"Never Have I Ever" Star Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Breaks Down the Basics of Gen Z Slang

Millennials And Gen Z Are Both Living In A Digital Age

Millennials grew up during a time when the digital age didn't exist, but we watched it unfold and change the way the world communicates. The internet launched in 1993 and connected people to each other in a way no one could've expected (via NPR).

I remember when MySpace, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, LTK, Snapchat, and more popular apps launched — literally started from the beginning. Growing during as the digital age became what we know it as today, I can confidently say that Millennials and Gen Z are still finding our footing with all of the technology — and constant connection — at our disposal.

We both watched as social media and the algorithm change the way we think. We saw the rise of content creators and heavy politicized messages filtered to us. We doom scrolled and curated and shared and liked and kept trying to find the balance that would finally feel just right.

We're all in this very online experience together at the end of the day.

Millennials And Gen Z Value Flexibility

Going from my 20sto my 30s has seriously made me realize the flexibility I crave as a Millennial. It seems like I was born to look at certain parts of traditional ideals and go, "That's not going to work for me." It's even more evident now that I'm older and have found that my approach to my career and family life doesn't completely match what I was taught. And it's not that different for Gen Z either — check it out!

Approach To Careers

Over 80% of both Millennials and Gen Z believe it's important to work somewhere that gives us a sense of purpose. According to Deloitte, both generations also value work/life balance that doesn't require us to pretend that we don't have a life or other obligations outside of our jobs.

As a mom, this was one of the biggest issues I faced because I realized how much society doesn't make room for working parents. The amount of times I heard a random stranger say, "Parents should plan for one person to be at home" as if that solves the problem is ridiculous.

Whether we have families to raise, hobbies to juggle, or anything in between, it's clear that Millennials and Gen Z crave balance in their careers.

Views Of The Nuclear Family

Speaking of motherhood, I like to think Millennials and Gen Z aren't so different when it comes to our perspective of the nuclear family. Studies via Pew Research Center show we're not as judgmental about single-parent homes than prior generations, and that only 44% of Millennials were married in 2019.

This idea that families are supposed to look a certain way in order to be legit is something Millennials and Gen Z continue to raise their eyebrows at — and even scoffed at — but not because we don't value family. We're just less likely to stress ourselves out believing we're failing or behind because we don't have or want the traditional nuclear family model. Both generations approach relationships and family on our own terms.

Millennials And Gen Z Gravitate Towards The Same Pop Culture

Did you know almost half of Millennials love listening to music in our spare time (via Spotify), while 43% of Gen Z loves to stream it (via EMarketer) as well? It seems like music still makes the world go around.

Besides that, Millennials and Gen Z are still the driving force behind what's considered in or out in pop culture. Gen Z is usually regarded as being tastemakers on TikTok, but reporting from Ad Newsshows that Millennials are "...2.3 times more likely to be the ones fueling this online content engine by posting videos and tagging brands."

Basically, we're both moving the pop culture needle forward, consuming and driving the trends across platforms! So remind me, how different are we again?

Millennials And Gen Z Value Diversity And Inclusivity

I grew up during a time where certain internal biases were stated as facts and it was always handful of weird pills to swallow. I couldn't understand why I'd hear "Love thy neighnor" in church only to watch some of the same people blatantly treat the LGBTQ+ community in hellish ways. We could talk about what's in the Bible all day long, but I've never been a fan of picking and choosing who's worthy of being treated with love and respect.

It's clear I'm not the only one who rejects those notions, though. First of all, more young adults are identifying as queer than ever. In 2022, 19.7% of Gen Z and 11.2% of Millennials identified as part of the LGBT community compared to 3.3% of Generation X and 2.7% of Baby Boomers (Gallup).

Outside of sexual identity, there's also the racial aspect of how accepting Millennials and Gen Z are. According to reporting from Built In, 48% of Gen Z are racially diverse, and Millennials are 19% more racially diverse than Baby Boomers. This leads me to believe that both generations know that the world doesn't look a singular way — and therefore respect and understand that diversity even more than previous generations.

These shared qualities and values are just another way that Gen Z and Millennials are more similar than they are different at the end of the day. But in the ways we are different — well both generations would know how to celebrate that diversity, now wouldn't they? 😉

Millennials And Gen Z Aren't Fans Of Injustice

Compared to prior generations, Millennials and Gen Z have found ways to speak out against injustice. Both generations believe that systemic racism is still an issue in society (via Forbes) with 92% of Gen Z willing to be a part of public protests (via Oliver Wyman Forum). Despite the higher number of Gen Z that are actively participating in protests, Millennials have changed their tune.

