Public Service Announcement: Gen Z No Longer Views Millennials as Cringe

      There was a time when being a millennial was viewed unfavorably by Gen Z. Millennials faced mockery for their fondness for avocados and BuzzFeed listicles, as well as their obsession with determining which house they would belong to at a fictional wizarding school. You might recall this situation as it happened just last week. However, in a surprising turn of events, Gen Z has paused its constant jabs at millennials. Skinny jeans and side parts are making a comeback, along with a newfound acceptance of millennial quirks by Gen Z.

      If you're a millennial reading this and rolling your eyes while wondering, “How can millennials be ‘back’? They never went away,” and cursing the internet for yet another silly trend, I regret to inform you of a harsh truth. For years, millennials have been the target of Gen Z’s jokes. But thanks to a viral TikTok from my favorite millennial, Tinx, we are beginning to understand that millennials might have actually been right all along. Our criticisms of the older generation have been unjust, and Gen Z could benefit from adopting millennials’ sense of being unfazed by others' opinions.

      The primary critique Gen Z directs at millennials is labeling them as “cringe.” Frankly, I’m exhausted by a world where even the smallest mistake earns the “cringe” label. Gen Z’s fixation on “cringe” highlights their obsession with others’ perceptions. If you enjoy something, it shouldn't matter if it's deemed cringeworthy. Everyone finds something cringe-worthy based on their audience. I know that CrossFit enthusiasts view my pilates class ensemble, complete with a matching outfit, as cringy. And that's fine! I find them cringe too! Millennials have liberated themselves from the burden of others’ judgments, and Gen Z should take inspiration from that rather than make fun of their side parts.

      “Buying Jellycat stuffed animals, wearing bows, and declaring, ‘I’m a 23-year-old teenage girl,’ is no different from lamenting about ‘adulting.’”

      Didn’t we all recently applaud Timothée Chalamet’s refreshingly sincere speech at the SAG Awards? Being candid about your ambitions, interests, and identity—even if that means rejecting the latest trends—is exactly what millennials have been doing for years. Timothée likely understands this because he’s a millennial too. Authenticity, even when accompanied by a laughing emoji and an Instagram shot of friends enjoying bottomless mimosas at brunch, embodies the essence of millennials. We’re ready to admit that we care and simply be ourselves, regardless of external perceptions, making it understandable that Gen Z has begun to recognize millennials’ dedication to their style. It has taken some time, but it’s better late than never.

      Another aspect of the millennial identity that Gen Z loves to criticize and label as...you guessed it... cringe, is their reluctance to grow up. Certainly, there comes a moment when one should probably tone down their Harry Potter enthusiasm, but weren’t we just doing the same last year with our girlhood obsessions? Purchasing Jellycat stuffed animals, donning bows, and stating, “I’m a 23-year-old teenage girl,” resembles complaining about “adulting.” We all share the blind confidence every generation possesses in their youth. Millennials and Gen Z have more in common than they realize. We both grew up in the social media era, feel nostalgic for our simpler childhood days, are navigating our second Trump presidency as young adults, and will likely never possess a home. We should unite over these shared challenges rather than engage in a nonexistent rivalry over which generation is superior.

      “Millennials have liberated themselves from the burdens of others’ opinions. Gen Z should take notes, not mock their side parts.”

      It’s impossible to discuss the millennial-Gen Z rivalry without addressing how Gen Z delights in critiquing millennial fashion. And, Gen Z, this isn’t a battle you’re winning either. While millennials have largely committed to a style characterized by skinny jeans, booties, and t-shirts with a French tuck over the past decade, at least they’re not generating new micro-aesthetics weekly with bizarre names. The generation that introduced terms like “office siren” and “mob wife aesthetic” has no room to criticize.

      We’ve all chuckled at their business casual night-out outfits featuring bold necklaces, and now here we are, dressed as “old money clean girls” at the club, looking like we’re headed to work immediately afterward. While you might have to wrest a millennial’s high-waisted jeans away from them, at least they wear what they genuinely prefer. Unlike Gen Z, they’re not reshaping their identities each month to earn approval from strangers online based on the latest viral TikTok.

      Intergenerational bashing isn’t a new phenomenon. Women over 60 are constantly battling “Karen” stereotypes, and Gen Alpha will eventually have to account for making the