“Everything is awkward.”

When we at Springtide surveyed more than 1,000 13-year-olds earlier this year, this is how many of them defined that pivotal year from childhood to adolescence. New schools, changing bodies, different moods from day to day (or hour to hour!) — 13-year-olds deeply feel this time of transition. If you’ve spent any time with middle school youth, you’ve probably witnessed it firsthand.

Some aspects of teenage life remain constant, whether you were born 20 years ago or 60 years ago. Yet, today’s 13-year-olds may argue that being this age at this time is different than ever before — and as the eldest of Generation Alpha, they might be right.

Springtide studies young people 13 to 25, and as these Elder Alphas came on our radar, we wanted to understand what they thought about their identity, their religious and spiritual lives, the media and technology use, their political beliefs, and their experiences during COVID-19. So we asked them directly. Their responses became one of our newest reports, Thirteen: A First Look at Gen Alpha.

While the 13-year-olds we surveyed are members of Gen Alpha, their responses don’t necessarily represent the generation’s current position or future trajectory. More research will be needed to understand if these insights represent the moment or provide a glimpse into the hallmarks of a generation. Yet, what this report does offer is a snapshot of a very important time in a young person’s life. If you work with 13-year-olds in your ministry, a sneak peek into their internal worlds could support stronger relationships with them.

Here are a few key insights:

Their most important identifier is being 13.

Given a list of options including gender, race, family status, and more, 13-year-olds most commonly choose age-group as the identity most important to them.

Race and ethnicity matters.

This aspect of identity feels especially important to Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) 13-year-olds’, a third of whom say they have felt discriminated against because of their race or ethnicity. BIPOC 13-year-olds are more likely to feel that their race or ethnicity will worsen their opportunities in life, while white teens are more likely to feel that their racial identity will improve them.

Friendships feel central.

Many 13-year-olds say their closest friends include someone of a different racial identity, and that their friendships feel supportive and rewarding. When asked about why they’re on social media, most say “because my friends use it.”

Loneliness, worry, and anxiety happen.

Though far from dominating life, feelings of loneliness crop up at least sometimes over a four-week period for four in ten 13-year-olds. Half feel worried or anxious at least sometimes during the same period.

Religion and spirituality are a common part of life – and they care about it.

Large majorities of 13-year-olds identify as at least slightly spiritual, slightly religious, or both. Most live in homes where religion and spirituality come up in conversation at least sometimes. Teens who believe in a higher power and who see religion as personally important are less likely to report feeling unhappy or lonely over the past month.

One powerful insight we learned from this research is that 13-year-olds value their families, friends, and the trusted adults around them. This aligns with our prior research that underscores the power of having meaningful relationships with adults, whether you’re supporting their mental health, helping to develop their purpose, or guiding them in their religious and spiritual development. As a person in youth ministry, you are uniquely positioned to help young people grow, accompanying them as they navigate that awkward transition to teenage years or move into young adulthood. Creating and sustaining connections with those you serve now can help shape their paths – spiritual and otherwise- for a lifetime.

To read Thirteen: A First Look at Gen Alpha, download it for free.

To learn more about Springtide and our work, check out our research.