The Millennial Generation

As the first generation to come of age in the new millennium, the term millennial seems pretty straightforward, but a lot happened in the span of time it took creating this generation. Encapsulating everyone born 1982–2004, the millennial generation covers a lot of ground — some of us grew up without Internet and cell phones, while others were plugged in from the start.

Locking down the habits, interests and cultural significance of the millennial generation seems to fascinate major organizations, media outlets and brands. So how does one term and definition define us all? It doesn’t. The gap between the millennial generation and generations before us can be obvious and easy to define, but the many varying characteristics within a generation can be a bit more complicated.

The obvious differences between generations X and Y, or the millennial generation, can be attributed to the fact that life was much different for each generation. Generation X grew up with far less technological capabilities than come standard today.

When devices eventually came on the scene, Generation X individuals witnessed the trial and error process, limited options, incredibly high prices and changing trends creeping into their adult lives. Some millennials caught the tail end of this experience and prove to have differentiating characteristics because of it — this generation within the millennial umbrella is know as the Oregon Trail Generation, micro-generation or xennials, essentially made up of those who spent their young adult lives learning about computers, technology and advanced games, such as the Oregon Trail. The original educational game was created in the early 1970s, but this generation most likely developed their serious computer skills on the mid-1990s edition of Oregon Trail II.

The Oregon Trail Generation is comprised of millennials born in the 1980s, who remember elementary school days of learning to type and use primitive programming. This generation grew up figuring out how to use the few computers with elementary-level operating systems available in the school computer lab developing basic tech skills.

Adolescents of the Oregon Trail Generation may have been in the lucky group of middle-class families obtaining a clunky computer device at home. Technology continued to grow and evolve as this generation within the millennial generation grew up with AOL, found Napster in their young adult years and social media way later for those on the cutting edge.

Growing up in this generation meant nothing was instantaneous. Connecting with friends in the Oregon Trail Generation meant chatting on the phone for hours after school — if they were lucky enough to have their own phone line — sending messages via AOL email and eventually Instant Messenger. Even texting came later in the game — in the late 1990s when the Oregon Trail Generation may not have even had a cell phone. Not until 1999–2000 could text messages be exchanged between networks, meaning talking in chat rooms to friends and strangers was a fun way to pass the time — after the dial-up internet connected, of course.

This generation of Oregon Trail users have a unique take on technology, connecting with individuals and communication that contributed to their values and point of view. Always experiencing the old-fashioned way of doing things first, from researching a term paper in the school library to purchasing music at the physical store, the Oregon Trail Generation saw firsthand the solution to problems they didn’t know they had. Just as this generation became teenagers interested in celebrity news, music and entertainment, the internet came along with easier ways to connect with friends and share information. Cell phones came into vogue as this generation was driving, going away to school and growing out of their adolescent and teen years.

One aspect of the Oregon Trail Generation’s upbringing that cannot be ignored is their lack of social media use. Possibly the last generation to grow up entirely without the constant connection through social media, the Oregon Trail Generation is an interesting example of its effects on young adults. In an Oregon Trail millennial’s earlier years, bullying had to be done face to face in schools as no one could hide behind their phone or computer and embarrassing pictures were taken at parties and only shared if they were printed or shown right from the source.

This all changed in early 2003–2004 when MySpace and Facebook came on the scene, meaning this generation is not completely unscathed by embarrassing moments on the internet as the then college-aged millennials took their first stab at social media.

While Oregon Trail millennials were using Napster to download music and remembering the time and effort they used to put into buying CDs at the store, the younger generation of millennials was quickly approaching.

Luckily for the Oregon Trail generation, the high school and, worse yet, middle school days were not shared on social media as their younger siblings may have experienced. Even millennials just five years younger have a completely different outlook on technology, social media and the pressure sharing and connecting can have on a day-to-day basis.

Being born in the 1990s meant the technology Oregon Trail users muddled through was already improved and at our fingertips. While our older friends and family members experienced the best of both worlds, such as simpler days and new-age tech, younger millennials were posting pictures left and right, texting, typing and running amuck on the internet, barely remembering how we got along before.

Many of us still played outside, had pick-up games and used the card catalogue at the library, but we probably didn’t show up at our friend’s houses unannounced asking if they could play or use pay phones as our Oregon Trail millennial counterparts did.

The generation within the generation shares quite a bit of insight on the incredible differences your childhood experiencesleaves on your adult life — our connection to technology, as some can take it or leave it while others are connected at the hip; those who want to disconnect on vacation and those who want to be more plugged in, this can all be attributed back to our adolescent use of the stuff.

Clearly, the early 1980s babies were on the cusp of important changes that essentially transformed modern life and society as we know it today. We may have vastly different experiences and characteristics, but the range of differences within the millennial generation just adds more depth to the generation as a whole.