A person whose upbringing and life experiences are like that of a Millennial (1981-1996) and Gen Z (1997-
2012), but whom doesn't properly
fit into either generation. Zillennials are too young to be proper millennials, but too old to be Gen Z. Zillennials are can be considered the union of the last few years of Millennials and the first few years of Gen Z (such as 1995-1998), or considered a distinct micro-generation on its own.
Some Zillennials can be pulled towards Millennials or Gen Z based on when their parents and siblings were born. (Ex: A 1996 baby is the youngest
child with older siblings born in the early 90s leans more millennial. A 1998 baby whom is the oldest
child with younger siblings born in the 2000s is much more Gen Z).
Zillennials are defined by:
Graduating after the Great Recession, and after the reelection of Obama in
2012, but never being in high school when
Trump was in office
Being in high school before more than 50% of high school students owned a smartphone in 2013
Never being able to vote in typical millennial youth elections
like in 2008 and
2012, but was able to vote in a presidential election for the first time in
2016Being out of high school when the Stoneman
Douglas High School shooting happened and the March For Our Lives protests (which solidified Gen Z's unique identity in the mainstream)
Never being affected by the raise of the age to buy tobacco products to age
21 in the US because they were at least
21John: Hey, what generation are you?
Michael:
Pew Research Center says that since I was born 1997 that I'm part of Gen Z, but I feel too old to be Gen Z.
John: Do you remember 9/11?
Michael: Actually, yes. I was in preschool at the time. Also, my first presidential
election was in
2016.
John: You must be a zillennial then!
