I only recently learned that there is a name put on each new generation and certain characteristics that people from these generations , for the most part, possess. I belong to the Generation Y group , and after us, you guessed it! – was the Gen Z crowd.

Now that we have all practiced our alphabet , let’s break the generations down and see what makes each of them unique. Basically , each generation is the way they are because of the events happening around the time of their childhood. These events or factors (such as economic climate, political situation and employment growth or fall ) led to the generation consisting of certain attitudes and lifestyles.

For Example , Gen Z , are the babies who were born circa 1999 . They are now being brought up in a world of political and financial turmoil and as a result of this are concerned about making money and improving the world.

We , however , are part of the ” Let me take a selfie” era. The self obsessed, social media crazed lunatics who have their heads stuck in a monitor most of the time and whose attention span is now less than a goldfish. Constantly  armed with our iPhones, laptops and other gadgets, Generation Y is plugged-in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This generation prefers to communicate through e-mail and text messaging rather than face-to-face contact .

There are a couple of factors which I think help describe my generation.!

1. Social Media

I think we can all admit that social media is very important to our ability to stay in touch and we would be lost without it. But when it gets to the stage where I can’t pick up the phone and have a chat with a friend because it would seem wierd, then , Zuckerberg , we have a problem!

The truth is , life for our generation has now turned into a 10 second sound bite because we don’t have time for human relations anymore. If it’s not a 6 second Vine video, it’s a 10 second snapchat and how you are meant to communicate with someone this way eludes me. One of these days , phone calls will not be socially acceptable any more and we’ll end up snap-chatting the fire brigade a pic of our burning house it’ll happen , I can feel it!

It’s actually surprising I can feel at all . It seems like social media is trying to numb our senses and turn us into picture-taking, button tapping robots. The “let me take a selfie” part of my generation is probably the bit that I find most distressing. 2013 was branded the  ” Year of the Selfie” and my did it earn that title! Over 35 million selfies have taken up residence on Instagram . The pregnant selfie, the “no make ” up selfie, the “work out ” selfie our generation has gone mad with the idea that people will be waiting with bated breath to see a picture of your face randomly appear – I mean , let’s face it , it’s the dream!

2. Dating

The other part of our generation which I find to be quite unique to my age group is the dating scene. This is closely related to social media as it plays such a big part in getting to know someone and even meeting people in the first place.

The days of meeting someone out and going on a few dates to rule out the crazies are long gone. Finding out if someone is right for you is made so much easier and far more  superficial. One quarter of relationships now start online.Apps like Tinder and OK Cupid now mean that we can be both extremely shallow and lazy , all in one easy tap!

There are so many unwritten rules for the daters of our generation that we are expected to know . The concept of a first date has gone completely out the window. You snap chat or Instagram someone for a few weeks until you think they are normal enough to let them know where you live and take if from there.

Can you imagine if “How I Met Your Mother is re-made in few years? ” Well kids, it all started when I put a selfie up with the hashtag “no filter” and your mother liked it. Right then and there , I knew she was the one so I  swiped right on Tinder and the rest is history.” Hardly candles, roses and romance!

Clothes and Fashion

People of my generation can be easily defined by their dress sense .The Hipster subculture has no become so mainstream that it’s just every day culture and there’s , in fact , nothing “hipster ” about it at all.Skinny jeans, Ironic t-shirts and thick rimmed glasses are pretty commonly spotted if you are to walk through any college campus or even a shopping high street. Love of vintage clothes and a vegan lifestyle also fall into this generation and it seems to be less about the actual act of liking the clothes or wanting health benefits that vegans talk about , but more so the overwhelming need to be more indie and affected than all of your friends.

I can’t say I am proud to be part of the “let me take a selfie” era and I even left Facebook for a few months because  I needed a break from the over-dramatised world of social media, however , our generation is also very family oriented , very bright and very driven, so  tinder or no tinder, filter or #no filter , I think we’re going to be ok.

“Im not trying to cause a big sensation , im just talking bout my g-g-generation!”  THE WHO