Millennials often get a bad rap. Sure, we may have taken a hair too long to leave the nest and we still think Britney and Justin will end up together, but we've got a lot going for us, too!
If you are a millennial, there are certain things that are as true as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. As diverse a population as we are, there are certain ways in which we are a predictable bunch. So ignore what your boomer parents and Gen Z kids say about us because here are 20 things we just simply do better — and we're not afraid to say it.
We Are Better Educated
Okay I know that calling millennials "better educated" sounds like some serious fighting words but statistically it's true! More millennials have a college degree than any other generation of young adults, according to The Census Bureau. And while you can credit our parents for instilling the value of education in us and pushing us to succeed, ultimately it was on us to earn our degrees (which, as of 2013, 47% of us did!). The only downside? Paying for it.
We're More Selective With Our Spending
There's a misconception about millennials that we are all jet-setting superspenders who think nothing of spending $25 on avocado toast every Sunday at brunch. Not saying we don't love our brunch (and adore a good avo toast) but in actuality, millennials are thrifty.
Of millennials, 94% use coupons and 40% of us comb through online reviews before making purchases. So while yes, we like to spend on things we enjoy, we're careful about where our money is going.
We Take Shopping Way More Personally
We are no Cher Horowitzes by any means, don't get us wrong. No, we're not out there shopping until we (and our credit limits) drop. Instead, we make informed purchasing decisions by going beyond couponing and reviews and looking into the companies themselves.
According to a survey by Euclid, 52% of millennials prefer to shop at retailers that "align with their values." So while we spend $600 billion in the US each year, most of those purchases are ones we feel really good about (even if it wasn't the cheapest option available).
We Are Just a *Bit* More Patient
If you've ever seen a boomer lose her mind after minimizing a website and not being able to find the tab again, you'll understand that millennials are actually patient people. We survived the dial-up era intact and understand that good things come to those who wait. (Good things also come to those who grow up and design things to be better, faster, and more efficient, too. Just saying.)
We're Better at Trying Before We Buy ... for Marriage
The typical American millennial woman marries at age 28 (for men it's 30). But 53 years ago in 1968, women tended to get married at 21 (and men at 23).
Of course, there are many factors at play here. Women now are more likely to go to college and pursue careers before getting married and having children. And can you blame us? After all, how can one argue that the boomer and Gen X way of marrying young is necessarily the way to go when their divorce rate is 50% and climbing? Clearly there's something to be said for being patient and selective when choosing the person you're going to spend the rest of your life snoring next to.
We're Better at Avoiding Scams
Boomers can fault (some of) us for not knowing how to write a check or where to buy stamps, but you know what? At least we hardly ever wire all of our life savings to Nigerian princes or forward chain emails that promise 57 years of bad luck to everyone we know.
We Crush the Burnout Game
Millennials are often referred to as the "participation trophy" generation that was raised to be too soft, but anyone who has ever worked among a team of millennials knows that to be a bunch of malarkey. Maybe the trophies weren't so bad because the millennials we know are competitive, hardworking, and hardly ever clock out right at 5 p.m. (though for the record, we really should).
... But We Also Know How To Truly Relax
While millennials almost never stop working, when we do, it is glorious and we are able to truly turn off from the world. Whether we're traveling to somewhere far away or just shutting the blinds and binge-watching Selling Sunset for 15 consecutive hours one weekend, we like to relax hard. Unlike our parents, whose definition of relaxation is hitting up Lowe's at an off-hour.
We Are Better at Taking the Long Road
The only downside to advanced education is the high cost and we millennials will be paying for our education for decades to come. After all, millennials carry nearly $500 billion in student loan debt and it's going to take a long time pay that off.
For most, that student loan debt is the real reason why so many millennials are leaving the nest later and later — we simply cannot afford not to! But living at home with our parents means that we have to embrace humility and the idea that success takes all different forms and adheres to all different timelines. And there's no shame in that.
We Are Definitely More Collaborative
You can write "plays well with others" on our report cards because millennials know how to stop, collaborate, and listen. No, this is less about "Ice, Ice, Baby" and more about open office plans.
