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Millennials and Gen Z ditched top sheets much to the dismay of older generations. So who's right?

Team duvet or team top sheet?

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A woman pulls up her bed sheet

GiphyOnce again, the youngins are flabbergasting the older generations with their disregard for once-important things they now deem unnecessary. There's always something that gets dropped or altered generation to generation. We learn better ways or technology makes certain things obsolete. But it doesn't matter how far we've come, our beds still need sheets to cover the mattress.

The debate is on the use of top sheets, also known as flat sheets. They're the sheets that keep your body from touching the comforter, most Gen X and Boomers are firmly for the use of top sheets as a hygiene practice. The idea being that the top sheet keeps your dead skin cells and body oils from dirtying your comforter, causing you to have to wash it more often.

Apparently, Millennials and Gen Zers are uninterested in using a top sheet while sleeping. In fact, they'd rather just get a duvet cover, though they may be cumbersome. A duvet cover can be washed fairly frequently, but some may opt for a simple comforter, a cheaper option that should be washed even more often. Still, many young people don't care how much more frequently they'll need to wash their comforters because their distain for a top sheet is that strong.

top sheet, flat sheet, bedding, duvet, generations, millennials, Gen Z, hygiene, sleep, making the bed A woman snuggled up in her duvet coverCanva

But why on earth do Millennials and Gen Zers hate top sheets? It turns out it's mostly about practicality. Many Millennials are on the move holding a full-time job and a side hustle or two to make ends meet. To add an extra step when making the bed seems unnecessary.

“For a younger demographic, eliminating that step when making the bed in the morning really gives you a jump start on the day," Ariel Kay, CEO of Parachute tells Wall Street Journal.

Parachute is a company that offers bedding sets sans top sheets for folks who just don't like them and, boy, has Kay heard everyone's unsolicited opinions on the matter. She told WSJ that people will stop her on the street to get into debates about the importance or unimportance of top sheets. Yikes.

top sheet, flat sheet, bedding, duvet, generations, millennials, Gen Z, hygiene, sleep, making the bed Feet poking out from under the coversCanva

In a since deleted tweet, @JesseLynnHarte writes, "People say millennials “killed” chain restaurants, marriage, & napkins... But WHEN will they acknowledge our greatest take-down yet?? TOP SHEETS. I don’t know a single millennial who uses one. Top sheets are archaic. This is just the truth."

It would seem that Millennials and Gen Z would much rather wash their duvet covers weekly than to add a flat sheet into the mix. One big complaint about the flat sheet that adds another con to the list is they get bunched up or tangled around your legs if you're a restless sleeper. Not everyone likes hotel tucked corners on their sheets because it can feel confining.

top sheet, flat sheet, bedding, duvet, generations, millennials, Gen Z, hygiene, sleep, making the bedGif from "New Girl" of woman trying to make the bed via Giphy


But if you run hot, Boomers and Gen Xers might be onto something with the top sheet. It would seem that that thin piece of material that irritates some people can help control your body temperature according to USA Today. Even if you don't tend to need the cooling effect of a top sheet, what Mary Johnson, Tide Principal Scientist at Procter & Gamble has to say in a USA Today follow up article, just may make you rethink ditching the top sheet.

Simply by existing, "people produce one liter of sweat, 40 grams of sebum, 10 grams of salt, and 2 billion skin cells. All that stuff that happens below the waist [and] up by your head—skincare products, hair care products, ear wax, snot, drool, lots of really gross stuff—is transferred to your sheets," Johnson tells the outlet.

So whether you're team top sheet or not, it may be a good idea to at least wash whatever you use to cover your bed at least once a week.

@goodhousekeepingofficial

We asked the #GoodHousekeeping team what they really think about #topsheets, and the answers might surprise you. 😆 Keep watching to find out where everyone stands in this epic #bedding #debate.

This article originally appeared earlier his year.

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People swear by the unusual 'Solid Snake' conversation trend to conquer social anxiety

It's actually an easy Japanese active listening trick.

Canva Photos & Konami

People have found a really great active listening technique in a super strange place.

There is an art to being a good listener. Physically using your ears to hear what someone is saying, and your brain to process it, is only part of the battle. You also have to show the person you're talking to that you're listening and that you care. Asking questions is a great way to keep the conversation flowing and let your talking partner know you're engaged. But what if you're socially anxious, shy, or just can't think of anything to say? It's harder than it seems, especially when meeting new people!

