Boomers & Gen X Don't Worry About 9 Things That Usually Keep Millennials & Gen Z Up At Night
Vlada Karpovich | PexelsBoomers and Gen X may have faced a tough job market, but they usually don't worry about the same things millennials and Gen Z do. Older people had access to things like low college costs and affordable housing, whereas young people are struggling to achieve those same things.
With everyday expenses becoming increasingly more costly, Gen Z and millennials are crashing out. They feel hopeless and slightly terrified, and may stay up all night worrying about things that are beyond their control.
The things that keep millennials and Gen Z up all night, but don't worry boomers and Gen X:
1. Affording a home
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Life has become incredibly expensive. People can't even bake a cake without wincing at the price tag for the ingredients. Wages no longer keep up with the cost of living, and as a result, millennials and Gen Zers can't help but wonder if they can even afford to purchase a home.
Home ownership is less accessible now, with Gen Zers and millennials less likely to own homes than their parents at the same age. They're scared for their future, because truly settling down and living their best life means taking the next step of homeownership. Yet the reality is that things are much too expensive to make their dreams a reality.
2. Having a successful career
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AI is being used for at least one function in companies around the world. Checking resumes or making systems more efficient, it's no wonder millennials and Gen Z are worried about their careers. They don't know if the job they've been working towards will get replaced by automation.
After spending years achieving a degree or working their way up in an industry, the uncertainty is terrifying. They already have to compete with hundreds of applicants, but now, competing with AI feels like a major setback.
3. Paying off their student debt
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Millennials and Gen Z have been facing crippling student debt for a while now. However, they aren't alone in this, as Gen X and boomers are also faced with overwhelming student debt. But unlike older generations, Gen Z and millennials face higher annual growth rates and borrowing rates.
Unable to pay off their monthly debt due to a weak job market, younger generations are incredibly worried. While Gen X and boomers could afford to go to college while working a minimum wage job, companies now demand degrees, even though they take decades to pay off sometimes. Now, younger generations have been priced out of an affordable education.
4. Overcoming burnout
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Younger generations are burned out. Whether it's from excessive social media intake or working themselves to the bone at their jobs, sometimes it feels like the entire world is falling in on itself. Millennials and Gen Z can't help but wonder if their burnout will ever go away.
They want to believe that life will get better, but with the stream of anxiety they face daily, their outlook is grim. They can't navigate the influx of information in their own personal lives. Always stressing about the basic cost of living and state of the world, they don't know how they're going to survive.
5. Creating a community
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Boomers and Gen X lived in the golden age of community. They weren't distracted by cell phones and social media. Instead, everything was simpler, which gave them time to focus on what was most important: community.
They were able to create community with their friends and neighbors, and life wasn't so lonely. Unfortunately, times have changed since then. Right now, young adults experience greater loneliness than other generations. With no community to lean on, finding their purpose is becoming harder.
6. Inflation destroying their retirement savings
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Millennials and Gen Z aren't careless with their money. In fact, younger workers are more likely to invest early compared to older generations. And while they feel confident in their ability to retire, there's one thing keeping them up at night.
According to the National Association of Plan Advisors, "Employee financial well-being reached a four-year high of 55%... However, even amid this optimism, employees say the economy (76%) and inflation (62%) cause them stress, and three-quarters (75%) cite cost of living as a challenge to their financial security."
With the cost of living only continuing to rise, there's bound to be friction in retirement and savings. Even if they're better prepared now, 43% of Gen Zers and 41% of millennials say they struggle with money dysmorphia.
7. Eating a healthy diet
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Today's food has lost its nutrition over the years. Ultra-processed food accounts for 60% of the U.S. adult calorie consumption. This is dangerous because, as research dietitian Dalia Perelman explained, "It's not just about what's added to these foods; it's what's missing. They tend to be lower in fiber, micronutrients, phytochemicals."
Unable to provide the basic fuel we need, it isn't a surprise that millennials and Gen Z have food anxiety. Every time they go grocery shopping, a food item is being recalled. It feels like they can't breathe without turning over the label and seeing what chemicals have been added. And with little expendable money in their pockets, they have little choice but to eat what's available.
8. Feeling behind in life
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Once upon a time, younger generations strived for the American Dream. They wanted the white picket fence and nuclear family. Unfortunately, life has become too expensive for them to dream big. Now, they're too focused on retirement and work. Unable to afford basic costs, they feel so behind.
Their friends probably traveled to Europe this summer. Their parents were already settled by their age. But no matter how hard they try, they can't afford to catch up. Gen Z and millennials are barely getting by. With little savings and zero community, they feel like they're failing.
9. Raising a family
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Millennials and Gen Z didn't wake up one morning and say they didn't want children. Some may have dreamed of a life raising children with a partner. However, life has become too expensive to afford all that. According to the Pew Research Center, 36% of adults under 50 cited financial reasons for why they were unlikely to have children.
Still, just because millennials and Gen Z have accepted this fact doesn't mean they can't grieve it. Raising a family or finding a life partner is a normal desire. Human beings are social creatures at heart. So, being denied that opportunity due to finances is especially heartbreaking.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and trending topics.
