Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (2023)

Growing up in the late '80s and '90s was much different than it is today. There was no social media to update your friends on, and if you wanted to be in touch with anyone outside of school, you might have to actually go see them. If a young person was lucky enough to have a cell phone to use, they had to make sure that they didn't send too many texts, otherwise their parents might have to pay them off on their next phone bill.

And technology isn't the only thing that has changed in the past few decades. Young people today don't remember a time when people used maps and encyclopedias to get all of their information. When Reddit user u/Bagolyvagymi asked the question, "What's something that newer generations will never understand?" answers flooded in from "elder Millennials" who remember the good old days of sitcoms, passing notes in school and playing the newest NES games.

Texts Used to Cost 10 Cents

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (1)

"When free minutes started at 9pm and text messages cost 10¢ each way. So even if you didn’t text your friends back your parents would get mad b/c they still had to pay for it"

Story credit: Reddit / taishosecret

Your Music Was Limited to Your iPod Library

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (2)

"Having a limited amount of music with you when traveling. Even with MP3 players if you didn’t have the song on it you weren’t going to listen to it until you could connect to a computer. It’s wild having gone from CDs to MP3 players to Streaming. Zune was best 1v1 me on rust about it."

Story credit: Reddit / gaybatman75-6

You Couldn't Wait For Reruns

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (3)

"missing an episode of a show meant MISSING IT FOREVER. There's still an episode of "Battlestar Galactica" I never saw. I could go back and watch it now, but 10 year old me hurt like a gunshot wound for a long time after missing that thing."

Story credit: Reddit / The_Patriot

TV Guide Was a Much-Needed Resource

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (4)

"Not being able to watch whatever you wanted whenever you wanted. We actually had to look up the shows schedule in a TV guide and be available when it came on."

Story credit: Reddit / togotfury1983

Be Kind, Rewind

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (5)

"Having to rewind the tape before returning it to the video store or else incurring a fee."

Story credit: Reddit / slapsmcgee23

Three-Ring Binders Were Full of Entertainment

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (6)

"Having a three-ring binder of CDs for road trips."

Story credit: Reddit / DarthTrafford

Play Time Was Special

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (7)

“Can so-and-so come out to play?”

Story credit: Reddit / mewmewx2

(Video) Dear Grown-ups... Sincerely, Gen Z | Kimber Lybbert | TEDxSpokane

Parents Trusted Their Kids

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (8)

"Parents not knowing where their kids are and trusting them not to get into trouble."

Story credit: Reddit / malamalinka

No Caller ID

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (9)

"Hows about not knowing who was calling... was it your crush? your grandma? a telemarketer??? It's like a game show every time the phone rings"

Story credit: Reddit / andthrewaway1

Maps Were Our GPS

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (10)

"How we got around without GPS navigation."

Story credit: Reddit / Convincing_Potato

Card Catalogues Are a Thing of the Past

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (11)

"How to use the card catalog in the library — the ones with the cards in the drawers."

Story credit: Reddit / pixel_ate_it

There Used to Be More Planets

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (12)

"That there used to be nine planets in the solar system."

Story credit: Reddit / Lilylivered_Flashman

Every Household Had a Set

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (13)

"A thing called encyclopedias"

Story credit: Reddit / safeword-is-harder

Spare Change Was Everywhere

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (14)

"Checking the pay phone change return for any forgotten coins."

Story credit: Reddit / FaberGrad

The Sears Catalogue Was a Treasure Trove

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (15)

"Circling pictures of toys in the Sears catalog as a Christmas list. My brother and my cousin would do this every year at my grandma's house. We also put our initials so our parents knew who wanted what toy."

Story credit: Reddit / fabes_ohoulihan

(Video) Gen Z and the end of our Humanity | Isabella Muri | TEDxASL

Calling Someone Was an Experience

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (16)

"Why we say "hang up" the phone"

Story credit: Reddit / RynoLasVegas

Boredom Wasn't a Crime

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (17)

"Maybe not universal. But how to entertain yourself with your mind and nothing else.

I've noticed something about my friends/people i know in parenting culture where it's now a crime for a child to be bored. When I was a kid my parents laughed and told me to go away when I said I was bored."