The solution is easy. Just take a page out of Solid Snake's book. Who's Solid Snake? Just a former Green Beret, special ops solider, spy, assassin, and the protagonist of the popular Metal Gear Solid video games. You might wonder what the heck Solid Snake, aka David, knows about active listening. It turns out, quite a lot.

The "Solid Snake conversation method" is taking the world by storm. It's part trend, part meme, and 100% effective.

conversation tips, social anxiety, small talk, socializing, etiquette, politeness, introvert, video games Solid Snake is here to help your social anxiety! Giphy

You don't need to know anything about video games to understand where the method comes from. Suffice it to say, Metal Gear Solid is a plot-heavy game series, full of cut-scenes that feature lots of dialogue and exposition.

It's become a bit of a joke in the gaming world that Snake, a man of few words, tends to fall back on one particular conversational technique over and over: He repeats, or echoes, bits of what the other characters say. It adds emphasis to important points, creates good conversational pacing, and allows the plot and dialogue to continue on smoothly.

Here's a (made up) example:

"Snake, we've got to get the blueprints!"

"The blueprints?"

"Yes, the bad guys are constructing a devastating bomb!"

"A bomb?"

"Indeed! You'll find the prototype in that bunker over there."

"A bunker?"

You get the idea. You can watch it in action here.


- YouTube www.youtube.com

Why does this random video game character speak in this strange cadence? And why are people stealing it to use in real life?

You might think this dialogue is just a clunky tool for exposition or the result of bad writing, but you'd be wrong!

The Metal Gear Solid games are written and developed in Japan by a team led by legendary developer Hideo Kojima. Though translated into English and created in part for an American audience, the games feature a lot of bits and pieces of Japanese culture.

Frequent repetition and conversational echoes are extremely commonplace in Japanese. It's part of a polite active listening technique called "Aizuchi," which refers to frequent interjections to show interest, engagement, reassurance, and politeness.

Aizuchi includes interjecting with words or phrases (or their equivalents) like "I get it," "Yeah," "Really?" or even repeating back parts of the original speaker's words, a la Solid Snake.

According to Niko Smith at FluentU, "Perhaps you already use some of these interjections in conversation. While your friend is [telling you a story]... you might nod a few times or throw in a surprised 'No way!' or 'What happened next?' [Aizuchi] works in a similar way, but it’s more relentless. As the listener in a conversation, you might find yourself doing just as much talking as the speaker."

Smith adds that in America, young people are often taught specifically not to interrupt or speak while someone else is talking. In Japan, doing so frequently—in the right way—is a sign of respect and interest.

Better yet, Aizuchi doesn't require the listener to be particularly brilliant in conversation, charismatic, or creative. Even socially awkward people, or anyone who clams up in social situations, can muster a few polite interjections!

This technique exists outside of Japanese culture, too. In fact, it's a well-known wat to keep conversations flowing effortlessly, give you time to think about what you're going to say, and make your conversation partner feel heard and appreciated.

It's no surprise that people familiar with the game have been trying the technique in real life for years. In 2023, a viral 4chan post helped popularize the idea, and more recently a (now deleted) post on X went super viral referencing how effective the "Solid Snake conversation method" is for meeting new people.

The technique is hitting home with young people, especially gamers and the chronically-online, which makes for a really productive and much-needed discussion.

Gen Z has grown up with social media taking the place of many in-person interactions, screens everywhere, and of course, the COVID years. All of these factors affect the way they communicate with each other, especially in real life:

Maddy Mussen writes for The Standard, "Gen Z slang is all about shutting people out. It’s an inside joke, the more unintelligible the better. It’s in keeping with its etymology. When your whole modus operandi is being exclusionary, it doesn’t make for a lot of meaningful conversation."

It would be an unfair blanket generalization to say young people only speak in brainrot and have no idea how to operate in the real world. But Gen Z is racked with social anxiety to a far greater degree than previous generations. They need all the tools and practice they can get when it comes to operating in the real world and speaking to people they don't know well.

If they, or anyone else, can take a useful tip from their favorite video game character, there's nothing wrong with that at all.

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Millennial asks Gen Zers what they do for fun, and the answers are surprisingly different

There's something very different about Gen Z.