We are said to make great employees for many reasons but one big reason is that millennials would rather collaborate with teammates than work individually, putting the needs of the task above their own. We value other people's opinions and appreciate a transparent work environment.
We're Better at Adapting to Different Cultures
In a 2017 study released by Western Union, millennials said that one of the three most important factors to their future success was "the ability to live, work and play anywhere in the world." This is because millennials often view themselves more as "global citizens" than a citizen of one specific country.
Going back to the bit about collaboration, millennials believe that the future is brighter if countries work together rather than compete against each other. It may sound idealistic but isn't that what we should hope for when envisioning a better future?
We're More Flexible
As the first digital generation, we've grown into digital nomads who feel comfortable working remotely from any location. We prioritize flexible schedules in the workplace, maternity leave, and perks outside of retirement funds and bonuses. Taking the train to our 9-5 and working the same job in the same office for 30 years was never going to cut it for us. Flexibility is paramount and we won't settle for anything less.
We're a *Lot* Better at Texting
There's nothing more frustrating than waiting for a boomer to send a text. Between typing with their index fingers to signing everything "Love, Aunt B," it's just a much slower process than it needs to be. Gen Xers are OK but they're still likely to leave their phones in the car while they run errands (and are not the quickest to respond). Then there's Gen Z who communicate solely in acronyms and emoji. They may as well be writing in hieroglyphics for all we can tell.
But millennials? Well we invented texting and it's basically an artform. Fast, concise, and with just the right use of hilariously placed GIF, we know what we're doing. We still use our much-loved acronyms like BRB and LOL but we don't overdo it. And no, it's not "faster" if we talk on the phone. Not if you're a millennial.
… And Also at Avoiding
Is this a negative? Depends on who you ask but you can't say this talent doesn't come in handy! Whether it's avoiding that school mom you don't like in the grocery store or putting off plans for months on end, millennials have earned our black belts in avoiding people we don't want to talk to and situations we don't want to be in.
We're Better at Accepting Others' Differences
The world has a long way to go when it comes to true equality for all, but millennials are doing the work to get there. From the acceptance of interracial marriage to pushing for the legalization of marijuana and supporting our LGBTQ+ community, we're the most progressive generation by far (even when the cause doesn't directly impact us). This is in large part due to the fact that millennials are the most ethnically and racially diverse generation so far, which has made us overall more accepting to others.
We're Better at Multitasking
When it comes to juggling a million tasks, millennials have it handled. Now approaching mid-life, we're often not just responsible for ourselves but our parents and our children as well. Not to mention homes, pets, assorted plants, and vigorous TV schedules. We've been prepped for this though. After all, we are former Girl Scouts who kept not one, not two, but three Tamagotchi (mostly) alive.
We're Better at Channeling Our Inner Child
Growing up, it felt like our parents were adults with a capital A. Sure, our moms might sing a little louder when Cher's "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves" came on the radio but generally they seemed to leave their childhoods firmly in the rearview.
Not us millennials, though. No, we still own our Nintendo 64s, have dedicated playlists to all our early 2000's jams, and quote Mean Girls on the regular. We may technically be adults with homes and jobs and children but inside we still love reliving our childhoods any chance we get.
We're More Loyal to What We Love
Have we watched Home Alone at least three times every Christmas season since it came out in 1990? Yes. Does that stop us from laughing at every joke, cringing at every brutal stunt, and generally acting like every viewing is our first? Nope. That's because no matter how many times we've seen a movie or read a book (including Harry Potter), or listened to a song, if we love it, we love it. It just never gets old.
We're Defining Our Own 'American Dream'
Let's face it, millennials grew up being told we could be anyone and do anything. So we were never going to marry at a predetermined time and have children on someone else's clock. If working for a big firm and owning a house with a white picket fence and having 2.5 kids by the age of 30 is for you, fabulous! If postponing motherhood to travel the world and write your novel is your dream, go for it!
We like to be flexible when it comes to work and life and we're not looking for anyone else to write the next chapters for us.
We Are Prepared for World Domination
OK, so not really, but with approximately 73 million strong of us, we are the largest living population in the US. Which means that nothing we really do is "wrong" per se, it's actually the norm. At least that's our logic and we are nothing but if not logical.
