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Someone asked what's the 'most Gen X thing' ever and the responses were awesome

"Hanging by the Blockbuster door to see if any good movies were returned."

swatch watch, gen x, garbage pail kids, blockbuster video, nostalgia,

A swatch watch, Blockbuster video, and pack of Garbage Pail Kids cards.

Every generation has collective experiences in its youth that help define it. Baby Boomers (1946 to 1964) had the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, and the Moon landing. Millennials (1981 to 1996) lived through 9/11, the Great Recession, and the social media revolution. What about Gen X (1965 to 1980)? In their youth, they experienced the fall of the Soviet Union, the rise of pop culture in the ‘80s, and Kurt Cobain’s suicide.

Gen Xers were also born in an in-between era after women entered the workforce and before the advent of helicopter parenting. They fell through the cracks and were often left on their own. That’s a big reason why they have a reputation for being resourceful and independent. They are also known to be a bit cynical and sarcastic, a trait that comes from the economic and social tumult they experienced as children.


The generation also occupies an interesting point in history where many Gen Xers had analog childhoods and digital adulthoods. This gives them an interesting perspective on the role that technology should have in our lives and a nostalgia for long summer days riding bikes without a phone in sight and staying outside until the street lights came on.

But what were some other Gen X experiences that other generations may not understand? A Reddit user asked the Gen X forum, “What’s THE most Gen X thing?” and over 5,000 people responded with memories of their childhoods that helped to define them.

15 of the ‘most Gen X’ things people have ever experienced

1. Whatever

"Whatever."

"I’m 46 and will take my jaded apathy to the grave, thank you very much. Now everybody leave alone cause everything sucks."

2. Taping songs off the radio

"I'm just on that border between Gen X and the oldest Millennials, but my sister is 8 years older than me. We would call the local rock station to request a song, then sit there with a tape at the ready to hit record as soon as they played our song. Repeat that about 10x and you've got a nice mixtape."

"I spent months making a tape that had 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston on repeat (both sides) and gave it to my stepsister as a gift. She listened to the whole thing, hoping for a different song. Cause she hated that one."

3. Arcades

"Video arcade. Before Gen-X, graphics weren’t good enough, and after Gen X, you’d play the games on your own home console. No other generation claimed them like we did."

"I remember being indignant when the first 50-cent games came out. What, you think I'm MADE OF MONEY?"


4. Being forgotten

"Never getting mentioned in the news. It always goes from Gen Z to millennials to boomers."

"My sister watched a video that was supposed to be about every generation from the greatest generation through Gen Z, and they left out Gen X. Just skipped right over that time period."

This is in reference to a news story that CBS News ran in 2019 about Millennials being the "burnout generation," where they put up a graphic of every generation from Silent to post-Millennials, now known as Gen Z, but they forgot to include Gen X. It was a perfect example of how Gen Xers have been ignored for years.



5. Music videos

"Watching MTV Headbangers Ball Saturday morning, ready to record on the VHS when my favourite bands came on."

"Yes, 120 Minutes- but also, Yo! MTV Raps."

6. Swatch watches

"With the rubber guard on the face."

"Swatch Guard, to keep you from telling time on the face with no numbers, of course. Yes, I had both at 14 in 1985."

7. CD cases

"Massive CD collections neatly stored in binders for easy access."

"Claiming shotgun in the car so you had access to the binder and could play DJ for the night."

8. Last generation to live without the internet

"Being old enough to remember (and appreciate) life before the Internet and cellphones but being young enough to transition into that world without a hitch."

"Old enough to remember life before the ubiquity of the internet (and computers to a lesser extent), yet young enough to still be able to understand newer tech like modern smartphones and computers."

9. The Young Ones

The Young Ones was a British comedy TV show that ran from 1982 to 1984, about four very different university students who each represented a different clique. There was Vyvyan the punk rocker, Neil the hippie, Mike the "cool guy," and Rick, the Mod-socialist. The show mixed gross-out comedy, surrealism, and political satire, and was a cultural phenomenon in England that became a cult classic in 1985 when it debuted on MTV.


