6 Ways Millennials Give Away Their Age Without Ever Saying A Word
Where would we even be without millennials?
Krakenimages.com | Shutterstock Every generation has its own unique set of quirks that are an ultimate giveaway as to how old they are. For boomers, it can be referring to the TV remote as “the clicker.” For Gen X, it can be using a mouse with a laptop. For millennials, it can be a variety of habits and behaviors that reveal their age without them even having to say a single word (and ones that fellow millennials will certainly recognize!)
Many of the millennial generation's quirks are adorably endearing — and we can only hope these 29 to 44-year-olds pass them down to their own kids, keeping these unforgettable eccentrities alive for generations to come!
Here are 6 ways millennials give away their age without ever saying a word:
1. Getting anxious whenever they receive a voicemail
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Have urgent news you just have to tell your millennial friend about? You better text it to them. When millennials receive a voicemail, they often assume the worst. Surely someone must be dead or dying if you opted to call them rather than sending them a text, email, or DM.
In most cases, the matter is never even serious enough to require sending a voicemail, which only leaves millennials feeling agitated. Why should they have to listen to a 1-minute ramble when you could’ve just sent a 3-word text?
“Some people feel that voicemails invade their personal time and space. They feel it’s intrusive, and so it can create stress or anxiety,” Maya Zack, peak performance specialist, expert mindset coach and hypnotherapist, told Metro.
“It requires the person to listen, which means they might need to stop what they’re doing in order to engage. So they feel like this time is ‘demanded’ of them, and that the sender’s time is prioritized over theirs.”
2. Using ellipses in text
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This is a prime example of millennial punctuation. It could indicate a variety of moods, including disappointment, discomfort, or suspense.
For example, if your millennial friend is upset that you canceled plans last minute, they may write, “I guess that’s fine…,” which translates to, “It’s not fine, but I don’t want to fight.”
Those three periods say more than any words can and are often a common part of millennials' daily use of punctuation to create dramatic effect without actually having to explain their feelings. Millennials are all about context clues, and they don’t want to have to spell out their emotions to others!
3. Taking pictures with their phone positioned horizontally
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For millennials, that wide shot for their Instagram is not an option; it’s a necessity. Portrait mode? That’s exclusively for selfies.
Since millennials haven’t quite gotten used to .5 on their phone cameras, many of them still prefer to hold their phones horizontally to capture all the angles.
When we really think about it, most of what we do on our screens requires them to be horizontal, whether it be watching Netflix or typing up something on your computer. It makes sense that the same would apply to snapping pics.
4. Having a 'But First, Coffee,' mantra
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Millennials often make having their morning coffee part of their personality. As we know, they played a big role in popularizing Starbucks, particularly in the late 2010s and beyond, by sharing their favorite options from the chain on social media and promoting the mobile-ordering app.
It is rare to spot a millennial out in public without a latte, matcha, or some kind of coffee drink in their hand. When you walk into their kitchens, you will undoubtedly find some kind of coffee maker and the saying, “But first, coffee,” in some form, whether it be on a mug, a fridge magnet, or a wall art canvas.
For many of us, coffee is a daily ritual that brings us a sense of joy and pleasure. For millennials, it is often a need they cannot start their day without!
5. Owning DVDs
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Despite the introduction of streaming services that millennials know how to navigate, some of them still own DVDs. While it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly how many millennials still have DVDs, statistics show that DVD purchases are still relatively common among their age group, particularly 30-44.
In 2018, more people aged 30-49 (older millennials and younger Gen Xers) still owned DVD players — more than any other age group, highlighting a connection to physical media.
Millennials often remember how important DVDs were in their homes growing up. They likely remember the excitement of opening a new release, the bloopy DVD menus, and those weird animated intros when they popped the discs into the DVD player.
6. Making references to the show 'Friends'
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The popular sitcom “Friends” is often a comfort show for millennials, with over half (52%) of millennials reporting that they've watched the show, according to a 2018 YouGov poll.
It was broadcasted everywhere while they were growing up, whether as new episodes on NBC or reruns on TBS. They might have even stumbled upon it during those awkward high school to college transition years when they were just figuring life out — just like the characters depicted in the show.
Many millennials have incorporated some of the popular dialogue from the show into everyday conversation — revealing their age without even realizing it. So, if you try to steal one of your friend’s fries, and they shout, “Joey doesn’t share food!” it may be a telltale sign of what generation they come from.
Megan Quinn is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience.