Social justice organization, Points of Light discovered that 50% more of Millennials believe in civic engagement now that we're living in a post-pandemic era, which isn't hard to believe. We're in the midst of a great political, racial, and social reckoning that's causing more younger people to speak up than before.

A part of me is keeping hope alive that this Millennials vs. Gen Z debate doesn't take away from all of the ways we can align to continue changing outdated ideals and policies. It seems like together, we can create a positive change in the world around us.

What is the 4-day work week?

The 4-day work week erases the typical five-day, 9-5 work schedule most of us know (and loathe), leaning in favor of 32 hours of actual work time each week. The abbreviated hours warrant the same amount of pay that a 40-hour work week would, offering the likelihood of more employee retention and productivity for companies. For employees, the benefits lie in improved mental and physical health, reduced stress, and more personal time to take care of OOO projects or just relax.

Findings from a recent six-month 4-day work week trial across 61 companies in the UK report that 92% of the companies involved in the trial are officially implementing the shortened workflow. In this case, the companies reported significant decreases in employees’ sick days, personal days, and resignations compared to previous quarters. Despite impressions that a 4-day work week might harm productivity, revenues actually increased an average of 1.4% across the board.

Different companies have toyed with accomplishing the 32 hours over 4 or 5 days – but either avenue still suggests that reduced work hours provide positive changes.

Though some 4-day week studies were ongoing pre-COVID, there’s no doubting that the pandemic remarkably altered attitudes toward working, resulting in more curiosity about the shortened week. 2020 brought about a societal shift toward solely working from home – with this, workers uncovered the sheer power of a healthy work-life balance, and are seeking it to this day.

Work-Life Balance In The 4-Day Work Week

The 4-day work week lends itself to a generous work-life balance where employees can take care of themselves and the rest of life’s obligations more thoughtfully. Just imagine a world where every weekend is a 3-day weekend – you could finally take your car in for service without wasting a precious lunch break, or take your kid to the waterpark of their dreams, all without an endless stream of emails looming in the background.

This new framework comes at a time when workplace burnout is at an all-time high, pushing people who once cared a lot about their job to the brink of chronic stress or straight-up apathy – and neither one’s a good recipe for productivity. Burnout also persuades employees to prioritize themselves over mundane work tasks – another threat to companies’ KPIs.

We’ll see this self-before-work mindset become even more widespread as Gen Zinfiltrates the workforce, demanding flexibility and autonomy. But reduced work stress and more leisure time for employees of all generations could result in more positive mental and physical health outcomes, allowing them to perform more efficiently and effectively. The UK 4-day work week trial saw noteworthy reductions in burnout, stress, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep issues among workers, and suggests others outside of the study can feel the same.

Workplace Productivity And The 4-Day Work Week

According to Parkinson’s law, people work harder when given less time to do the work. This same idea applies to the 4-day work week. Some companies have seen productivity jump as much as 40% in comparison to that of a 5-day work week, without asking less of their employees. The quality of work getting done could potentially suffer, though, which is an aspect 4-day-curious companies should consider.

AI can also aid productivity within the shortened work week. Just like any new technology – like the invention of email or the iPhone – made work easier, AI can take the heavy-lifting out of day-to-day work tasks, sometimes shaving off hours or *days* off of total work time. This is a huge win for teams that seek success through efficiency and productivity.

Why not the 4-day work week?

The main arguments against implementing a 4-day work week is that less face-to-face interaction among teams will result in a less socialized work environment and a loss of office culture.

Though these potential outcomes exist, fresh faces in the workforce don't necessarily view them as negative. After all, Gen Z isn’t taking away office socialization and culture entirely, they’re just changing it. Office culture is rarely at the front of Gen Z minds, too – they’d rather work for companies that can exhibit their commitment to the issues their generation was cursed with, like climate change, sustainability, social justice, and diversity.

For Companies Considering A Shorter Work Week

The 4-day work week can benefit companies beyond just work. Along with offering insurance and retirement packages, company leadership and management can use the 4-day week’s strong appeal to draw in more talent. We saw this unfold when remote work became more of a thing, so it’s reasonable to predict that the flexible 4-day work week calls for more interest in the roles companies have to offer.