Story credit: Reddit / fourteendogs

Cassette Deaths Were Tragic

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (18)

"The frustration of cassette tapes getting mangled."

Story credit: Reddit / BornToHulaToro

Software Installation Processes Required So Many Discs

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (19)

"Insert Disk #3 and press Return to continue..."

Story credit: Reddit / everythingisajokeok

Phones Came With One Game

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (20)

"The glory of playing and enjoying snake on a brick phone."

Story credit: Reddit / FlappyDeFlapJack

The Perfectly-Timed Snack Break

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (21)

"Having to properly time getting a drink and snack before the ad break on TV finished. I still sweat thinking about it."

Story credit: Reddit / heyitssunny_

You Could Really Get Lost

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (22)

"Getting lost in your car and just having to figure it out"

Story credit: Reddit / doot_doot

Synchronizing Your Watch

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (23)

"'Let’s all meet back here at 6:00.' *Looks at watch.* 'I’ve got 4:35. What time do you have?'"

(Video) This Is Why You Don't Succeed - Simon Sinek on The Millennial Generation

Story credit: Reddit / mr_funnypuns

No One Had All the Answers

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (24)

"The difficulty of not being able to instantly find the answer to questions."

Story credit: Reddit / McDunky

Putting the Window Down Took Effort

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (25)

"Cranking the rear window in a car by hand"

Story credit: Reddit / TorontoMaples

Everyone Had Dial-Up

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (26)

"Having to say BRB to all your friends on MSN because your mom wanted to make a call, and then having to disconnect from the internet and dial back up when she was done."

Story credit: Reddit / emzyyx

Binge-Watching Was Out of the Question

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (27)

"Not being able to binge a show unless you literally recorded a bunch of episodes from TV onto a bunch of VHS tapes."

Story credit: Reddit / TheRealOcsiban

You Had to Commit to Your Plans

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (28)

"Making plans to meet friends and having to commit because you didn't have mobile phones to ask where they were, how far, and if they were still coming."

Story credit: Reddit / GiantMonkeyBall

MySpace Was the First Social Media Site

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (29)

"How great Myspace was. It was a million times better than Facebook. You could choose top friends, music, cursors, backgrounds, and images. It was awesome until everyone transitioned over to FB."

Story credit: Reddit / mdsoccerx9

Arcades Were Everywhere

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (30)

"Going to the arcade and playing games like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat. This is my childhood."

Story credit: Reddit / Ujou_Danjin_Ken

No One Put Your Failures On the Internet

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (31)

"Being able to be an idiot in your formative years and not worry about it being filmed and/or put on the internet forever"

(Video) 10 Things Gen Z Missed Out On That Millennials Enjoyed

Story credit: Reddit / DenzelEd12

There Was Hope For the Future

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (32)

"There was a time when we felt the world was getting better, not worse."

Story credit: Reddit / MrEngin33r

Hanging Up the Phone Was Fun

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (33)

"Slamming down the receiver on a landline telephone. Pushing the red button is not nearly as satisfying."

Story credit: Reddit / iamwalldoh

You Had to Get Your Photos Developed

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (34)

"Taking pictures and then waiting for them to be developed to see if they turned out okay."

Story credit: Reddit / Cautious_Emotion9839

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (35)

"Saturday morning cartoons. I miss sitting in front of the TV and eating a bowl of cereal while Tale Spin, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or whatever Saturday morning cartoon series played. Then getting on my bike once they ended around 10 a.m. and riding over to my friend's house to play till sunset."

Story credit: Reddit / asportate

You Could Be "Off the Grid"

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (36)

"The beauty of being unreachable."

Story credit: Reddit / exioce

Buying Albums For One Song

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (37)

"Having to buy the entire album to get one song you liked, or else wait for it to come on the radio and record it. Missing any part of the song was unacceptable, and you had to wait until it was played again."

Story credit: Reddit / hanginonwith2fingers

MTV Actually Played Music

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (38)

"MTV played music videos, had music discussion shows, and had news about music 24 hours a day at one point."

