"we don't feel financially secure…"

is what half of 23,000 Gen Zs told Deloitte's survey.

this anxiety isn't just about having enough money. it's about trust, or really, a lack of trust.

when this trust cracks, it runs downhill.

we start by wondering why our bank isn't more helpful, this grows into a lack of trust in the financial system, we realize it wasn't built for us. we question if we're on the right path, are these skills or that education going to matter tomorrow?

then we end up at the big question underneath it all: can we even trust ourselves with money?

when your finances are shaky, everything crumbles

• your ability to focus on classes? —> gone

• your confidence in job interviews? —> tanking

• your mental well-being? —> taking hit after hit

financial anxiety isn't a money problem, it's an everything problem.

it's the invisible hand working against us. it shapes how we study, how we experience college, how we plan our careers, even how we imagine our future.

can you really plan for a career when you can’t plan for rent?

nobody prepared you for this. financial skills aren't taught in class. there was a “financial literacy” video or presentation in your campus welcome email but you never clicked the link.

most of the advice you get is either too basic —> "yo, just budget."

or too much —> "spice up your retirement portfolio with low-cap stocks."

nothing fits your actual reality:

• managing student loans

• part-time gigs

• random income streams

• trying to save something, anything, for an emergency fund

all of this weighs you down while you’re supposed to be building your future. financial literacy is the skill gap holding you back the most.

how do fix this? can we fix this?

the answer is bigger than a blog post, but on a personal level, it starts with a mind shift.

change the way you think about money, then you can learn to manage it.

money is the foundation, not the goal

the survey suggests financial skills and career planning work hand in hand. it also suggests Gen Z isn't overly obsessed with getting rich. Gen Z is after what Deloitte calls the trifecta:

money, meaning, and well-being

you don't see it?

it's hard to build meaningful career skills when you're stressed about buying groceries.

manage your money + fix the stress = find your zen

the data proves it. students with positive mental well-being are 50% more likely to feel their work (internships, summer jobs, career plans) contributes meaningfully to society. when financial anxiety creeps, that sense of purpose disappears.

So here's the 3-part plan for dealing with money stress

#1 - your prep: change your money mindset

don't look at money as your goal, its part of the equation that helps you get to where you want to be. when you start looking at money as part of a bigger plan, it helps to put things in perspective of your greater goals. this makes the many minor sacrifices you may have to make, feel better as you progress towards the things that matter.

#2- your play: sort your finances now, don't wait for…

the foundation you build now, right now, will open up more opportunities. it can allow you to take unpaid internships, negotiate harder on salary, or explore your preferred career path instead of the easy one.

there's no shame in prioritizing financial skills as a student. getting your money sorted isn't shallow, it's strategic.

#3 - the big move: just start

treat financial clarity like a musical instrument. just pick it up and start playing. you don't need to know the theory before you start.

get going with curiosity, the ability to see where your money comes from, and a way to track where your money goes. you'll get better and you'll start to see your actual spending patterns. they're probably different from what you think they are. soon, you'll be able to make informed decisions based on data.

no panic, no guesswork. just facts. clarity.

the big picture is not about perfection. it's about having enough visibility and control to stop money stress from hijacking your focus.

when you see clearly —> you can act intentionally.
when you act intentionally —> you start building real financial security.
when you have the foundation —> you can afford the mental space to focus on what you really want.

your next move?

stop treating financial skills separate from your education and career prep. they're all needed to get you to where you wan to be when you're constantly worried about rent, groceries, or whether you can afford to go out with friends, you can't focus on the important things like networking, skill development, or strategic career moves.

start now. start today.

you're not bad with money

you're just navigating a tough landscape with tools that were designed for other generations.

we don't live in spreadsheets

nobody does. this is why we don't use what's already out there. it's time to find something built for the way you live your life. something that's on your side and can help you build that trust.

clear, easy, and relevant. if you want to get good with money, make it about you.

it's time for Copi.