Are You a Boomer?
"Boomers," as you might already know, is the informal nickname given to those born in the "baby boomer" era. Over the years, people have started linking memes and jokes to boomers, and you hate to prove them right, but your habits have a funny way of doing the talking for you. From printing out directions to texting with one finger, these are the everyday behaviors that feel totally normal when you’re doing them, yet somehow signal to everyone else exactly when you grew up. Here are 20 habits that prove you're a boomer.
1. Printing Out Directions
You still trust paper more than GPS, especially when it comes to long drives. There’s comfort in holding the route in your hands and knowing it won’t suddenly reroute you somewhere remote or into a lake. Even if you do use your phone, the printout stays in the glove box just in case.
2. Leaving Voicemails
Sure, you can just text someone, but if someone doesn’t answer, your first instinct is to leave a detailed message. You say your name, number, and reason for calling, even though it's probably redundant and is visible on the other person's phone. To you, texting feels vague compared to a proper voicemail.
3. Calling Instead of Texting
Another thing you'd rather do than text? Call. You prefer talking things through to typing them out. A quick phone call feels more efficient and polite to you, even if other people find it annoying and would rather you just send a message.
4. Complaining About Self-Checkout
You don’t understand why you’re doing the cashier’s job for free. Scanning items feels awkward, and the machine always seems to accuse you of something, even though you're sure you did everything right. You’d rather wait in line than argue with a machine.
5. Watching Cable News Every Night
Yup: your kids might think it's weird, but it's your habit, and nobody's going to stop you. There’s a specific time you turn on the TV, and you expect the news to be there. Streaming platforms, in contrast, feel messy and complex compared to scheduled broadcasts. (And yes, the volume is always a little louder than necessary, so what.)
6. Saying “Kids These Days” Unironically
You hate to prove the kids right, but you do say this phrase often. At some point, this expression just slipped into your vocabulary and never left, and you use it to complain about everything from fashion to work ethic. For example, what's up with the "Gen Z stare"?
7. Writing Checks
Yes, you still write checks. No, you don't think it's weird. In fact, you always keep a checkbook handy, and you know exactly where it is. Writing a check feels official and responsible, even if it takes longer. You don’t mind balancing it either.
8. Using Ellipses in Texts
Your kids and grandkids might question why you put "..." after everything you type, but you don't think it's all that strange. Your messages trail off thoughtfully, even when you’re just saying hello. You don’t realize this makes people nervous. To you, it’s just a friendly pause.
9. Using Facebook
While all the other youngsters are using TikTok, you still check Facebook regularly and actually enjoy it. It’s where you get news, keep up with friends, and comment on posts so that people will see and appreciate it. Other platforms feel confusing or unnecessary when this one already does the job.
10. Keeping Physical Photo Albums
You don't just prefer taking photos with real cameras; you also prefer printing physical copies. Your memories live in albums, not "in the cloud." Digital photos feel less permanent to you somehow, and you'd rather flip through pages and point out people in the pictures.
11. Refusing to Throw Away Old Electronics
Sure, that old cassette player doesn't work anymore, and neither does any of the old junk you store at home. But you never know: you might need that cable someday, or that radio, or that TV, or any of those outdated devices. Keeping them makes sense to you, even if no one else understands it. Getting rid of them feels wasteful.
12. Texting With One Finger
If you do have to text, you type carefully, one letter at a time, squinting at the screen as you go. To you, speed doesn’t matter as much as accuracy, and you love the predictive text function (less typing for you!). Somehow, the message still gets sent, even if it takes a little longer.
13. Sending Emails
Yes, you still prefer sending emails over texting. Your emails start with greetings and end with proper sign-offs, too, like any old email should (you're not like those kids who send emails like text messages). Another thing you prefer? Sending physical letters.
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14. Reading the Newspaper
While kids are stuck doomscrolling, you know when to stop looking at tragic headlines. After all, there’s something calming and different about holding physical newspapers and turning the pages. Reading news on a phone doesn’t give you the same satisfaction.
15. Being Suspicious of New Apps
Facebook you know you can trust. But TikTok? X? That weird app your grandkids told you to download that apparently makes grocery shopping easier? You don’t need another app for that. If something already works (a.k.a. reading physical flyers), you’re not sure why you need to change your habits.
16. Dressing for Comfort First
What's all this about dressing for style? To you, that sounds absurd; you're always going to prioritize comfort. Shoes, especially, need to make sense before they look good. Trends come and go, but your aging back and limbs aren’t interested in them.
17. Calling Customer Service Instead of Chatting
Sure, you can chat with an AI or human agent by typing messages, but you want to talk to a real person, not condense your questions into a box. Automated systems test your patience, too. You much prefer calling the customer service line to resolve your problems.
18. Having One Email Password for Years
It’s a good password, and it’s worked so far. Changing it feels unnecessary unless someone forces you to (or sometimes, the platform forces you to). You have it written down somewhere, too, which your kids often say is impractical since you tend to lose things.
19. Preferring Sit-Down Restaurants
You like menus, servers, and actual plates. Ordering at a counter or through a screen feels impersonal, and you don't like getting delivery as much as the younger generations these days. Eating out should feel like an event, not a mere transaction.
20. Saying “I Don’t Need That” About New Tech
You’re not anti-technology, you’re just selective. If something doesn’t clearly improve your life, you’re fine skipping it. You’ve done just fine without it so far, haven't you? And plus, smartphones feel new enough; you don't need more than that.
