What Happened to Gen Y? The Forgotten Middle Generation
Who Is Gen Y, Anyway?
Also called Millennials, Gen Y includes people born roughly between 1981 and 1996. They came after Gen X and before Gen Z — basically, the kids who grew up with cassette tapes and ended up coding websites on iPhones. Kind of a wild ride, honestly.
They were promised the world — or at least a decent salary and job security. But... something shifted along the way.
Economic Wreckage: The Double Whammy Generation
The Great Recession hit at the worst possible time
Many Gen Yers graduated around 2008–2010, right into the global financial crisis. That meant record student debt, scarce jobs, and rock-bottom wages. They were told “just get a degree” — and then watched as degrees became almost worthless in the job market.
A lot of them took unpaid internships. Some moved back in with parents. And even now, a chunk are still catching up financially. It’s like trying to sprint with a broken ankle.
Then came the pandemic
Just when they were finally gaining ground — boom, COVID-19. Jobs lost (again), businesses shut down, dreams delayed. Especially for those in creative industries, hospitality, or entrepreneurship.
It’s no wonder Gen Y developed a love/hate relationship with hustle culture. Or just... burnout.
The Tech Whiplash Generation
From dial-up to TikTok — all in one lifetime
Gen Y saw the birth of the internet, but also social media’s takeover. They were the last to play outside without phones and the first to create MySpace profiles. They've lived through floppy disks and the cloud.
They helped build the digital world — and now feel like it’s sprinting past them.
Oh, and remember when you needed a .edu email to join Facebook? Gen Y does. Now they’re watching Gen Z create viral TikToks at 19 while wondering how to fix their LinkedIn profile.
Social Identity and Shifting Values
Disillusioned, not lazy
They were called “lazy” and “entitled” for wanting work-life balance and meaningful jobs. But truth is, Gen Y just stopped believing in the old playbook.
Buy a house? With what savings?
Work 40 years for a pension? What pension?
Stay at one company forever? Lol.
Many turned to freelancing, gig work, startups, or just... quietly quitting toxic work environments. Not because they’re flaky — because they’ve seen too much instability to pretend it’s not real.
Mental health, loud and proud
Unlike previous generations, Millennials talk about burnout, depression, anxiety, and therapy — openly. They helped normalize self-care, emotional awareness, and breaking generational cycles.
That doesn’t mean they’ve figured it all out (spoiler: they haven’t). But they’re not pretending everything’s fine, either.
So... What Did Happen to Gen Y?
They got hit with back-to-back crises. They inherited a broken system. They adapted — and got judged for it.
But they also built startups, reshaped workplace culture, launched movements, and made memes that somehow explain everything and nothing at once.
You could say Gen Y disappeared from the spotlight, squeezed between loud Gen Z and stubborn Gen X. But maybe that’s their power: surviving, evolving, and making stuff work without a rulebook.
Because if there’s one thing Gen Y knows, it’s how to pivot.
Sometimes exhausted. Sometimes underpaid. But still here. Still building.
How much height should a boy have to look attractive?
Well, fellas, worry no more, because a new study has revealed 5ft 8in is the ideal height for a man. Dating app Badoo has revealed the most right-swiped heights based on their users aged 18 to 30.
Is 172 cm good for a man?
Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?
Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.