If you use cash, stick a tissue up your sleeve, and drink dairy then you’re officially stuck in the dark ages, according to millennials.
For the generation of 25 to 40-year-olds, putting a hankie up your sleeve, not displaying pronouns in your Instagram bio and speaking to people on the phone are further clear giveaways.
Energy retailer Love Energy Savings set out to discover tell-tale traits that signal you’re out of step with the times, prompted by the fact that as little as five per cent of the nation’s businesses switch energy supplier online.
Its research revealed the two biggest signs for millennials were putting a hankie up your sleeve and using cash – which came joint top with 28 per cent of the vote.
If you use cash, stick a tissue up your sleeve, and drink dairy then you’re officially stuck in the dark ages, according to millennials (stock image)
| RANK | HABIT | PERCENTAGE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Using cash | 28 |
| 1 | Putting a hankie up your sleeve | 28 |
| 3 | Getting bills through the post | 25 |
| 4 | Having posh cutlery for special occasions | 24 |
| 5 | Writing lists with pen and paper | 23 |
| 5 | Smoking | 23 |
| 7 | Describing a tune as ‘banging’ | 22 |
| 7 | Ringing for a taxi instead of using an app | 22 |
| 9 | Voting Leave | 20 |
| 9 | Watching actual TV | 20 |
| 11 | Still being on Facebook | 18 |
| 11 | Reading books | 18 |
| 13 | Going to church | 15 |
| 13 | Talking on the phone | 15 |
| 15 | Wearing skinny jeans | 14 |
| 16 | Using a camera | 13 |
| 17 | Dating in real life | 12 |
| 18 | Not having pronouns in your Instagram bio | 11 |
| 19 | Using a Satnav | 10 |
| 20 | Eating dairy | 9 |
Love Energy Savings CEO Phil Foster said: ‘How quickly we embrace new technology is one of the defining elements of the growing generation gap in the UK.
‘Our research shows how today’s millennials are left scratching their heads by behaviour that was once entirely par for the course – like watching conventional, broadcast TV and actually using your mobile phone to talk to people – rather than for messaging.’
It comes after a poll of 2,000 British youngsters under the age of 30 by insights firm Perspectus Global revealed the traits that are ‘so middle-aged’ according to Gen Z youngsters.
‘Old people’ habits that ranked in the top 25 included ordering a cappuccino, getting your underwear from M&S, asking for ‘milk and two sugars’ in your tea and becoming obsessed with bin day.
Groaning when you sit down, turning the music down while you park the car and using hashtags incorrectly were also among the signs that you are officially middle-aged.
Insisting on wearing comfortable shoes and being unable to recognise Love Island contestants also both featured in the final list of 25 signs you are ‘past it’, as did asking for a ‘Rachel Cut’ at the hairdressers.
Still having a DVD collection for 17 per cent of those surveyed also proved a person’s old age, along with moving from Radio 1 to Radio 2.
According to the research, Gen Zs believe you officially become middle-aged when you’re 45. The study also revealed the ages when they believe certain activities should be actively discouraged.
Those polled said 42 is the age when we should hang up our dancing shoes and avoid going clubbing again.
According to the study, no-one over the age of 51 should be wearing jeans, while skateboarders should retire their wheels at the age of 38 and anyone over the age of 41 should not be seen on a scooter.
Ellie Glason from Perspectus Global, who commissioned the survey said: ‘Our latest research suggests that the cappuccino could soon be a thing of the past, along with Facebook, M&S underwear and asking for milk and two sugars in your tea.
‘The survey also suggests Gen Zs reckon anyone over the age of 42 should not go clubbing. But with night life set to reopen this summer, we say you are never too old to hit the dance floor’.
Another recent survey found that your use of emojis coud also mark you out as ‘over the hill’.
A poll of 2,000 youngsters aged between 16-29 found that 24 per cent said the thumbs up emoji was only used by people who were ‘ancient’.
Other emojis used by ‘old people’ that ranked in the top ten include the red love heart, the OK hand and grimacing face.
Overall, the poll found that the most popular emoji, across all ages, was the laughing face crying tears of joy (45 per cent).
While the least popular symbol, again across all demographics, was the sinister skull and crossbones emoji (28 per cent said it was their least favourite emoji).
In a recent blog post, Emojipedia, an authority on the use of emojis online, also declared the crying with laughter dace ‘dead’.
They explained: ‘It’s common wisdom on TikTok that the laughing crying emoji is for “boomers”. And by “boomers”, I mean anyone over the age of 35.’
They have also revived lol (laugh out loud) and lmfao (laughing my f*****g a** off) – always written in lower case – as expressions of amusement, which were popular on early instant messaging and texting apps before being replaced by emojis.
The switch is part of a wider trend that has seen Gen Z social media users ‘cancel’ popular millennial trends like skinny jeans and side hair partings.
It also reflects how younger users want to distance themselves from the ‘boring’ and literal way millennials communicate online, according to experts.
Older generations tend to use emojis literally while younger people get more creative, Jeremy Burge, the chief emoji officer of Emojipedia, told CNN.
For example, millennials use the pregnant emoji when someone is pregnant, while Gen Z use it to indicate someone is attractive. The convoluted logic is that they’re so good looking, they can ‘make people pregnant just by looking at them’.