There's a term for people born in the early 80s who don't feel like a millennial or a Gen X-er
Xennial is a term for the 'micro-generation' born between 1977 and 1985
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If you feel sort-of-but-not-quite like a millennial, and sort-of-but-not-quite like a Gen X-er, take heart: You might just be a Xennial. That's a term for the "micro-generation" born between 1977 and 1985.
The term was coined in 2014, by Sarah Stankorb in Good Magazine. Recently, people have started talking about Xennials again, with self-proclaimed members of this demographic waxing nostalgic about Oregon Trail and flip phones.
Merriam-Webster even labeled "xennial" one of its "words we're watching."
Below, Business Insider has outlined the defining characteristics of Xennials, and how they're different from the generations that came before and after them.
Xennials are a 'micro-generation,' born between 1977 and 1985.
This group has also been called the 'Oregon Trail Generation,' in reference to a popular computer game when they were growing up. Source: Social Media Week
Xennials were the first generation to grow up with household computers and have internet access. ('You've got mail!') Source: Social Media Week
Xennials are naturals at social media, though they grew up without Facebook, Twitter, or even MySpace. Source: GOOD Magazine
Many Xennials didn't get their first cell phone until they were in their 20s. Instead, they had to call their friends' homes and talk to their parents first. Source: GOOD Magazine
By the time Xennials were 20 years old, the music industry had changed completely. Instead of buying cassette tapes, you could download songs on Napster. Source: Social Media Week
Xennials aren't quite as cynical as the stereotypical Gen X-er, but also aren't quite as optimistic as the stereotypical Millennial. Source: Vogue
Xennials may have been hit hardest by the recession, because of a combination of student loan debt, job losses, and other factors. Sources: GOOD Magazine and CityLab
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Read the original article on Business Insider UK. © 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.
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