10. Being unreachable

"Being the last unreachable generation. There were hours where no one knew where we were and our parents had zero way to contact us."

"Be home before the street lights are on."

11. Garbage Pail Kids

"I bought a pack once, and my mom thought they were Cabbage Patch Kid cards. When she saw them, she made me return them to the store!"


12. Blockbuster on a Friday night

"Hanging by the door to see if any good movies were just returned."

"Checking your answering machine messages to see if the video store called to say the movie you wanted was in."

13. Trapper Keepers

"I loved my Trapper Keeper. Everything fit in there, didn't need a bookbag."

14. Hypercolor shirts

"I sell the sh*t out of hypercolor shirts in my vintage store. I’m the only one who actually knows to look for them. The younger set is completely amazed by vintage hyper color."

15. Payphone scams

"Using a payphone to make a collect call with the intent of the call being declined. It's a messaging system that notifies your ride that you're ready to be picked up from the movies, where you watched Back to the Future. Or from the arcade where you just blew a roll of quarters on Super Mario Bros."

"Calling your out-of-town friend collect from a payphone to another payphone to avoid long-distance charges. Successfully did this with an overseas boyfriend, too."

"We used to call the payphone on the corner by 7-11 just to see who would answer."

This article originally appeared last year.

ideas, homelessness, prodigy, social work, solutions
Photo credit: @ribalzebian on Instagram

Ribal Zebian is going to test a house he designed by living in it for a year.

Ribal Zebian, a student from the city of London in Ontario, Canada, already made headlines last year when he built an electric car out of wood and earned a $120,000 scholarship from it. Now, he's in the news again for something a little different. Concerned with homelessness in his hometown, Zebian got to work creating a different kind of affordable housing made from fiberglass material. In fact, he’s so confident in his idea that the 18-year-old plans on living in it for a year to test it out himself.

Currently an engineering student at Western University, Zebian was concerned by both the rising population of the unhoused in his community and the rising cost of housing overall. With that in mind, he conjured up a blueprint for a modular home that would help address both problems.


Zebian’s version of a modular home would be made of fiberglass panels and thermoplastic polyethylene terephthalate (PET) foam. He chose those materials because he believes they can make a sturdy dwelling in a short amount of time—specifically in just a single day.

“With fiberglass you can make extravagant molds, and you can replicate those,” Zebian told CTV News. “It can be duplicated. And for our roofing system, we’re not using the traditional truss method. We’re using actually an insulated core PET foam that supports the structure and structural integrity of the roof.”

Zebian also believes these homes don’t have to be purely utilitarian—they can also offer attractive design and customizable features to make them personal and appealing.

“Essentially, what I’m trying to do is bring a home to the public that could be built in one day, is affordable, and still carries some architecturally striking features,” he said to the London Free Press. “We don’t want to be bringing a house to Canadians that is just boxy and that not much thought was put into it.”

Beginning in May 2026, Zebian is putting his modular home prototype to the test by living inside of a unit for a full year with the hope of working out any and all kinks before approaching manufacturers.

“We want to see if we can make it through all four seasons- summer, winter, spring, and fall,” said Zebian. “But that’s not the only thing. When you live in something that long and use it, you can notice every single mistake and error, and you can optimize for the best experience.”

While Zebian knows that his modular homes aren't a long-term solution to either the homeless or housing crisis, he believes they could provide an inexpensive option to help people get the shelter they need until certain policies are reformed so the unhoused can find affordable permanent dwellings.

@hard.knock.gospel

What to buy for the homeless at the grocery store. 🛒 Most people get it wrong. After being there myself, these are the survival items that actually matter 💯 The 2nd to last one is about more than survival—it’s about DIGNITY. We are all one circumstance away from the same shoes 🙏 SAVE this for your next grocery run. 📌 IG@hardknockgospel Substack@ Outsiders_Anonymous #homelessness #helpingothers #kindness #payitforward #learnontiktok

Zebian’s proposal and experiment definitely inspires others to try to help, too. If you wish to lend a hand to the unhoused community in your area in the United States, but don’t know where to look, you can find a homeless shelter or charity near you through here. Whether it’s through volunteering or through a donation, you can help make a difference.

gen x, gen z, generation jones, millennials, xennials, generational humor, language, slang
via @bluefranklin1/Instagram, used with permission

Which generation do you actually belong to?

