Millennials Need To Stop Pretending They’re Above It All

I don’t know if you’ve heard yet, but millennials are destroying life as we know it.

From the 9-5 workday to the concept of dating (Thanks, Tinder), we are the self-obsessed, entitled assholes who have managed to successfully kill just about everything good in life.

Contrary to what that sassy intro may have led you to believe, this article will not consist of me staunchly defending my generation. While I do believe that certain claims are a bit unnecessary (who cares if we don’t use soap bars and paper napkins anymore?), and am slightly skeptical about others (less sex? says who?), I also think that this raises a good opportunity to reevaluate certain things.

The truth is, us millennials are always going to be bashed for our bullshit. In all honesty, often times we deserve it. Instead of whining about it and giving truth to our “it’s just not fair” persona, let’s consider it for what it’s worth.

So pause Game of Thrones, put down the avocado toast, or halt whatever other stereotypical millennial activity you are partaking in. Let’s address the importance of a few “old school” routines that we may not be so “above” after all.

1. Face-to-face interaction.

Obviously, we’re obsessed with doing all things digital. Frankly, it makes sense. As our society becomes more and more advanced, it’s critical for us to keep up with the times and adapt accordingly.

That being said, we often get caught up in the convenience of speaking behind a screen, and resultantly see less and less value in a traditional, real-life conversation.

I recently attended my company’s annual leadership summit, and the constant face time (not FaceTime) reminded me of the value of exchanging dialogue in person.

While nobody likes those “meetings that could have been an email”, it’s important to make the time for face-to-face interactions here and there. We may pride ourselves on being “anti-social hermits” most of the time, but maintaining good, professional relationships will never go out of style.

2. Taking a vacation – without feeling guilty about it.

Studies show that millennials are failing to take their designated vacation time. Is it because we’re fiercely committed to our jobs and believe that we have an obligation to fulfill? Not quite.

Instead, we’re often programmed to be “workaholics”, and the presence of constant connectivity doesn’t help matters. It gives off the notion that even if we’re “off”, we should still be “on.”

The truth is, this attitude and behavior isn’t healthy. It causes us to place our job’s importance above our mental health, deserved down time, and overall sanity. That might sound dramatic (millennial move), but sometimes that little breather is what we truly need to gain perspective.

So go ahead and take those vacation days – and this time, make it a real one.

3. Being in an actual relationship, rather than being “too cool for commitment.”

First, I want to be clear that I am all for casual dating. In fact, I think it makes more sense to keep your options open and shop around, rather than settling simply because you think “it’s time.”

However, in the past I have wrongly been a proponent of the “anti-relationship” attitude. I was always hesitant to move forward with someone new, because I would let a few bad experiences convince me that everyone had an evil, hidden agenda.

While we do live in a society where “ghosting” is ever-so-common, we can’t just consistently blame our generation for why we’re unhappy. We also can’t live in constant fear of getting screwed over. Sure, we might – but that’s not a “millennial” thing, that’s a “life” thing.

It’s critical to be realistic when approaching these situations, but just as important to take a risk here and there – only if it’s what you truly want, of course.

Also, let’s be honest – if you keep “joking” about how you’re going to “die alone with 7 cats”, people are going to start believing it.