What generation am I? A breakdown of each generation

Millennials (1977/1980/1981-1994/1995/1996/2000)

Current Age Range: 24-47

Formative Events: 9/11, 2008 Recession

Behind Baby Boomers, Millennials are probably the most-discussed generation currently living. Although originally called Generation Y (thanks to following Gen X), the term "Millennial" quickly took over after being introduced by Neil Howe and William Strauss in 1989. Despite being named after the turn of the millennium, however, the cut-off for Millennials is almost universally before that point.

With that being said, there is a lot of controversy over exactly when the Millennial generation starts and ends, which has prompted the creation of the terms "Xennials" and "Zillenials," to explain those who are on the cusp of different generations. Depending on what source you consult, the generation begins somewhere between 1977 and 1981, ending between 1994 and 2000. That's ten years of contested time!

Historically speaking, Millennials were often understood to be the younger generation, in contrast to Baby Boomers. However, all Millennials are now adults, which has made it more important to look at them in terms of their economic and political contributions.

In general, Millennials tend to personally remember 9/11, though they may not feel as personally horrified by it as their parents did. However, they do tend to have strong emotional responses to economic crises, as most were just entering the job market when the 2008 Recession hit.

Socially speaking, many Millennials feel disillusioned by the world, because they were promised that they could do anything they set their minds to, but quickly found out that wasn't true. Many Millennials were locked out of the housing market and trapped in student debt, which led to a rise in nihilistic thought.

Notably, despite making up about the same amount of the population as the Baby Boomers, the net worth of Millennials is only about 11% of what Baby Boomers hold. They are known for job hopping because they came into the workforce after the time of company loyalty, and though they potentially stand to inherit a lot of money from their parents, they also have more debt than any generation before them.

Because financial success often seemed out of reach, Millennials tended to re-prioritize, emphasizing personal fulfillment and values. They often make decisions about where they will work and where they will spend their money based on whether the company aligns with their values.

The last notable element of the Millennial generation is that they are not technically digital natives, though they do tend to be steadfast digital adopters. They spent their formative years during the rise of the Internet, but they probably didn't have much access to technology during their childhoods. They often had to learn how new technologies worked, since things were changing so quickly, which made them great at problem-solving.

Public Figures in this Generation: Beyonce, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Pete Buttigieg