Story credit: Reddit / senorchaos718

You Couldn't Keep in Touch

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (39)

"Meeting up with a friend at the movies and having no way to communicate once you’ve left the house. Your friend doesn’t show. Is he coming? Should I continue to wait and stand at the precise spot we agreed on? Has he died? Did he forget? I’ll call home using a pay phone and hope my mom is there to tell me whether he left a message on the answering machine."

(Video) The Secret To Growing Cucumbers That NEVER Bitter

Story credit: Reddit / chihuahua-mama

"Get Home Before the Street Lights Come On"

Millennials Shared the Best Parts of Growing Up That Gen Z Will Miss Out On (40)

"The street lamps means it’s time to go home."

Story credit: Reddit / These-State-6555

FAQs

What is the difference between Gen Z and millennials? ›

Generation Z was born between 1995 and 2012, whereas Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996. In 2019 the oldest Millennials turned 40, which means that they have been part of adult life for a while.

What are Gen Z known for? ›

Gen Zers are known for working, shopping, dating, and making friends online; in Asia, Gen Zers spend six or more hours per day on their phones. Digital natives often turn to the internet when looking for any kind of information, including news and reviews prior to making a purchase.

What are the problems with Gen Z? ›

In the short term, Gen Z's stress is leading to ambivalence and withdrawal in their professional lives. According to 2022 data from Gallup, they are the most disengaged group at work. They also report more overall stress and work-related burnout than other cohorts.

Is Gen Z a Millennial? ›

Millennials are anyone born from 1981 to 1996. Generation Z is anyone born from 1997 to 2012.

What makes Gen Z different from other generations? ›

Generation Z considers itself more accepting and open-minded than any generation before it. Almost half of Gen Zs are minorities, compared to 22% of Baby Boomers, and the majority of Gen Z supports social movements such as Black Lives Matter, transgender rights, and climate change.

What is the most important thing to Gen Z? ›

They are pragmatic and value direct communication, authenticity and relevance. They also value self-care. They may be more likely than older people were when they were the age of the Gen Zers to question rules and authority because they are so used to finding what they need on their own.

What do Gen Z value the most? ›

Authenticity is the most important value for Gen Z — even beyond future plans and being rich.

What is the mentality of Gen Z? ›

Gen-Z cares about following their passions, caring for the earth and demanding social and environmental justice from high-level decision-makers. As a result, they're more vocal, values-driven and individualized than generations that came before them.

What is the top three problems of Millennials today? ›

What are the most common challenges among millennials?
  • Cancel Culture. ...
  • College Debt. ...
  • Aging Parents. ...
  • Discrimination. ...
  • Substance/ Alcohol/ Sex Addiction. ...
  • Violence/ Bullying. ...
  • Less Human Interaction. ...
  • Mental Health Issues.
Apr 29, 2022

What is the attitude of Millennials? ›

Issues that matter to Millennials

Millennials as a whole also demonstrate more optimism about the future than the other generations. They are more passionate than the older generations, with 27.2% falling into the Passionate group compared to 14.2% of Baby Boomers and 18% of Generation X.

What do Millennials care about? ›

What do Millennials value most? Millennials value experiences, personalization, authenticity, and transparency. They appreciate companies that are socially and environmentally conscious, and also value flexibility, communication, and collaboration.

What is Gen Z called now? ›

In the 2023 book Generation Alpha by Mark McCrindle, who is generally credited with coining the term, Generation Alpha is defined as "covering those born between 2010 and 2024". Definitions of Generation Z should be taken into account, however.

How long will Gen Z live? ›

The average life expectancy of baby boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z are different. Compared to the 70-year life expectancy of baby boomers and the 85-year life expectancy of Gen X, Gen Z is predicted to have a life expectancy of over 100 years.

How old is Gen Z supposed to be? ›

Researchers and popular media loosely use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years for defining Generation Z. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Generation Z as "the generation of people born in the late 1990s and early 2000s."

What is the cut off for millennials? ›

If you were born between 1981 and 1996, you are a millennial. Anyone born after that is in a different generation.

What makes Millennials different? ›

Flexibility and Multitasking. As already mentioned, the Millennial Generation is able to accept different cultures. Hence, flexibility means that Millennials are able to work with new people, places, and situations. Although they do not expect to change, they are ready to accommodate to new things and people.

