In many ways, Millennials are different from the preceding generations X and Baby Boomers. According to experts, their distinct attributes are majorly down to a stable childhood, and the rapid technological growth they have witnessed, played a part in, and wholesomely adopted. Here are 13 reasons depicting how Millennials are different from other generations.
Highly educated
Millennials are the children of Baby Boomers and partly, generation X. These two generations grew up believing in the power of education as a master key to affluence and a complete lifestyle and hence, they passed on these ideals to their children. As a result, Millennials are the most educated generation on earth.
The parent-child bond
Baby Boomers and generation X faced the ill-fate of witnessing war, family in-fighting, and many divorces. Many of them vowed that their children would not go through such and they worked hard at their unions. Millennials emerged the beneficiaries; hence, most of them have a deep bond with their parents.
Tech-savvy
Millennials are the kings of tech. They have witnessed the growth process of many currently prevalent tech concepts, and they are now at the helm pushing tech boundaries in different professional spheres in conjunction with generation X. To Millennials, adeptness with tech almost comes naturally. The average millennial has at least two smart gadgets among a tablet, Laptop computer, a smartphone and a smartwatch.
Financially inept
Despite the high levels of academic education, Millennials are mostly deficient in financial education. They spend a lot on fancy things, find it hard to save and budget, and have little understanding of core financial aspects. The good news is that becoming financially literate is only a matter of interest and applying oneself.
They have high expectations
Millennials demand more of life than other generations. They not only want to work hard and earn enough, but they also want to discover the joy of work by working in sectors where they feel their talents are best utilized. They want the whole package, and they are not afraid of pulling all the stops to get it.
They have different priorities
Happiness is core for Millennials. Many have changed careers at the drop of a hat in search of opportunities that are more satisfying overall. Moreover, they value experiences over and above material things, and they would, therefore, rather spend their money going to exotic places than saving to buy a home.
They are a united generation
If they wish to be, Millennials can unite and create a formidable force. Social media is the chief empowering infrastructure as it enables Millennials from all over the world to interact and remain in sync. Millennials have brought to the fore the power of online campaigns and drives for or against various causes.
They do not hold retirement in high regard
Retirement means a lot for the two previous generations. As a result, they go about their work with the consciousness of approaching retirement striving to prepare for it as best as they can. Millennials, conversely, are not equally enthused concerning retirement or planning for it. They are more focused on living life as it unfolds.
They have an unorthodox life approach
Millennials want remote jobs that will give them the freedom to mix work and play. Those with office jobs want to wear sneakers, hoodies, and jeans to work. In many other ways, the Millennial approach to everyday life is unique coming off as peculiar to other generations.
More expressive and aggressive
Having grown in environments that encouraged speaking up one’s mind, Millennials are very expressive. They have no qualms with sharing personal details that other generations consider private online. They speak up when displeased with something, and they generally do not take poor treatment lying down.
Impatient
The convenience of the internet has cultivated an on-demand attitude in Millennials. They are used to getting desired items immediately, and their patience is thus, greatly diminished. They fret and their countenance changes to one of disappointment, or even anger, when they have to join a queue, for instance.
Shorter attention-spans
Today’s distraction-fueled society has made many Millennials develop an attention deficit in comparison to other generations. Social media notifications, texts, video chats, chat apps and surfing the web all compete for a Millennial’s limited hours leading to extensively fragmented time use. Those who can concentrate for long periods have had to work at it.
Get depressed easier
Sadly, Millennials are more susceptible to depression compared to other generations. Current suicide rates are topped by Millennials and psychiatrists are increasingly reporting Millennial patients. Experts propose that helicopter-parenting, where most of them were not hardened enough to deal with common life disappointments, is to blame.
As the most advanced generation on earth thus far, Millennials are the default flag bearers for humanity for the foreseeable future. Their uniqueness aside, the signs clearly foretell that they will advance humanity many giant steps forward.