Millennials didn’t just give us selfies and oat milk. No, they created a bunch of weird habits that Gen Alpha now thinks they invented, even though these habits had a whole life before TikTok. Here are thirteen habits that Millennials passed on to Gen Alpha. Which of these have you seen Gen Alpha doing before?
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Turning Side Hustles Into Regular Life
Millennials didn’t wait around for a dream job, and they were the first generation to sell lesson plans or run shops from their bedrooms. Somewhere between needing extra income and wanting more control, side gigs just became a normal part of life. Their kids now think it’s just how work…works. They saw it happening around them since they could walk.
Using Humor to Avoid Serious Conversations
It’s no secret that Millennials didn’t always say how they felt, and they joked about things by saying things like, “Totally fine, just having a breakdown.” It came out a lot easier than “I’m overwhelmed.” Gen Alpha picked that up, and you’ll hear them making light of a difficult situation, although they’re not trying to shock anyone. That’s just how they learned to deal.
Normalizing Therapy Talk At Home
However, therapy stopped being hush-hush around Millennials, as they posted about it and talked about it quite honestly. They didn’t act weird when someone else mentioned going. Kids growing up in that environment picked up that therapy didn’t have to be taboo, and they use terms like “burnout” and “regulate” regularly. They don’t think it’s strange to talk about feelings.
Using Life Hacks
Millennials didn’t want to do anything the long way, and if there was a faster trick or shortcut, they used it. They watched YouTube tutorials and followed “hack” accounts to save themselves 20 seconds. Now, Gen Alpha thinks everything has a shortcut, and they see following life hacks as a normal part of solving any problem. They’re always looking for the faster way.
Scheduled Self-Care
There was a point where Millennials stopped saying that they’ll relax when they have time, and they started blocking off breaks. This is a generation that fell in love with going on solo walks and having phone-free Sundays. Gen Alpha picked up this same idea relatively quickly, and they plan break days without asking because this stuff isn’t extra to them.
Building Identity Around Niche Interests
When Millennials stopped following high school rules about popularity, they started creating friendships based on hyper-specific things. These included indie games and book fandoms. Now, Gen Alpha isn’t trying to fit in with whoever’s nearby, and they’ve begun bonding over their niche interests, no matter how niche they are. They don’t care.
Avoiding Phone Calls Unless Absolutely Necessary
Millennials made avoiding phone calls completely normal, and they’d let their phone ring, then stare at the screen. Later, they’d text back. It was less of a form of shyness and more just how it worked once texting took over. No wonder that Gen Alpha is already fluent in this. They’d rather send 13 messages than have a two-minute call.
Taking Pictures of Food Before Eating
Millennials made taking pictures of your food weirdly mandatory, and they’d hold up dinner for five minutes just to get the right lighting. It shouldn’t be surprising that their kids are total professionals with this, too. A Gen Alpha kid will pause before biting into a donut, as they’re thinking about which angle would look best.
Leaving Water Bottles Half-Drunk All Over the Place
If you ever open a Gen Alpha kid’s backpack, you’ll probably find three mystery bottles, each with exactly two sips left. That’s a classic Millennial habit. This generation was the original reusable bottle hoarders, which somehow evolved into everyone having half-full drinks on every surface. Honestly, it’s kinda annoying.
Defaulting to Screens Instead of Silence
Millennials hated quiet so much that they invented background noise apps that played rain sounds or lo-fi playlists. They always had something playing. These days, Gen Alpha has YouTube open just to hear someone whisper while they do math, which is totally normal now. You simply can’t do a worksheet without a soundtrack.
Saying “I’m Just Bad at Math” as a Personality Trait
For Millennials, being bad at math is a part of their identity, and they’d mention it in job interviews as if it made them special. Gen Alpha caught that early. Now they say stuff like “I suck at division” before even starting the problem, which isn’t because they’re frustrated. It’s just how they talk about school now.
Treating Coffee as a Ritual
Although they weren’t the first generation to drink coffee, Millennials did build a religion around coffee. Iced, oat-milk, frothy, it didn’t matter because that morning cup was rather important for them. Gen Alpha is doing the same with their own versions. It’s hot chocolate with whipped cream or strawberry milk with boba, perhaps even apple juice in a fancy cup.
Googling First, Asking Later
Millennials were the ones who started Googling stuff in the middle of conversations, as it was rather efficient. Nowadays, Gen Alpha doesn’t even think about asking someone first. Whether they need to spell something or how long penguins live, they’ll go straight to the search bar. It doesn’t matter if Mom’s sitting right there.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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