New slang can sometimes sound like an entirely new language. In that case, having a translator can be helpful. Content creator Blue Franklin has bravely stepped up to provide this service, "translating" common words and phrases so that virtually any generation can understand what's being said.

In the video below, you'll see what we mean. Franklin takes a Gen Z word (such as "Ohio") and then provides the Millennial and Gen X equivalents: "weird" and "bogus," respectively.


It's surprisingly satisfying to have mind-boggling terms suddenly make sense (so that's what "skibidi" means) and to realize when you actually prefer the slang of other generations (legend > GOAT, sorry not sorry).

Here are the translations Franklin came up with:

Gen ZMillennialGen X
Touch grassGo outsideGet a grip
OhioWeirdBogus
SkibidiRandomOff the wall
RizzSwagGame
RizzlerPlayerMac Daddy
No capNo lieFor real
SusShadySketchy
GyattDumptruckBooty
Caught in 4KExposedBusted
MeatridingSimpingBrown-nosing
PressedButt-hurtBent out of shape
IYKYKYou had to be thereInside joke
CoreAestheticStyle
Bussin'BombDope
BetAightWord
Yeet!FTW!Booyah!
LooksmaxxingGlow-upMakeover
BruhBroDude
GOATIconLegend
Big yikesAwkwardOuch

Sure, there were some remarks about the accuracy of these, but it's important to remember that cultural shifts happen faster than an entire generation. That's why different eras within each generation may gravitate toward different words. It's also very possible for a slang word to originate in one era but become more commonly associated with a different one, like "bet," which was recycled from Gen X.

Regardless, the video was clearly for lighthearted entertainment purposes. And yet, one person nevertheless commented, "You're working hard to bring real peace among the generations."

Franklin has even more translations where that came from, and he often includes more generations than just Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen X. In the video below, he really spans timelines, going all the way from the Founding Fathers' era to Gen Alpha.

Leaving no stone unturned, Franklin has even decoded how each generation uses emojis.


Okay, this one has nothing to do with generational comparisons, but it's honestly the most informative one of the whole bunch. I can't believe I've lived all these years and never thought to use "😎🤏 😳🕶️🤏" for "excuse me?!" before. I most certainly will be remedying that immediately.

In case you were wondering, Franklin has already gotten a head start by translating Gen Beta slang, aka baby speak.

Whether or not you are 100% onboard with the accuracy, this is still a super fun way to see how, despite our differences in delivery, we're all really just saying the same thing. And that's pretty rad… or lit… or bussin' — whatever floats your boat.

kids, school, school days, school week, schedule, 4 day week
Unsplash

Many school districts are moving to a 4-day week, but there are pros and cons to the approach.

American kids have fewer school days than most other major countries as it is, which poses a big challenge for families with two working parents. In a system designed for the "classic" stay-at-home mom model, it's difficult for many modern families to cover childcare and fulfill their work obligations during the many, many holidays and extra days off American children receive in school.

Some school districts, in fact, are ready to take things one step further with even fewer instructional days: for better or for worse.


Whitney Independent School District in Texas recently made news when it decided to enact a four-day week heading into the 2025 school year. That makes it one of dozens of school districts in Texas to make the change and over 900 nationally.

The thought of having the kids home from school EVERY Friday or Monday makes many parents break out in stress hives, but this four-day school week movement isn't designed to give parents a headache. It's meant to lure teachers back to work.

Yes, teachers are leaving the profession in droves and young graduates don't seem eager to replace them. Why? For starters, the pay is bad—but that's just the beginning. Teachers are burnt out, undermined and criticized relentlessly, held hostage by standardized testing, and more. It can be a grueling, demoralizing, and thankless job. The love and passion they have for shaping the youth of tomorrow can only take you so far when you feel like you're constantly getting the short end of the stick.

School districts want to pay their teachers more, in theory, but their hands are often tied. So, they're getting creative to recruit the next generation of teachers into their schools—starting with an extra day off for planning, catch-up, or family time every week.

