First, what is a millennial and why do we hate being called them so much?
“Millennials (also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y) are the demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates when the generation starts and ends. Researchers and commentators use birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.”
So it's long past 2000, and the world didn't end. But I feel like something died.
I remember those days where you actually talked to someone when making plans, like on a phone, with a cord, at your house. Growing up, I usually had about 10-12 phone number memorized, so that I could get in contact with either my family or friends, from any phone (including pay phones, yes I know what a pay phone is, no I don't know where there is one). Making plans with your friends either involved a three-way phone call, because let's face it three-way calling was the shit. Or you called their house, and asked for them.
You'd pick a place and a time, and you would show the fuck up. There was no flaking, no standing people up, you stuck to the plan for fear they wouldn't be your friend anymore if you didn't show.
Sometimes, rather than drag conversations out, you'd just pick a place and time and meet to discuss.
I miss those days.
Think, when's the last time you called someone, from memory, to make plans. Okay scratch that, when's the last time you called someone to make plans in general?
I bet you texted, emailed, Facebook messaged, Instagram commented, Twitter DM'd, or GroupMe'd instead of just picking up the phone and talking to one another.
I know we live in a world that's fueled by instant gratification, but I really do wish we could revert back just a little. There was something about concrete about relationships back then, that I think we all may have lost sight of. When you said you were going to meet at the park at 6, you showed up, or you better have a good damn reason why you didn't.
Conflicts were addressed head on. Rather than tie up your land line by arguing, you confronted the elephant in the room in person. One of two things would happen, you'd get past it, or you wouldn't.
Nowadays, I "can't even". It's too easy to let things slide, to flake on plans, to get "an update". With a few taps on your smart phone you can book a flight, post a video, or check-in. And with those same motions you can cancel everything all at once.
Don't feel like going to one of the six plans you've made that night because you're trying to weigh "which is going to be more fun"? No big, just send a quick text with a few sad face emojis, and some exclamation marks about how sorry you are and all is forgiven!
Haven't talked to one of your closest friends in months? Not a problem! Blow up their instagram feed when you like their entire gallery, because now you're caught up on what's been going on in their life!
Respond to a phone call with a text because you're trying to figure out which video to post to your wall, and when the person see's you liking things on Facebook, get mad at them for reading too much into it.
Yes, I love social media (for the most part), I have nearly every account you could think of, but it doesn't mean I don't appreciate a good hand written letter when I receive one (which hasn't been for many moons).
Yes, interacting with other humans in awkward sometimes. So is seeing a group of friends (that look like strangers) all looking at their laps while out to dinner with each other.
Hearing/seeing someone respond to you is tough. You can hear the tone in their voice, you can see their eyes narrow or widen, but that's what makes us people.
Things are too easy these days. Relationships that were built off substance are now held together by mentions, retweets, or emails.
Now I'm not saying this applies to relationships you have with people who live hundreds of miles away, or even ten miles away for that matter. If this is how your relationship works with your mom, step-dad, grandparent, significant other, or dog, please carry on! I'm not here to tell you what to do.
Just don't be surprised if at the end of the day all you have left are photos of friends, whose phone numbers you once knew by heart, on a thing that we used to use everyday called Facebook.
Make the effort, and instead of pressing text, hit call. It'll save you some time, and it's nice to hear a voice sometimes, instead of words on a screen.
You can call me crazy or old fashioned, whatever you like, really. As long as you call me.