See it from the SNOWFLAKE’S point of view
Is there a young person in your life who frequently has you scratching your head? Fear not, as every month, best’s Millie Gooch, 27, is here to tell us what the 20-plus generation is REALLY thinking…
‘Like their mums, generation millennials – or “snowflakes” as they’re called – come in all shapes and sizes. But they do have quite a few things in common – and are doing things very differently indeed. From dating to reading the news, it all happens online. They drink less – they’d rather have a night on the sofa with Netflix than a boozy club – and they rent, rather than buy. Let’s begin with alcohol. Going out and getting drunk, according to the Editor anyway, used to be a rite of passage. Drinking was ‘cool’, it’s how people relaxed – still is, for a lot of the over 40s. But times have changed – dramatically. Now, millennials are drinking less than their parents, the horror! Indeed, research published last year showed a third of 16-24 year olds don’t drink at all. Why, though? Because the aftermath of boozing is so different now. Drunken mishaps used to remain a funny story between friends. Now there’s high risk involved, as the millennial’s every move is documented online. A hangover isn’t just a dodgy tummy and a splitting headache. For us, it’s a stomach-churning task, that involves scrolling through Facebook messages from primary school classmates, probably saying how much they enjoyed the videos of your 3am table-dancing. Cringe.
Us snowflakes are pretty much berated 24/7 (mainly by Piers Morgan) for our constant ‘moaning’, but experts have suggested that unlike the older generation, we’re not using alcohol to deal with our problems, as we’re more comfortable talking about them openly.
And “sober parties”, such as Club Soda’s Mindful Drinking Festival and Morning Gloryville’s morning raves (complete with glowsticks), are all the rage, with celebs like Lana Del Rey and Kim Kardashian leading the charge for alcohol-free living.
Quite frankly, I can think of better things to spend my money on than a night which ends with me snogging a guy who later confessed he’d just been released from prison – or falling asleep outside my own house, only to be picked up by a concerned off-duty policeman ( yes, these things both actually happened!).
My motto these days? Flights over pints! As a single 27-year-old, trying to save for a flat, while saddled with student debts and a considerable ASOS shopping addiction, it is already practically impossible.
So, sorry to disappoint you Baby Boomers, but drinking is now officially a luxury I can’t afford…’