Teachers in four-day districts often love the new schedule. Kids love it (obviously). It's the parents who, as a whole, aren't super thrilled.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

So far, the data shows that the truncated schedule perk is working. In these districts, job applications for teachers are up, retirements are down, and teachers are reporting better mental well-being. That's great news!

But these positive developments may be coming at the price of the working parents in the communities. Most early adopters of the four-day week have been rural communities with a high prevalence of stay-at-home parents. As the idea starts to take hold in other parts of the country, it's getting more pushback. Discussions on Reddit, Facebook, and other social media platforms are overrun with debate on how this is all going to shake up. Some parents, to be fair, like the idea! If they stay-at-home or have a lot of flexibility, they see it as an opportunity for more family time. But many are feeling anxious. Here's what's got those parents worried:

The effect on students' achievement is still unclear.

The execution of the four-day week varies from district to district. Some schools extend the length of each of the four days, making the total instructional time the same. That makes for a really long day, and some teachers say the students are tired and more unruly by the late afternoon. Some districts are just going with less instruction time overall, which has parents concerned that their kids might fall behind.

A study of schools in Iowa that had reduced instructional days found that five-days-a-week students performed better, on average.

Four-day school weeks put parents in a childcare bind.

Having two working parents is becoming more common and necessary with the high cost of living. Of course—"school isn't daycare!" But it is the safe, reliable, and educational place we send our kids while we we work.

Families with money and resources may be able to enroll their kids in more academics, extracurriculars, sports, or childcare, but a lot of normal families won't be able to afford that cost. Some schools running a four-day week offer a paid childcare option for the day off, but that's an added expense and for families with multiple kids in the school system, it's just not possible.

kids, school, school days, school week, schedule, 4 day week In a 4-day model, kids often (but not always) receive less instructional time. Photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash

This will inevitably end with some kids getting way more screentime.

With most parents still working five-day weeks, and the cost of extra activities or childcare too high, a lot of kids are going to end up sitting around on the couch with their iPad on those days off. Adding another several hours of it to a child's week seems less than ideal according to expert recommendations.

Of course there are other options other than paid childcare and iPads. There are play dates, there's getting help from family and friends. All of these options are an enormous amount of work to arrange for parents who are already at capacity.

Working four days is definitely a win for teachers that makes the job more appealing. But it doesn't address the systemic issues that are driving them to quit, retire early, or give up their dreams of teaching all together.

@5th_with_ms.y

Replying to @emory here are my thoughts on my 4day work week as a teacher✨ #foryou #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #foryoupageofficiall #teachersoftiktokfyp #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #teachersbelike #teachertiktok #tik #tiktok #viralllllll #teachertoks #teaching #teacher #tok #viralvideo #teacherlife #viral #trendy #teacher #teaching #worklifebalance #worklife #publicschool #publiceducation #school #student

A Commissioner of Education from Missouri calls truncated schedules a "band-aid solution with diminishing returns." Having an extra planning day won't stop teachers from getting scapegoated by politicians or held to impossible curriculum standards, it won't keep them from having to buy their own supplies or deal with ever-worsening student behavior.

Some teachers and other experts have suggested having a modified five-day school week, where one of the days gets set aside as a teacher planning day while students are still on-site participating in clubs, music, art—you know, all the stuff that's been getting cut in recent years. Something like that could work in some places.

In any case, the debate over a shortened school week is not going away any time soon. More districts across the country are doing their research in preparation for potentially making the switch.

Many parents don't theoretically mind the idea of their busy kids having an extra day off to unwind, pursue hobbies, see friends, catch up on projects, or spend time as a family. They're also usually in favor of anything that takes pressure off of overworked teachers. But until we adopt a four-day work week as the standard, the four-day school week is always going to feel a little out of place.

This article originally appeared in February. It has been updated.

steven bartlett, job interview, diary of a ceo, hiring, interviews

Steven Bartlett, "The Diary Of A CEO."

Given today's shaky economy, things are tough for young job-seekers. The unemployment rate for those aged 16 to 24 climbed to 10.5% at the end of 2025, the highest it's been in four years.

