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Many Gen Zers see an unscheduled call as a demand for their immediate, undivided attention.

A quarter of young adults say they never answer phone calls, and most prefer texting.

Match the medium to the message: Text for quick logistics, call to catch up or talk through feelings.

Calling is still how many older adults connect, so Gen Z can show care by calling back.

If I had my way, nobody would call me on my birthday.

Every year, the calls start in the morning and keep coming well into the evening. Each call sounds like some version of this: “Happy birthday! How does it feel to be a year older? What are you doing to celebrate?”

I give the same answers, make some small talk, and go through an awkward goodbye. By the end of the day, I’ve spent more time on the phone than on what I had actually planned.

A “happy birthday” text would be great. So would a card or an email. I’d read each one and probably respond with something more thoughtful than I can manage on an unscheduled phone call.

And yes, I know how this sounds. Rude, ungrateful, obnoxious. These are people who love me and want to help me celebrate, which is why I do pick up the phone on my birthday, unless I’m in the middle of something.

It’s not just on my birthday, though, that I don’t want to answer the phone. And I’m not alone in that. A 2024 Uswitch survey found that a quarter of........

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