Belief vs truth: Gen Z isn’t lazy, it’s trailblazing

By Rochelle Palipane Gunaratne

The stereotype is tired. Gen Z is lazy and entitled. They don’t want to work hard, they just want fast success and easy money.  
But history tells us that every generation has faced the same accusations.   
What sets the record straight isn’t data alone, it is the real-life stories of young individuals who redefine resilience and rewrite the rules.   
Just look at Meira Van Dort and her cousin Shanuki Karunanayake, two remarkable young women who are turning challenges into milestones and dreams into action.  
Meira Van Dort: Perseverance, Passion, and the Pursuit of Culinary Excellence
I first heard of Meira when she was in Grade 4, a high achiever and an alumna of Lyceum International School Wattala, she originally wanted to become a lawyer. But her heart had always belonged in the pursuit of culinary arts.  
From a young age, Meira showed an unusual flair for creating gourmet-style meals out of everyday ingredients, a true foodie.   
During the lockdown and economic crisis, her mother encouraged her to start baking. What began as a small venture shared among family and friends quickly grew by word of mouth. Soon, she was running a successful online business known for its Exquisite Baked Goods.  
Currently pursuing her degree at the prestigious William Angliss Institute, Meira aspires to open her own fine dining restaurant by the age of 25. Along the way, she’s worked with top hospitality establishments like JAIC Hilton and The Kingsbury, gaining hands-on experience and discovering that while many women gravitate toward pastry arts, the broader culinary world remains largely male-dominated.   
But Meira is undeterred, she’s determined to carve her own space at the top.  
Her journey is not just about food. It’s about grit, growth, and vision. Her bakes, now available via https://www.instagram.com/bakesbymeira, are a sweet prelude to an even sweeter future.  
Shanuki: From Tragedy to Triumph
Meira introduced me to her cousin, Shanuki, a 25-year-old bursting with creativity, soul, and entrepreneurial spirit. Also, an alumna of Lyceum International School Wattala, Shanuki is building a wellness brand called Rooted, a name that speaks of heritage, healing, and staying grounded.   
The cousins come from a vibrant family, known for turning Christmas gatherings into lively productions, dressing in old school concert costumes and singing carols for their close-knit audience of loved ones.  
But Shanuki’s path hasn’t been easy.  After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Business Administration at ANC, she flew to the UK to pursue her Master’s in Entrepreneurship.   
While studying abroad, she began researching on natural, plant-based skincare, fuelled by her personal battles with skin sensitivity and a love for organic solutions and sustainable practices.   
She launched her first venture, Shop Soapy, creating handmade soaps after months of trial and error, balancing studies, a part-time job, and her growing passion.
But life took a sharp, unexpected turn in 2021. An awful car accident in Colombo nearly claimed her life. When the vehicle she was in collided with such force. Though she had no visible injuries but unconscious at the time, where her quick-thinking friend insisted, she be taken to hospital, a CT scan revealed three internal brain haemorrhages.  
Shanuki underwent emergency surgery and was placed on life support, in a coma for several days.   
When she regained consciousness, doctors didn’t know whether she would walk again, or live independently.   
But against the odds, Shanuki began the long, gruelling journey of recovery.  
Today, her fire burns brighter than ever. While still healing physically, she is mentally sharper, spiritually grounded, and passionately focused on building Rooted https://www.instagram.com/rooted.bathco -a wellness brand that honours natural ingredients and promotes holistic self-care. Her journey from trauma to tenacity is nothing short of inspiring.  
ROOTED mission is to go beyond natural skincare. We aim to revive the power of nature’s remedies and its benefits to your skin while giving back to the communities and causes that need it most, from supporting children’s education to funding shelters and organizations that care for stray and abandoned animals.   
ROOTED is built to stand for something bigger.   
Rewriting the Script on Gen Z
Far from being entitled or lazy, young women like Meira and Shanuki are living proof that Gen Z is creative, capable, and courageous.   
They are dreamers, but also doers.   
Entrepreneurs with soul. Survivors with stories. They are not waiting for opportunities; they are crafting them from grit, passion, and purpose.  
If that’s not motivation, what is?