Companies can also leverage the shortened week towards their employee retention efforts. Employees want to work for companies whose ethos aligns with their own – and since the workforce has increasingly opted for anti-burnout solutions, they’ll want to continue working for companies that value their wellbeing.

Glinda & Elphaba from 'Wicked'

My jaw literally dropped when I saw two cosplayers in full head-to-toe costumes from the new Wicked movie. And when I say full costume, I mean it — people were having to step around Glinda because her ballgown was so big! If you're not so sure about a full gown, opt for a pink corset and mini skirt for G, or a little black dress for Elphaba, instead.

A white cap and a red cape? Babe, it literally doesn't get easier than this.

'Agatha All Along' Costumes

Agatha All Along is Marvel's newest hit show, and as a costume girlie I was so excited to see outfits from the series IRL! I was also shocked at how easy they are to recreate. Billy just wears a sweater and jeans (which you probably already have in your closet), while Agatha opts for a teal trench.

Scarlet Witch's Suit From 'WandaVision'

And of course it wouldn't be a comic con without dozens of Scarlet Witches! Wanda Maximoff is such a beloved character, it only makes sense that fans would wear full cosplays, or turn her iconic costume into a sweater & jeans look like I did! If you're feeling crafty like me, I was inspired by @MagicWithMeg's jeans and painted the design on a pair of black jeans. The only thing you'll want to note here is that I made sure to paint white on the base before the red — it made it stand out perfectly.

Obviously, I wore my Scarlet Witch shirt to meet Wanda herself, Elizabeth Olsen.

Winterfell will never go out of style! Reuse that red cape from The Handmaid's Tale costume, or go for a leather look. Either way, you'll look very stylish.

Megan

One pop culture costume that made me laugh out loud was M3gan from the 2022 flick of the same name. Buying the costume dress will save you a ton of hassle (meaning you can focus on scaring your neighbors), but all you need to recreate it is a khaki mini dress.

Anne and Marilla from 'Anne of Green Gables'

Anne of Green Gables is one of the stories I hold closest to my heart, and I was so excited to see a duo dressed up as Anne Shirley and Marilla Cuthbert! Especially since it's just an excuse to wear cottagecore dresses all Halloweekend long.

'Everything Everywhere All At Once' Costumes

Everything Everywhere All At Once costumes are so easy to recreate — and this Elvis costume x pink wig combo is simply too iconic to pass up. I'll take any excuse to have a bagel in-hand.

Princess Irulan and a Sandworm from 'Dune 2'

Dune 2 has a lot of iconic duos. Paul and Chani, Feyd Rautha and Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. But the combo I didn't expect to see at Comic Con was Princess Irulan and a sandworm. But now I need this tan dress and chainmail ASAP.

I also saw plenty of Hogwarts students during my time at NYCC, and Harry and Hermione are always a great choice for a Halloween costume. Grab some Wizarding robes — after you figure out your house of course.

Troy and Gabriela from 'High School Musical'

Troy and Gabriela might be the easiest couples's costume of all time. An East High jersey and a red mini dress are all you need! (Microphones not needed, but encouraged).

Glen Powell in 'Twisters'

White tee? Check. Cowboy hat? Check. Tiny, adorable dog? Check. My friend, you've got yourself a Twisters Halloween costume!

The 2015 Cinderella rewired my brain, and seeing someone show up to Comic Con in Lily James' gorgeous blue ballgown rewired it all over again!! If the full gown is too much, try our easy DIY Cinderella outfit instead!

Dressing up as a Jedi really just means wearing the most comfy Halloween costume ever. Just grab some leggings and wrap some fabric around your body and you've got an easy Rey costume for the holiday.

Baby Yoda

And in the Star Wars of it all, I also saw a baby dressed up as Grogu and I couldn't handle the cuteness! This onesie is a must.

The Powerpuff Girls

While I saw someone rock a Powerpuff Girls tee, you can also grab a matching set in blue, green, or pink to make this costume more screen-accurate.

A Camp Half-Blood Student From 'Percy Jackson & The Olympians'

I'd definitely consider Percy Jackson'sCamp Half-Blood my home away from home, and if you snag this camp shirt, you can wear it all the time — not just on Halloween. Grab some cosplay armor and your favorite pair of denim shorts and you can be a camper ready to fight evil!