There are many reasons getting a gig is tough for younger people right now: AI is eating up many junior-level jobs, tariffs have slowed U.S. manufacturing, and people are clinging to their current roles, creating fewer opportunities.


Although there's no surefire tactic for landing a job in today's tough economy, a recent LinkedIn post from Diary of a CEO podcast host Steven Bartlett sheds light on what employers are looking for in young workers. He recently hired a woman with zero experience because of the exceptional people skills she demonstrated in a job interview. Bartlett is a Dragon on the UK’s Dragon's Den (similar to Shark Tank in the U.S.) and the founder of Flightstory, a media, marketing, and investment company.


"I hired someone whose CV was two lines. Their experience was zero... this taught me a critical hiring lesson," Bartlett wrote. "Much of the reason why I gave her the job was because: She thanked the security guard by name on the way into the building."

She turned her weakness into a strength

In addition to showing exceptional conscientiousness by thanking the security guard, she leveraged her inexperience to highlight other aspects of her skill set. "When she didn't know something, in the interview she said, 'I don't know that yet, but here's how I'd figure it out.' After the interview, she went and self-taught herself the answer she didn't know, and emailed it to me within hours," Bartlett continued. "She sent a thank-you note. To everyone after the interview."

Six months later, Bartlett says she's one of the best hires he's ever made. "This is the lesson... HIRE THE HARD THING. By this I mean hire the thing that's hardest to teach," he wrote. "You can show someone how to do marketing in a few weeks, you can't teach them real EQ [emotional intelligence] in a few weeks."

interview, job interview, young woman job, interview suit, meeting the boss, young woman A young woman on a job interview.via Canva

Bartlett's post illustrates how, in today's world, companies place greater value on emotional intelligence, recognizing it as the special sauce that keeps an organization running smoothly. Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and manage one's own emotions and those of others.

The importance of emotional intelligence

"The importance of emotional competence comes from the observation in the business world, in academia, the military, and every human enterprise, that there are people who are highly competent in technical and analytical skills, but when they interact with others, projects stall," Ron Siegel, assistant professor of psychology at Harvard Medical School, told The Harvard Gazette. "I suspect that business leaders have realized that it's relatively easy to get technical expertise in almost anything, but to get people who can understand and get along with one another, that is a challenge. In many projects, there is a growing awareness that this skill is going to be the one that carries the day."

interview, job interview, young woman job, interview suit, meeting the boss, young woman A young woman on a job interview.via Canva

The post should offer some solace to young job hunters who lack experience but have strong emotional intelligence. A thin resume can be padded out by showing that you can be an incredible asset to the company culture.

"15 years of hiring has taught me that culture fit and character is MUCH harder to hire than experience, skills, or education," Bartlett wrote. "You can teach someone Excel in a weekend. You can't teach them to really give a sh*t about the work in a week."

Culture

Boomers share 17 pieces of helpful life advice for Gen Z

"We are here on this Earth to make life easier for each other and to have some fun. Let those things be priorities for you."

boomer, boomer, boomer advice, gen z, generation z, life advice

Boomers give life advice to Generation Z.

Baby Boomers and Gen Z are decades apart, and Boomers (born 1946 to 1964) have a lot of life wisdom to share with Generation Z (born 1997 to 2012).

Although they've often been compared and noted for their similarities, Boomers have decades more life experience. When asked to share their wisdom, they took to Reddit to offer sincere advice and life tips to Gen Z.


Here are 17 pieces of life advice Boomers have for Gen Z:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"Take care of your teeth. Take care of your teeth. Take care of your teeth. Take care of your teeth." - Birdy_Cephon_Altera

"First, on behalf of my entire generation, I sincerely apologize. Most of us were convinced we were doing the right thing. It turns out we weren't. Second, always be aware of what assets you are losing and what assets you are gaining. At twenty, the primary asset you are losing is your youth, so use it to its fullest. Run and swim and boink whenever you have the opportunity. The primary assets you are gaining will be some personalized combination of education (formal and informal), experience, and contacts (people who can solve problems and people who know what problems you can solve). This combination will change whenever you have some life event: a new city, a new job, a new skill or degree, a new relationship, a new family, and so on. Don't just let it happen: be purposeful about it." - Glade_Runner

