody to be like, ‘Let’s go to dinner at 10 o’clock and stay out all night’…I’m not going to lie. Like if you want me to stay out all night and party, I’m going to need to be on some serious drugs because I can’t do that by my own volition. That’s just not in my makeup.” Plenty of people can relate—late nights that once felt exciting now feel like work, and Gen Z isn’t pushing through just to prove they can. They’ve flipped the script and turned “going home early” into a badge of honor.

Meanwhile, boomers have been doing this forever. Early dinners, early bedtimes, and a love for routine have always been their thing. Your grandparents weren’t missing out on life by being in bed by 9 p.m.; they were actually nailing something that sleep experts now preach constantly. Research shows that consistent sleep schedules and prioritizing seven to nine hours of rest can boost everything from immune function to mental clarity. Gen Z just rebranded what boomers dubbed “common sense” as “optimizing my circadian rhythm.”

Tiny joys hit different

Culpo shares a perfect example of boomer joy in action: “My mom just texts me and goes, ‘Trader Joe’s was giving out root beer floats as a little sample. What a magnificent store.’ Literally, that is what boomers do.” That text message is peak boomer energy, complete with the unnecessary punctuation and genuine excitement over a free sample. But here’s the thing—Culpo’s mom is onto something massive. While Gen Z spent years chasing bigger, better, and more Insta-worthy experiences, they’re slowly realizing that small pleasures actually hit harder than grand gestures.

Think about it. When was the last time a fancy dinner actually made you as happy as finding the perfect parking spot or getting an unexpected compliment from a stranger? Psychologists call this “hedonic adaptation,” which basically means we get used to big exciting things pretty quickly, but small unexpected pleasures can genuinely boost our mood for hours.

Gen Z is catching on fast. They’re the generation that gets genuinely excited about a good sunset, celebrates finding a new favorite coffee shop, and posts stories about their houseplants thriving. What looks like basic behavior is actually advanced emotional intelligence. They’ve figured out that waiting for major life events to feel happy is exhausting, but training yourself to notice daily wins is sustainable.

Boundaries and fewer friends

Culpo loves the power of a simple “no” without the guilt trip. She tells Kai, “My friend did that to me the other day. I was like, ‘Please come with me to this party.’ And she wasn’t answering me, and it [had] been a couple of days and I’m like, ‘Stop ignoring my text.’ And she’s like ‘Aurora, I just really don’t want to. I don’t like to meet new people.’ And I’m like, ‘Okay, fine.’” That’s grandma-level honesty, alive and well in Gen Z. Your grandmother never needed an excuse beyond “I don’t feel like it.” Somehow that got lost in translation, and now Gen Z is treating it like a fresh discovery.

The shift is all in the branding. Boomers say “I’m not going” and it reads antisocial. Gen Z says “I’m setting boundaries” and it’s self-care. “We need to normalize ‘I don’t want to’ as an excuse,” Culpo says. Gen Z has realized what grandmas always knew: Fewer friends make for a better life. 

How to channel your inner grandma

Channeling your inner grandma is less about hobbies and more about mindset. It’s about cutting through the noise and doing what actually feels good instead of what looks good. You don’t need a huge explanation to skip something that drains you. “I don’t want to” works just fine. You don’t need a milestone to celebrate, either. A free sample, a perfect avocado, or a night in with people you actually like is enough. That’s the real grandma wisdom: Joy doesn’t come from bigger, louder, or later. It comes from being selective. Selective with your time, with your people, and with what you decide is worth your energy.

Aurora Culpo gets it: “My boyfriend calls me a boomer.” She laughs, but she owns it—and so does Gen Z. Because the smartest move right now isn’t chasing more. It’s learning to love the simple stuff and not apologizing for it.

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