I'm a similar age group / community and this sort of perspective is not at all uncommon, and it's legit. There is no "performative wokeness" going on in my experience.
On the flip side I'm still roughly in that age group (first half of my 20s) and I absolutely did engage in performative wokeness at that age and continue to do so today. Not to the degree of interviewing with the NYT, but I definitely voice support in view if my peers and co-workers for social issues I don't really care about. Maybe people do believe in the trending issues, plenty are just playing along because failure to do so results in loss of status and respect.
With respect to the original comment, though, I agree that 20 year olds are mature enough make their views public. Sure their views may change, but that's life. It doesn't mean they should refrain from sharing their views.
I agree it's a legit perspective and I know it's not uncommon. That's not my point. My point is that the students quoted likely do not grasp the potential future consequences of their name being in the newspaper this way.
Prospective employer Googles your name, sees that you recently trashed their company (or strategic partner, or largest client), and decides to take a pass.
I think their comments will come across as arrogant and entitled to potential employers and/or colleagues who google them in the future. I think the kids are probably not that way, they're just really earnest, but the reporter did them a disservice by putting their juicy hot college sophomore takes into the ether for all of eternity.
With respect to the original comment, though, I agree that 20 year olds are mature enough make their views public. Sure their views may change, but that's life. It doesn't mean they should refrain from sharing their views.