It has become increasingly apparent to me that a lot of folks are still struggling to understand how old Millennials actually are and where to draw the line with the next generation. In fact, many people I encounter on the regular (that’s a delightfully Millennial way of saying “regularly,” for those of you who are unfamiliar) do not seem to realize that the next generation is already here.

 

In March, Pew Research Center decided where it would draw the line between Millennials and the next generation. Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 (that’s adults aged 22 to 37) qualifies as a Millennial, while anyone born after are part of the new generation commonly referred to as Generation Z.

 

For those of you who are having some trouble figuring out whether that young person you’re barking at for crossing the street while texting is a Millennial or a Gen Z-er (boy, that doesn’t roll off the tongue, does it?), here are a couple of handy guideposts: One is that most Millennials were old enough to understand the world-shaking significance of 9/11 when it occurred, or are at least likely to have some memory of the event. Generation Z isn’t likely to remember it at all. The other is that Millennials came of age during the Great Recession. The young adults among Generation Z now have the benefit of exiting high school in a strong economy.

 

It’s too soon to tell how these generations are inherently different, or if they are different at all. Do they share our affection for avocado toast? Our crippling need for strangers we have never met to validate our lives on social media? And, more importantly, will they help us put a lid on all these stereotypes?

 

Time will tell what will set them apart, but as the students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School have ignited a national movement for gun reform in America at an unprecedented scale, we at least know that this generation wields the strongest mastery over the Twitter-verse than any before them.

 

We may not yet know how Generation Z is different from the Millennial generation, but we do know quite a bit about Millennials, from the challenges they have faced to their prevailing attitudes. So perhaps now the better question is this – what can Generation Z learn from us?

 

Hopefully there are a number of things that, if they’ve been watching Millennials closely, Gen Z has learned to avoid. The big kahuna in this category is student loan debt. Realistically, this is pretty difficult for your average college-going student to avoid. But there are ways to try to prevent being stuck in their parents’ houses far longer than they would care for. For example: Taking a job during college. Thoroughly researching financial aid options. Comparison shopping schools and loan providers. Studying hard and participating in a lot of extracurriculars in high school so you’ll be primed for scholarships. In general, taking an active role in your future.

 

On the flip side, what positive lesson can the up-and-coming Gen Z impart from Millennials? Well, some might argue with me on this, but I’d say that movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, which have enacted positive social progression in this country, have been able to flourish in part because of the attitudes and social media-savvy of Millennials. Studies show that Millennials are more diverse and are educated in greater numbers. Combine these simple factors with our penchant for making things go viral via social media, and you’ve got a generation made for social progress. And, while we’ve been able to help spread the word about social issues that have long been suffered in silence, it already appears as though Gen Z might already be taking that strategy a step further.