“My Economy” tells the story of the new economic normal through the eyes of people trying to make it, because we know the only numbers that really matter are the ones in your economy.

Members of Gen Z have been graduating college for a couple years now, but this year, it’s even more dramatic — most new grads were born in or after the year 2000. In true digital-native fashion, entering the workforce for the first time means finding guidance on the job search and salary transparency in the form of TikTok videos. 

“I don’t think I ever had a professor or a mentor or club or anyone really talk about numbers very much,” says Zoe Bennett, a recent graduate of the University of Alabama. “So there’s only so many places that people talk about that, and I guess TikTok’s one of them, for better or worse.”

Bennett, who is originally from Portland, Oregon, will be starting work as an environmental engineer at International Paper in Rome, Georgia. She’s hoping to find stability in her new life post-graduation. 

“It sounds dramatic, but there is something about going to work every day, going home, and doing it all again that’s intimidating,” she says. “I’m hoping that I have a balanced life.”

To listen to more of Bennett’s story, use the media player above.