Do Millennials look younger than Gen Zs? and other unnecessary arguments
Common sense says that some individuals might look older or younger than their actual age, irrespective of whether they are Millennials or Gen Zs.
What you need to know:
- A social media video about a young man being mistaken for older sparked a heated debate about generational appearances.
- I was repeatedly mistaken for an undergraduate student while in graduate school at age 25, including awkward encounters with professors who assumed I was much younger than my actual age.
- Whether about age, skin colour, weight, or height, people should not let societal arguments about appearance define their identity or self-worth.
There has been a simmering war just a little below the surface. The war is the kind that a classist literature enthusiast would dismiss as a storm in a tea cup. I stumbled upon this so-called war through a playful Instagram video.
In the hilarious 90 seconds video, a guy said he is 26 but he is always mistaken for being older. He attributed this to modern-day stress, which he said surpassed what previous generations endured at his age. He joked that when he hangs out with his mum, people think his mother is his younger sister.
Similarly, when he says he is going to spend time with his family, people think he means his wife and children – he has none. I laughed because I genuinely still believe that he was making a joke. Because who would mistake his mother for his junior sister? Well, some people in the comment section seemed to get tasty but a majority understood the humour and moved on.
Similar memes occasionally appear on my social media feed. I rarely dwell on these claims because common sense says that some individuals might look older or younger than their actual age, irrespective of whether they are Millennials or Gen Zs. Surely, even the Silent Generation has its fair share of individuals who appear youthful or aged beyond their years. Any historians out there? Please set the record straight! It’s akin to the concept of “old souls” used to describe young people who exhibit remarkable maturity. Such traits, I’m certain, have existed across time and space.
Well, on a few social media pages in Kenya, the war about Millennials looking younger than Gen Zs seems to have become vile! And don’t get me started about the influence of perception and the factors that drive it because we will need to have an actual sample size on which to conduct an empirical study in order to arrive at any conclusions, preliminary or otherwise.
But for as long as it stays a debate between what I think versus what the other person thinks, we may have to make peace with the fact that everyone has their own reality. The endgame, however, should be to steer clear jibes and barbs towards each other.
First Year student
The first time I met my academic mentor in graduate school, she mistook me for a First Year undergraduate student. I remember walking into her office and as soon as I told her my name and that I was assigned to her as a mentee, she went on to tell me about all the volunteer opportunities I can take up in the relevant clubs.
I sensed something was amiss but only confirmed when she mentioned that if we established a strong mentor-mentee relationship, I maintained a good GPA, and she vouched for me, I could approach her for a glowing recommendation letter when applying for graduate school. I was amused and worried at the same time. I looked for the best possible tone to use to inform her that I was in graduate school, not an undergraduate student. When I did, she apologised and said something along the lines that I look so young, she automatically assumed I was a First Year student. For context, most First Year university students in Kenya are 19 years old. I was 25.
I had many such experiences throughout graduate school – including my last month at the school when I went to collect signed copies of my thesis from the head of department. When I stepped into her office, the then head of department told me we needed to reschedule because she had another meeting with a graduate student. I told her I was there for a scheduled meeting to collect feedback and signed copies of my thesis. The lovely holder of a Doctor of Letters, laughed calmly at herself and said she thought I was the representative of the journalism club.
Undergraduate
At some point, I worried that I needed to wear heals or stop smiling so I am not mistaken for an undergraduate student. Does anyone take me seriously if they keep thinking I am an undergraduate? The good news is that the fact that anyone thought I was an undergraduate did not turn me into an undergraduate, neither did it erode my qualifications to be in grad school.
Well, I know that age is sometimes sensitive for women in particular but for whatever its worth, I hope that this article is the reminder you needed to always separate unnecessary arguments from who you really are. Age, skin colour, weight, height — whatever the argument, don’t let it define you.
The writer is the Research & Impact Editor, NMG, [email protected]
