For several years, there’s been an age range that has felt like they’ve gotten lost in the shuffle when it comes to truly understanding their characteristics.
Now, generational experts have coined a term for these older Millennials. They’re called Xennials.
First, let’s define all the age groups:
• Millennials range in age from 21 to 34.
• Those in Generation X range in age from 35 to 49.
• However, this group that falls in the middle – those that range in age from 34 to 40 – share characteristics of both generations. So much so, that generational experts have now named this micro-generation Xennials, and Xennials were born between 1977 and 1983.
Which generation do you think you are? Take our quiz:
Some experts have called Xennials, the “Star Wars generation”, because 1977 to 1983 was the timeframe of the original Star Wars trilogy.
Let’s talk about the characteristics of Xennials:
• In terms of technology, Xennials were the last generation to grow up without it. They had an analog childhood but a digital adulthood.
• They grew up with the basics of pre-digital technology.
• So for at least the first two decades of their lives, they grew up with landline phones, broadcast TV, and handwritten letters, and adapted to social media in their 20s.
What about their outlooks on life? How do those compare to other generations?
They possess both Gen X’s cynicism and Millennial’s optimism and drive.
Like most other generations, Xennials have made social media part of their everyday lives, but they still want to watch the news on TV or read the newspaper.
In terms of communication, Xennials learned how to text when they were in their 20s, but at the end of the day, they remember the power of a handwritten note.