Stop Saying These Annoying Phrases: A Millennial Rant
Millenials’ are a rare bunch. The first generation to thrive alongside the digital world; they’re tech-savvy, influential, and socially and economically conscious. But among all those things, some things really tick them off. We’ve all been there before. You’re having a conversation, and then your parent says it. That phrase that makes your eyes roll so hard you’re sure they might get stuck there. You’re annoyed and irritated and wish they’d just stop saying it. It’s time to put a stop to these annoying phrases.
It’s time to call out the cliches. It’s time to listen to millennials and hear their rant. They don’t like these annoying phrases. Can you guess what some of them are? We’re diving deep into them below!
1. “Because I said so.”
Millennials HATE this phrase. “Because I said so” is both irritating and aggravating and is even dismissive of their natural curiosity. It doesn’t offer any sort of explanation or reasoning whatsoever. Millennials feel a condescending vibe and hate it.
2. “You just need to save.”
The phrase “you just need to save” is an oversimplification of finances. Millennials hate being told that they need to save. It comes off as judgmental and doesn’t touch on the economic uncertainty of the current world. In the current economy, millennials are worried about student debt, job insecurity, the rising cost of living, healthcare costs, and more. Being told that they just need to save really bugs millennials.
3. “It seems like everyone is depressed these days.”
Say this phrase to a millennial and you’ll probably get a not-happy look or response back. This is because millennials hate it. It minimizes the seriousness of mental health and reinforces the stereotype that millennials are a depressed generation, completely ignoring the factors that are contributing to the mental health situation. It also implies that depression is widespread and therefore easy to deal with. Millennials value personal experiences and open conversation and tend to prioritize the things that help them maintain positive mental health.
4. “Just get a better job.”
It’s frustrating for millennials to hear “just get a better job” for several reasons. The phrase ignores the complexities of the job market while also showing a complete lack of understanding of how complicated searching for a job really is. It can even be dismissive of millennials career goals and aspirations.
5. “You’re just entitled.”
If you’re a millennial, there’s a good chance you’ve heard this phrase. “You’re just entitled” is intimidating for millennials. It suggests that millennials have an inflated sense of self-worth and unrealistic expectations about life.
6. “Your problem is social media.”
This phrase is both condescending and demeaning. Millennials hate it because many other world problems are larger than the impact of social media. It also doesn’t acknowledge the positives that come from social media, like making new friends, connecting with like-minded people, learning, and more. This phrase oversimplifies what is going on in the millennials’ lives and contributes to the generational stereotype that millennials need social media when, in reality, people of all generations use it.
7. “Is that job stable enough?”
This question really bothers millennials. Millennials might feel that it undermines their career choice and possibly even suggests that financial and career stability are the sole indicators of success. Millennials value work-life balance more than previous generations and might choose a job based on how much time they will be able to devote to their family as opposed to how much money they’ll make.
8. “When are you getting married?”
Millennials are tired of being asked this. It makes it seem like they are supposed to conform to societal norms when actually millennials are paving the way for diverse relationships and accomplishing personal and professional goals.
9. “You spend too much time on your phone.”
Every millennial has heard it. “You spend too much time on your phone!” This phrase oversimplifies phone usage and ignores the many ways that phones can be good, used for productivity, communication, and personal enrichment. It ignores the positives that technology brings and instead focuses on the negative.
10. “That’s not how the real world works.”
Millennials don’t like being told, “That’s not how the real world works.” It makes it sound as if they don’t know what the real world is like, but that’s not the case. Millennials have grown up in the real world and don’t like being told that they don’t know how it is.
11. “Everything happens for a reason.”
This phrase can feel very dismissive to a millennial. It is invalidating for millennials who are struggling or experiencing any sort of hardship. It also implies a lack of control over the situation and oversimplifies present challenges. Millennials value having agency over their situation and don’t like feeling out of control.
12. “Money can’t buy happiness.”
Millennials hate being told that “money can’t buy happiness.” It minimizes the real impact of financial impact on mental health and wellbeing. It doesn’t factor in that money helps to pay for things like housing, personal essentials, or food, all of which greatly impact overall happiness. The phrase doesn’t acknowledge how complicated happiness is and makes it seem as if it’s something simple that you can attain without any problems.
Final Thoughts
There may be some things that millennials do that the rest of the world doesn’t understand, but in all the best ways, millennials are paving the way for change in the world in all areas of life. They’re taking technology to new levels, balancing work and home better than ever, and valuing their personal health and well-being over everything. In the ways that they’re misunderstood, they offer hope for the future. But these phrases really tick them off. They are condescending, oversimplifying, and all-around irritating. So the next time you find yourself talking to a millennial, whatever you do, avoid these phrases!
