Remember that version of you back in high school? The one who maybe wore the wrong jeans, said something embarrassing in the cafeteria, or tried WAY too hard to fit in? Well, good news: that girl grew up — and she’s actually pretty cool now.

No, really. The data backs it up.

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The Poll That’s Got Everyone Talking

A recent survey by YouGov asked Americans how they see themselves on the coolness scale — both now AND back in their high school days. The results? A little surprising, a little funny, and honestly… kind of validating.

Here’s what they found:

• 56% of Americans say they think they’re cool right now
• Only 43% said they were cool back in high school
• 16% of people consider themselves “very cool” today
• 39% said “somewhat cool”
• 24% said “not very cool”
• And a very honest 12% admitted they’re “not at all cool”

So more people feel cool in their adult lives than they ever did as teenagers. Let that sink in for a second.

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What Changed? (Hint: Everything)

Think about it — in high school, “cool” had a very specific, very narrow definition. It usually meant fitting into whoever was popular that week decided was acceptable. And for most of us? That was exhausting.

But now? You’ve got a mortgage, a career, kids with soccer schedules, and a grocery list longer than your arm — and somewhere in the middle of all that real life, you stopped caring what other people think. And that? That’s actually cool.

The survey results seem to reflect exactly that shift. Adults under 45 were the most likely to still embrace being cool — while Gen X and Boomers were more willing to wave the uncool flag proudly. (But shoutout to the 8% of Boomers who are absolutely certain they’re “very cool.” We respect the confidence.)

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Moms, This One’s Especially for You

Here’s the stat that caught our eye: parents of kids under 18 were more likely to rate themselves as “very cool” than adults without kids.

Now, there are two ways to take that:

1. Parenthood genuinely gives you a more grounded, confident sense of self — and confidence is cool.
2. Your kids have you absolutely convinced you’re cool… and you’re being played.

(We’re guessing it’s a little of both, Mrs. Cool Mom.)

But honestly? The fact that you’re still showing up every single day — working, raising humans, keeping the house from falling apart, and still managing to have a personality — that’s a level of coolness high school you could never have pulled off.

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The Coolest Thing? Not Caring About Being Cool

The most fascinating part of the whole survey might be this: when asked how important it is to them to BE cool, most Americans said it doesn’t matter much at all.

• 42% said it’s “not at all important” to them
• 31% said “not very important”
• Only 7% said being cool is “very important” to them

There’s something deeply freeing about that. The people who are actually living their best lives — chasing their own goals, raising their kids with love, finding joy in the stuff that matters to them — aren’t the ones stressing about their coolness score.

And if that’s not the most mature glow-up imaginable, we don’t know what is.

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So, Are YOU Cool?

We want to know where you fall on the spectrum. Do you think you’re cooler now than you were in high school? Or are you rocking the “proudly uncool” badge and loving every second of it?

Drop a comment, shoot us a message, or text us at the station — because honestly, this is the kind of conversation we could have all afternoon on Froggy 102.7.

And hey — whatever your answer is, you’re spending your afternoon with us. That’s pretty cool in our book. 🐸

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Source: YouGov. “Who Americans Think is Cool.” YouGov.com

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