How Millennials are compared to Gen Z in the workplace? ›

Differences in Gen Z employees and millennial employees

Millennials prefer job flexibility while Gen Zers prefer job stability. Gen Z is more entrepreneurial. Millennials value work-life balance whereas Gen Zers value salary and career advancement.

What defines Millennials? ›

The millennial generation is defined as anyone born between 1981 and 1996, which means anyone between the ages of 24 and 39 in 2020. This age range, like other generational cohorts, is chosen for statistical analysis of certain trends rather than being a strict identifier.

What are 3 things about Gen Z? ›

Characteristics of Generation Z
  • They're money-driven and ambitious.
  • They love to travel.
  • They're prone to anxiety.
  • They're known to set boundaries.
  • They're avid gamers.
  • They're nostalgic.
  • They use social media in a unique way.
Feb 15, 2023

What does Gen Z want to achieve? ›

Accountability on the environment, sustainability, and social responsibility. Gen Zers are passionate about making a difference, and want to work somewhere they feel has a broader mission and purpose that aligns with their own values. They don't want to make money just to make money—they want to make an impact.

What do Millennials value most? ›

Characteristics of the millennial generation
  1. Values meaningful motivation. ...
  2. Challenges hierarchical status quo. ...
  3. Places importance on relationships with superiors. ...
  4. Intuitive knowledge of technology. ...
  5. Open and adaptive to change. ...
  6. Places importance on tasks rather than time. ...
  7. Passion for learning.
Aug 8, 2022

What are the core needs of Gen Z? ›

Gen Z cares about the collective good and well-being. But they also care about everyone having the chance to be who they are in their lives. In other words, freedom of expression is vital to Gen Z. They want to support people and groups that are real (i.e. authentic).

What are the top 3 things Gen Z spend their money on? ›

Generation Z spends an outsized portion of their income on eating out, mobile devices, transportation and housing.

What is Gen Z obsessed with? ›

As digital natives, Gen Zers love TikTok. Among other social media platforms, like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, TikTok stands out. Not only is the app Gen Z-dominated, with 43% of global users aged 18-24, but young consumers also prefer TikTok to such an extent that it's begun to rival Google as a search engine.

What is Generation Z lifestyle? ›

You'll find that they are quite different from the previous generations. Gen Z prioritises positive relationships, work-life balance, schedule flexibility, and job stability. 90% of them want human interaction at work and direct communication from their co-workers.

What is the common stereotype of millennials? ›

Millennials, the generation that includes those born between 1980 and 2003, are commonly described as lazy, poorly prepared and without aspirations.

What are the four factors affecting millennials? ›

In his remarks, Sinek focuses on four areas: parenting, technology, impatience, and environment. Examining these prime characteristics, Sinek says, can help companies successfully hire and manage millennials.

What is the issue in millennials? ›

Inflation is the top problem Gen Z and Millennials name as the biggest they are facing today. Over-dependence and addiction to technology ranked second as the top problem among young people for the first time. However, racism and COVID-19 are still top concerns for these gens.

What are the 7 basic traits of millennials? ›

Strauss and Howe ascribe seven basic traits to the millennial cohort: special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving.

What are the 5 characteristics of millennials? ›

Like every other generation, Millennials display generalized and unique traits that make them different from their predecessors.
  • Millennials are technologically savvy. ...
  • Millennials are civic-oriented. ...
  • Millennials are conscious. ...
  • Millennials are global citizens. ...
  • Millennials are entrepreneurial. ...
  • Millennials are flexible.

What were millennials most important life goals? ›

It's so stressful, in fact, that a survey of 1,000 Millennials conducted by YPulse showed that Millennials' number one life goal is not to get into a fulfilling relationship, build the career of their dreams, or start a family. No. Millennials' top life goal is ... to be debt-free.

Why do millennials quit so easily? ›

The business cites that so many millennials want to leave their current employer due to a lack of engagement tactics and attraction and retention strategies. It's safe to say that based on these findings, millennials aren't interested in remaining with companies that don't tend to their need to feel engaged at work.

Will Gen Z live with their parents? ›

A separate study found that nearly 30% of adult Gen Zers are still living at home with their parents, held back from moving out on their own by the rising cost of living.