"Accept that you will get old, but know that you don't have to act old. Also look after your teeth. Also just don't be a d*ck." - PM_THE_REAPER

"Count the clock that tells the time. Avoid time sinks by budgeting time ('I'm going to play for two hours then I'm going to fold the laundry.') If you're in a dead-end job, keep showing up but keep checking those job listings. If you're in a relationship that seems pointless, get the hell out of it. (There are far worse things than being alone.) If you enjoy the company of your parents, remember that your time with them might be half over already. I'm 60 now, and I can remember things that happened when I was twenty like they happened two weeks ago. It really, really, really does go fast." - Glade_Runner

"Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth, oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now, how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine. Don't worry about the future, Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing Bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. The kind that blindsides you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday. Do one thing every day that scares you. Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself.' Baz Luhrmann. I'd recommend reading the whole thing." - Scallywagstv2

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"It's something I would say to myself when I was 20, as someone highly depressed that thinks nonstop: 'imagine yourself what and where you want to be as a 70 years old'. All your life decision will be way easier and it takes way less energy to move forward." - Patacorta79

"Don't buy or rent within a 20 year flood plain. A stock or crypto currency is points until it hits your bank account. View every sexual encounter as an opportunity to support someone you have not met yet for the next 21 years and prepare accordingly." - ba14

"Learn how to free yourself from situations that hold you back. This is one of the most powerful adult skills of all. This world creates little mind traps that catch you: 'oh, I can't do this because I have to take of that,' or 'I'm losing the game because I never had a chance to bla bla bla.' Anytime you are feeling trapped, consider whether you are in an actual trap (e.g., you've been arrested or sued) or you're in a mental trap (e.g., you feel some obligation that you'd don't really believe in). It's not easy to bust yourself out of either kind of trap, but you'll get better at both of these as you get older. Really, you will. Things that seem soul-crushing at 20 can seem mildly annoying at 40 because you've worked out a set of attitudes and techniques to get yourself loose." - Glade_Runner

"Other people's opinion of you is none of your business." - jeffro14424

@hwhlpodcast

Are GenZ similar to boomers?? Listen to this weeks episode anywhere you get your podcasts or WATCH on YouTube! #comedy #genz #boomers #millenial

"Boozing is great fun, but only do it for a short while. When you get older and you're still boozing, you start hurting in your joints, you can't remember things, you get fat, your sex drive deteriorates, you lose enthusiasm for your hobbies, and everything seems miserable until you drink again. I speak from experience. Take care of yourself." - Hypogel

"Work hard (I mean invest yourself in your profession/skill/learning) and be true to your values for 3 years. Save 25 dollars a week in an account you can't easily access. Everything will be OK." - throwawayaspoon

"Define your own life. What 'success' so often means to people my age is part irrelevant, part immoral, and part unsatisfying. To hell with it. Decide what it is that you want and just work on that. You really don't have to prove anything to anyone: not to your parents, not to your boss, not to your peers. Define the things you want and just work on those things. It's astounding how many people my age spent their entire lives working for some creepy consumerist suburban fantasy life they didn't really want. They're miserable now, bitter, and loaded with debt and cancer. You don't have to make that same mistake." - Glade_Runner

"Keep your opinions to yourself - when you get to 35 you will regret pretty much everything you thought you knew in your 20s." - graeuk

@helsmcp

The two best bits of advice iv ever got from my boomer dad The rules of pulling a sickie and the hat rule for unwanted guests. #bestadvice #lifeadvice #lifehacks #millennialhumor #lols

"We are here on this Earth to make life easier for each other and to have some fun. Let those things be priorities for you." - Glade_Runner

"Open a ROTH IRA. Also take some funny money that you can afford to lose and take some wild chances. You might hit it big on the next Bitcoin or Amazon." - lonelysilverrain

"Learn about compounding interest. Start investing your money." - the-soaring-moa

"Give yourself a break. Take your time." - JohnnyRoanoke