People tend to give millennials a hard time. (Avocado toast is expensive, OK?!) The funny thing is a lot of the things the younger generation is dealing with on the daily are things the older generation has issues with, too. Whether it's finding a quality partner via online dating or getting stuck somewhere without Wi-Fi, these millennial problems apply to everyone. And for more on age-related problems, check out these 40 Things People Say That Will Offend You If You're Over 40.
1 | Online Dating
ShutterstockIt doesn't matter if you're swiping through profiles on Tinder or looking for your soulmate on Ok Cupid: online dating is hard — and not just for millennials. No matter your age, everyone knows the struggle. You'd think having that many more choices would make the dating process easier, but unfortunately that's not the case. For more advice on online dating, check out the 20 Best Dating App Opening Lines.
2 | Being Bombarded by Social Media
ShutterstockWhether you like it or not, social media is life. It's where you get the quickest news, first find out about important life updates from friends and family, and where you network. Unfortunately, since being connected has become so crucial, it's hard to truly tune it out. Because of that, it's easy to become bombarded by it and have it take over. Just look at all of the middle-aged people in the check-out line at the grocery store—what are they looking at? Their phones! And for more advice on social media, check out these 20 Ways Social Media Stresses Us Out.
3 | Watching Way Too Many Streaming Services
ShutterstockWhile planning a night out with friends is fun, is there really anything better than just putting on your sweats and watching Netflix after a long day? Streaming services have totally changed the way the world entertains themselves, whether you're watching the latest teen series or classic sitcoms. For more on what to watch on streaming services, check out 30 Funniest Sitcoms Of All Time.
Shutterstock4 | Depending on Google for Everything
When's the last time you Googled something? It was probably today. Maybe even 5 minutes ago. Whether you're 20 years old or 60 years old, there's a good chance you're relying on the search engine for nearly everything. And hey — if it saves time, what's the harm in that? For more on google, check out these 15 Things You Don't Know about Google.
5 | Human Interaction Is Becoming a Thing of the Past
ShutterstockTechnology has totally transformed the way we do everything. When you're at the store, you use the self-checkout. When you're at a party, you're staring down at your phone. Instead of having to be social, it's let everyone become introverts — and when you have to interact with people IRL, things can get a little awkward since you're less used to it.
6 | You Freak Out If Your Phone Dies
ShutterstockEverything — no, seriously… everything — is on your phone. Your contacts, your passwords, your GPS, you name it. So when you phone dies unexpectedly, you immediately feel lost. Naked, almost. (And that's why you should carry a portable charger with you at all times. You're welcome.)
7 | You Don't Know Anyone's Numbers Anymore
ShutterstockIf you ever get struck in jail with one phone call, you're probably up a creek without a paddle: whose number do you actually know by heart? Since calling someone is now as easy as clicking their name in your phone, there's really no need to remember anything — and when you need to know one on a whim, you're kind of out of luck.
8 | Sticking to a Budget
ShutterstockIf anyone says budgeting is easy, they're lying. It doesn't matter if you're in high school or in your fifties: sticking to your personal allotments and only getting the bare necessities is really tough… and not at all fun. If you do stick to your budget every month, give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back — seriously. And for help doing exactly that, here are the 10 Best Budgeting Apps to Boost Your Savings.
9 | Getting a Job
ShutterstockWhen you're a millennial, your main issue with getting a job is your lack of job experience. But when you're in your later years, you might have a more established career, but you're still competing with all the younger people who might have a better idea of how the newer technology works and how to do things more effectively. Either way, scoring a job with so many great candidates is a challenge. Oh, and speaking of jobs, here are the 20 Ridiculous Jobs So Useless You Won't Believe They Exist.
10 | Not Being Able to Get in Touch with Someone, ASAP
ShutterstockIn this day and age, the world is used to instant gratification — and the includes getting a response from someone ASAP, day or night. In fact, you're probably so used to having constant communication that if someone doesn't answer, you probably get annoyed. Yes, smartphones make you more available than in the past — but c'mon. Sometimes it's nice to put it on airplane-mode and shut off.
11 | Read Receipts. Enough Said.
ShutterstockSo many relationship issues — whether romantic or platonic — come from those damn read receipts on your phone. If you notice someone has seen your text but doesn't respond, it can cause some tension. And texting annoyances know no age.
12 | Cracking Your Phone Screen
ShutterstockIs there anything worse than the feeling you get as you watch your phone drop and hit the ground in slow motion, only to realize it cracked? Yep, there goes hundreds of dollars, right down the drain.
13 | Overdoing It While Online Shopping
ShutterstockWhen you're shopping in person, you have a better idea of how much money you're spending. When you're shopping online, though, it almost feels like everything is free: you don't have anything in your hands after each store to remind yourself of just how many dollars you're dropping… you know, until all those packages of shame arrive on your doorstep. And if you're a shopaholic, you should at least shop smart: Here are the 30 Ways to Never Spend Full Price on Clothes.
14 | Mastering the Art of the Selfie
ShutterstockIt doesn't matter how old you are: taking a selfie can be a true challenge. You have to have the perfect lighting, the perfect angle, and the perfect look to get a social media worthy-shot, and that doesn't come easy… selfie stick or not.
15 | Dealing with Overly-Friendly Uber Drivers
ShutterstockSometimes Ubers are great: they take you from A to B in a super professional manner with minimal chatting. And then other times — OK, let's be real… most times — you end up dealing with someone who's overly-friendly, telling you their entire life story within a 15-minute drive. It doesn't matter what age you are: everyone feels the pain.
16 | Using Up All Your Phone's Storage on Pictures of Your Dog
ShutterstockJust do a quick scroll through the pictures on your phone. How many of those are of your pet? If you answered "a lot" and hardly ever have any phone storage because of that obsession, just know you're not alone. How can you delete even one of those snaps when your pooch is always lookin' so cute?
17 | Being Somewhere Where There's No Wi-Fi Available
ShutterstockThere are a lot of horrible things to deal with in life. But when you show up somewhere and they have no Wi-Fi available, that might just be one of the worst.
Shutterstock18 | Never Knowing How to Define Your Relationship
When you start dating someone, it's hard to know how to make things official. Do you change your relationship status on Facebook? Do you delete all your dating apps? There's no foolproof guidebook, and everyone — young and old! — are left fending for themselves, hoping for the best possible outcome.
19 | Mailing Things — You Know, in Person
ShutterstockBecause of the ease of sending things online or over your phone, having to go somewhere in person — where you have to wait in a long line, talk to someone, and give up your hard-earned cash — to mail something should seriously be a crime.
20 | Being Buried in Debt
ShutterstockMillennials have student loans. Xennials and Generation X have medical bills and house payments. Whatever it is, having any sort of debt is the absolute worst… but millennials definitely take the cake with their money struggles in this one. Because nothing is worse than the Department of Education coming for thousands upon thousands of dollars in your bank account, all because you wanted a college degree. For more on advice on money, check out 20 Financial Decisions You're Guaranteed to Regret.
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