Will Gen Z be able to afford houses? ›

Of Gen Zers currently saving money, 56.2% are saving for their first home. The majority of Gen Z (79.8%) believe they can only afford a home that costs less than $200,000. Only 6.9% of Gen Zers believe they can afford a home over $500,000 in their desired timeframe.

At what age will Gen Z retire? ›

The youngest members of the workforce aren't planning to stay as long as previous generations stayed in the working world. Gen Zers, defined as Americans between 18 and 25, aim to retire by 59 on average, according to Northwestern Mutual's 2022 Planning and Progress study.

Are Gen Z having less babies? ›

The U.S. birthrate is at its lowest since the 1970s, and that's because more American millennials and Gen Z are deciding not to have kids than previous generations.

How old is Gen Z vs Gen Alpha? ›

What is the difference between Gen Z and Gen Alpha? Generation Z (also known as the iGeneration, Zoomers, or Centennials) refers to those with birth years between 1995 and 2010. Generation Alpha encompasses those born between 2010 and 2025.

Is Gen Z older than Gen Alpha? ›

Gen Z: Born 1997-2012 (11-26 years old) Gen Alpha: Born early 2010s-2025 (0-about 10 years old)

What is the personality of a Gen Z? ›

In summary, a typical Gen Zer is a self-driver who deeply cares about others, strives for a diverse community, is highly collaborative and social, values flexibility, relevance, authenticity and non-hierarchical leadership, and, while dismayed about inherited issues like climate change, has a pragmatic attitude about ...

What is Generation Z age range? ›

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE Z OR CENTENNIAL GENERATION

Aged between eight and 23 years old, generation Z or the post-millennial generation will take the lead in a few decades.

What are 5 distinct characteristics of Gen Z? ›

Characteristics of Generation Z
  • They're money-driven and ambitious.
  • They love to travel.
  • They're prone to anxiety.
  • They're known to set boundaries.
  • They're avid gamers.
  • They're nostalgic.
  • They use social media in a unique way.
Feb 15, 2023

Who is considered the greatest generation? ›

The Greatest Generation refers to those Americans born between 1900 and 1925, many of whom fought during World War II. These individuals grew up during WWI and lived through the Great Depression and are often the parents of the Baby Boomer generation.

What are the 7 core traits of millennials? ›

Strauss and Howe ascribe seven basic traits to the millennial cohort: special, sheltered, confident, team-oriented, conventional, pressured, and achieving.

What is a millennial stereotype? ›

Millennials are often portrayed as having different career aspirations and goals from older generations. This stereotype stems from the fact that millennials change jobs more frequently and tend to have a shorter tenure with an employer.

What defines a millennial? ›

Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 38 in 2019) is considered a Millennial, and anyone born from 1997 onward is part of a new generation.

What do millennials call Gen Z? ›

Generation Z (or more commonly Gen Z for short), colloquially known as Zoomers, is the demographic cohort succeeding Millennials and preceding Generation Alpha. Researchers and popular media use the mid-to-late 1990s as starting birth years and the early 2010s as ending birth years.

Why Gen Z is called Gen Z? ›

Generation Z—your personal bugbear, Minds—is so called because it was the generation immediately after Generation Y (the people who are now called millennials). Gen Y was named, in its turn, because it followed Generation X. Generation X (shout-out to my homiez!) was named after a 1991 novel by Douglas Coupland.

How old are Gen Z in 2023? ›

How old are Gen Z this year? The oldest in the Gen Z cohort will be 26 in 2023, while the youngest will turn 11.

Videos

1. Simon Sinek - How To Change Your Future - One Of The Best Speeches Ever for Millennial
(Video Inspiration)
2. Why Gen Z Is MUCH Different from Previous Generations
(Ken Ham)
3. Living On $230K A Year Selling Ice Cream With My Mom | Millennial Money
(CNBC Make It)
4. Millennials in the Workforce, A Generation of Weakness - Simon Sinek
(After Skool)
5. 3 Ways Millennials Differ from Generation Z
(Money TV)
6. 40 Minutes of Jokes about Gen Z | Netflix
(Netflix Is A Joke)

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