@ashleyteacozy/TikTok

Every generation has it's own flavor of fun

The coming of age era known as your twenties are a time for experimentation, branching out, learning about different aspects of yourself, and of course, having stupid fun.

Of course, every generation's definition of fun varies. Just what might Gen Zers, those who navigated their teenhood through TikTok and basically came of drinking age during a global pandemic, do to elicit feelings of fun?

Thirty-two year old (read: millennial) Ashley Tea wondered this very thing. In a video that went viral on TikTok in late 2023, she shared "I genuinely think millennials got to have a way better time than Gen Z does."

Millennials are already nostalgic about how they used to have fun

Tea then reminisced about her own experience of being “an emo kid in 2005,” going out to clubs, bars, and restaurants with her friends having a “fun, great, trashy” time.

That simply wouldn’t be financially feasible in today’s economic landscape, Tea noted, leaving her “mystified” as to how today’s college-age adults might enjoy themselves.

So again, Tea posed the question: “it's a Friday night, a Saturday night…What do do? Where do you go?”

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials gen z, cheap things to do for fun, fun activities @ashleyteacozy/TikTok

Thousands of Gen Z people responded with how they have fun and their answers were unexpected

The responses to Tea’s question were illuminating, to say the least—and certainly different than how she spent her early 20s.

For starters, Tea’s joke about “Gen Zers not having any fun at all” rang true for many people of that age group.

“As a 23 year old: I don’t have any fun, hope that helps!” quipped one person.

Another joked, “sometimes I sit outside if I'm feeling extra.”

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials "Sometimes I sit outside if I'm feeling extra." @ashleyteacozy/TikTok

One obvious factor behind this is finances. With everything being far more expensive, many Gen Zer’s simply cannot afford to have a social life that resembles earlier generations.

“As a 21 year old, the economy makes it difficult to have fun that way, I work 40 hours weekly and I’m either too tired or can’t afford it,” one person wrote.

Another reason, which isn’t maybe as obvious, is surveillance. Tea noted that a lot of young people said that since either of their “parents can track their phones everywhere,” they are deterred from doing things that could get them into trouble. Perhaps that’s a win for safety, but there is something to be said about excessive levels of control.

Then of course there’s the pandemic, which sucked the fun out of everything big time

“I got ROBBED of my early 20s bs COVID started when I was 22 😭 Nwo things are normal but all the good bars and clubs in my area didn’t survive the lockdown,” one person wrote.

Plus, there's a lack of third places to gather, leaving very little options beside staying home and scrolling on TikTok.

However, it’s not all gloom and doom, Tea discovered.

@ashleyteacozy

im genuinely curious

For one thing, Gen Zer’s don’t “glorify binge drinking” nearly as much as Millennials and Gen Xers. According to a 2020 study held at the University of Michigan, many are forgoing booze entirely. Part of this comes down to Gen Z prioritizing health and wellness more than previous generations, and another part is the cost.

When Gen Zers do actually have fun, it tends to lean towards more wholesome activities, like house parties (sometimes even themed house parties) and crocheting. Lots and lots crocheting apparently.

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials Grocery stores are the new clubs. @ashleyteacozy/TikTok


Then there's self care, which genuinely is fun:

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials Love that self care is considered entertainment these days. @ashleyteacozy/TikTok


As promised, crocheting and taking care of one's body are really all the rage with Gen Z:

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials Fitness groups are a new way people are finding friends @ashleyteacozy/TikTok


And who doesn't love a good coffee shop?

gen z, cheap things to do, fun, fun activities, millennials Fitness groups are a new way people are finding friends @ashleyteacozy/TikTok

Though of course, hanging out in coffee shops isn't exactly anything new.

coffee shop, third space, friends, tv, young people, college age The F.R.I.E.N.D.S. get it. Giphy

So maybe things look quite a bit different for Gen Z than Millennials or other generations

That’s not entirely a good or bad thing, and it’s definitely to be expected in some ways. The struggle of rising costs and limited opportunities to form connections and have fun are undeniably issues that must be addressed. But the fact that Gen Zers are leaning into their creativity is worth noting too. If nothing else, it makes it clear that even though it might not look like it, there is still fun to be had.

Now, I wonder what Gen Alpha's young adult fun will look like in a few year's time? If their slang is any indicator, it's going to be weird. And, honestly, more power to them.

