Do most millennials spend their time alone?

[RileyG]

Is it just me or does our generation not seem to be a social as pervious ones? We much prefer to spend time on our phones and avoid face-to-face contact. I'm talking about younger millennials, not those who graduated HS in the late 90s or early 2000s.

I graduated from HS in 2014 and am 26. Very few people try to contact me nowadays.

 

[Bumble Bee]

I am 31 and often alone or with family. It’s not by choice though… I had some close friends where I used to live and keep in touch with them. The problem is that I moved and have been having a hard time developing close relationships here. I thought I had 2 close friends over the last year or two, but after we no longer worked together, they started declining invitations and quit answering calls and messages. Now I am at a new job and feeling isolated because I’m the boss and don’t have any real friends there yet. It’s only been a couple months, and these things take time. Being the boss makes it a little trickier because it puts a little bit of a wall up in the personal friendship realm.

 

[Sketcher]

Did you notice a significant decrease in that contact with COVID and the lockdowns?

 

[Bumble Bee]

I actually just sealed and stamped a letter to one of my closest friends… she lives several hours north of me, and I feel closer to her than to my own sister (although my sister is 11 years younger than me, so we have an interesting relationship).

 

[SkyWriting]

Is it just me or does our generation not seem to be a social as pervious ones? We much prefer to spend time on our phones and avoid face-to-face contact. I'm talking about younger millennials, not those who graduated HS in the late 90s or early 2000s.

I graduated from HS in 2014 and am 26. Very few people try to contact me nowadays.

After High School, virtually nobody tries to contact you. That's normal.
The only way around that is to be the outreaching person. You'll run into more classmates in other states while your on vacation, than you will in your hometown and keeping busy with work.

 

[Skye1300]

I've always been an introvert and prefer reading or doing things online. I never liked going to parties and things like that. I didn't have to change anything when COVID happened except wear a mask and get vaccinated. LOL I'm a little of a germaphobe too so all of that hand washing and hand sanitizing and social distancing was everyone else becoming more like me!

 

[RileyG]

After High School, virtually nobody tries to contact you. That's normal.
The only way around that is to be the outreaching person. You'll run into more classmates in other states while your on vacation, than you will in your hometown and keeping busy with work.

I didn't have any friends in high school and try to avoid those people like the plague. I'm talking about "friends" I made after high school. Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. I'm not in my hometown anymore, thank God.

 

[RileyG]

Did you notice a significant decrease in that contact with COVID and the lockdowns?

No. I've been virtually alone since graduating from college nearly four years ago.

 

[RileyG]

I am 31 and often alone or with family. It’s not by choice though… I had some close friends where I used to live and keep in touch with them. The problem is that I moved and have been having a hard time developing close relationships here. I thought I had 2 close friends over the last year or two, but after we no longer worked together, they started declining invitations and quit answering calls and messages. Now I am at a new job and feeling isolated because I’m the boss and don’t have any real friends there yet. It’s only been a couple months, and these things take time. Being the boss makes it a little trickier because it puts a little bit of a wall up in the personal friendship realm.

Yeah. I haven't made friendships at work, and I have not kept in contact with college friends other than social media. No one ever wants to invite me places. I feel like there is something wrong with me. Maybe it's just my anxiety and I am overreacting.

 

[SkyWriting]

I didn't have any friends in high school and try to avoid those people like the plague. I'm talking about "friends" I made after high school. Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. I'm not in my hometown anymore, thank God.

The same applies to friends made after high school but before college, and after freshman year in college, but before summer, and then after college but before grad school. Sorry I wasn't clear. If you are on the east coast there is different advice from the west coast. And hometown advice is far different from out-of town advice. We all know that.

 

[RileyG]

The same applies to friends made after high school but before college, and after freshman year in college, but before summer, and then after college but before grad school. Sorry I wasn't clear. If you are on the east coast there is different advice from the west coast.

ok

 

[Swan7]

I'm late chiming in here. I'm an older Millennial, 37. I have spent most of my time alone during High School and well after it despite my trying to make new friends. Being alone has not been my choice, however, I'd rather be alone than spend time with someone who is not genuine.

Now I spend time with my husband. I try to make friends online, but that will only go so far and is hardly genuine (hiding behind screens, keyboards, and avatars). There is something about being face to face with another and physically spending that time with one another that the online world can never reach.

 

[linux.poet]

I spend a lot of my time alone, but I have college, lack of money, and introversion to thank for that. I've gotten used to using online communities to overcome my loneliness, but I also found ladies' Bible studies to be a blessing during the lockdown.

Also, chess club has been good for meeting new people.

 

[DragonFox91]

I've always been an introvert and prefer reading or doing things online. I never liked going to parties and things like that. I didn't have to change anything when COVID happened except wear a mask and get vaccinated. LOL I'm a little of a germaphobe too so all of that hand washing and hand sanitizing and social distancing was everyone else becoming more like me!

I am the same way. If there weren't smartphones, TV, etc. today, I'd probably be reading books like crazy like I did when I was younger, or finding even more introverted hobbies.

In regards to OP on society as a whole, no. A lot of millennials I know work all day all week. A lot are married & that keeps them occupied too. Clubs (like fitness sports or tabletop games for example) are well-attended too.

I think it's possible people have smaller groups of close people today. People are naturally social. I'm introverted but am occupied most days by committments involving other people.

 

[RileyG]

I am the same way. If there weren't smartphones, TV, etc. today, I'd probably be reading books like crazy like I did when I was younger, or finding even more introverted hobbies.

In regards to OP on society as a whole, no. A lot of millennials I know work all day all week. A lot are married & that keeps them occupied too. Clubs (like fitness sports or tabletop games for example) are well-attended too.

I think it's possible people have smaller groups of close people today. People are naturally social. I'm introverted but am occupied most days by committments involving other people.

Thanks for the info. I'm also rather introverted.

I know only my immediate family in town, and do not talk to anyone outside of work. It's been difficult these past (almost) 3 years.

 

[Shane R]

I'm one of the old millennials. I graduated high school in 2003. Most of us didn't have cell phones when I was in school. There were a handful of people who had cell phones but most of us carried a phone card to use at pay phones, which were still readily available.

Times have changed and we were more social in our 20s than we are now. I miss the old ways.

 

[dzheremi]

Not me. I have a cat.

 

[RileyG]

Not me. I have a cat.

I used to have five cats. RIP to them all

 

[RileyG]

I'm one of the old millennials. I graduated high school in 2003. Most of us didn't have cell phones when I was in school. There were a handful of people who had cell phones but most of us carried a phone card to use at pay phones, which were still readily available.

Times have changed and we were more social in our 20s than we are now. I miss the old ways.

I sometimes feel like I am wasting my 20s. Only 3.5 years until I'm 30. YIKES.

 

[Skye1300]

I used to have five cats. RIP to them all

I have two cats. Cats are the best pets.