@damonsharpe

Gen Alpha Slang the complete guide 🤓 all our viral videos in one! The latest slang at the end! ##genalpha #genalphaslang @Charlie Belle

This article originally appeared on 1.12.24. It has been updated.

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A woman perfectly demonstrates 'singing in cursive' and it has people rolling

"Get over it mom. This is just what Gen Alpha sounds like."

Photo Credit: Canva

A woman sings. A man is perplexed.

In the last few decades, singers from all across the world began implementing an affect into their voice that was a bit baffling, even to musicologists. It was enticing to some and hilariously annoying to others. But what experts are calling "singing in cursive" doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon.

Comedian and actress Manon Matthews makes videos where, among other things, she does impressions of this style. One, in particular is a clip in which she perfectly encapsulates singing in cursive, after hearing a cover of The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields" in her yoga class.

Don't adjust your screen or glasses. The following is an attempt to translate as she sang it: "Let me take you dowwwwrrrn cuz I'm goirning toooy Strawburrrrry faaailds (reverb). Northing ish reaurrrllll (reverb). Nottting to gert horm aboiiit. Strawberry fails fo ervaww."


The comments—and there are over a thousand—are equally hilarious. One person writes, "I didn't know Bjork sang the Beatles." Another jokes, "The horror of the vowels!"

But another approaches it from their child's point of view. "My 11-year-old listens to musicians who ALL make those weird pronunciations and I cannot for the life of me make those sounds with my mouth! She just rolls her eyes and says, 'Get over it mom, it's just what Gen Alpha sounds like.'"

Just a few months ago, writer Megan LaPierre noted, "The stylistic choice to sing with 'elongated vowels, clipped consonants and run-on phrasing,' as musicologist Nate Sloan has put it, refuses to die. After initially making their debut as a nervous teenager covering blink-182 in the middle of a mall in 2013, Halsey is still going strong, while Olivia Rodrigo has been holding down the fort for Gen Z's new class of pop goils," in her article for Canadian music magazine exclaim!

She further notes that the origin of the style is debatable. "Sure, cursive singing's long, diverse history covers numerous parts of the world—my colleague is convinced Icelandic Björk was the impetus; others theorize Amy Winehouse as the British source code, while Australian pop star Tones and I is a top late-2010s offender."

@allanthedoll

What’s your Number One? #cursivesinging

A few years back Vice tackled the topic with an interesting timeline for when and how these indie-folk/new pop (mostly) musicians began this fad. Writer Jumi Akinfenwa shares, "First coined by Twitter user @TRACKDROPPA back in 2009, writing 'Voice so smooth its [sic] like I’m singing in cursive..,' the term was interpreted to be in reference to Corinne Bailey Rae and Amy Winehouse, whose nostalgic but modern combination of jazz and vocal fry dominated the late 00s and has dominated pop music over the years since (think Sia, Lorde, Shawn Mendes and Billie Eilish)."

They further explain, "The final result is what we now know to be cursive singing or 'indie singing' – a style characterized by diphthongisation, wherein vowel sounds are stretched beyond what is necessary. The typical cursive vocal will resemble a child mid-tantrum trying to articulate their distress but ever so slightly missing the mark, with many phrases being incomprehensible. For example, 'flood' becomes 'floyuid,' 'time' becomes 'toyiuem,' and so on. In layman’s terms, these singers are doing the most."

In a piece for The Guardian, Deputy Opinion Editor Matthew Cantor claims that while the trend has "also been called 'indie girl voice,' there are plenty of non-indie, non-girls who do it, including Mendes, Justin Bieber and John Legend. Even Bob Dylan—not typically considered the most mellifluous vocalist—has used elements of cursive singing, according to the singer and YouTuber Yona Marie."


singing, music, style, indie, voice A woman sings some notes. Giphy Becky G

I once read that the over-pronunciation of "R" sounds in the words was British and Australian singers trying to sound more American. The Americans and Canadians then ironically began copying the style, creating an endless loop all around the 'wirreolld.'"

On the subreddit r/singing, the OP asks, "Why does everyone sing in cursive now?" Some suggest it comes from jazz or R&B roots. This Redditor theorizes simply that, "They do it to sound emotional and raw."

One funny comment mocks the idea of even questioning trends in the first place: "You, circa 1850: why is everyone singing bel canto now? It’s awful and I don’t get it. Why can’t they just sing marcato or folk style properly?"


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