People Born In The 70s & 80s Have 10 Street Smart Traits That Can't Be Taught In A Classroom
rudy liggett / Stock Vault Gen X and many millennials had incredibly unique, somewhat isolating childhoods that caused them to grow up fast.
Unlike younger people today who grew up with overbearing parents and a constant stream of new technology, people born in the 70s and 80s had to look out for themselves. Because of this, they developed street smart traits that can't be taught in the classroom (not that anyone really tried). All that time spent alone may sound sad to Gen Z or Gen Alpha, but it actually gave them multiple life tools that have only helped them thrive.
People born in the 70s and 80s have 10 street smart traits that can’t be taught in a classroom
1. They assess risk quickly
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Whether it’s building up the self-trust needed to listen to their gut instincts or having the social awareness to assess risk in public, Gen X and millennials learned these street-smart skills early.
Especially because they often spent a lot more time than other generations alone as kids, they had to get comfortable looking out for their own safety early. Whether it was walking alone to school or running an errand without their parents around, they needed a good barometer for what was safe and what wasn't, and they couldn’t make mistakes.
2. They read the energy of spaces
Social awareness is the root of street smarts, but it’s something you only get good at over time. You can’t necessarily learn it in a classroom. It’s about the vibes and energy of the people around you. Socially aware people read the energy of the rooms they walk into and figure out their place without having any kind of conversation.
In some cases, they can even notice when something is wrong or someone’s being excluded, just by picking up on the body language and nonverbal cues of the individuals around them. Even if modern kids are caught up in themselves or their phones, people born in the 70s and 80s are present, taking stock of the energy wherever they are.
3. They stay present
Way too many young people today enter the world dependent on distractions to feel comfortable. They walk slowly, with their head in their phone in public spaces, completely oblivious to what’s going on around them. Not only is this unsafe, but it’s also incredibly annoying to everyone else around them.
However, Gen Xers learned this early. They had to look out for themselves and knew that the world wouldn’t do it for them. So they started paying attention and offering respect by following basic social etiquette, like walking at the same pace and being present.
4. They can cook and clean for themselves
Even if it seems like the bare minimum, knowing how to care for your basic needs is an important element of street smarts that isn't taught in schools. If you’re not learning it from your parents or teaching yourself at home, you need some common sense to take care of yourself and keep your space clean.
Gen Xers learned how to do these chores and many others that young people would have no clue about because they didn't have a choice. They figured out how to care for themselves, even if it took making mistakes and learning from them.
5. They fix things before replacing them
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Instead of putting their critical thinking skills to work and learning to fix something without the help of technology or money, as people born in the 70s and 80s spent most of their childhoods doing, younger generations just go out and buy a replacement.
Knowing how to find an answer might be learned in the classroom, but practical skills like fixing a car or mending a broken piece of furniture are the kind of foundational knowledge usually gained only through practice.
6. They’re adaptable and resourceful
Being resourceful is all about making do with what you have, which is exactly what people raised in this time period did every single day. These folks cultivated a frugal mentality from watching their parents and learned to adopt new technology as they got older.
They’ve rarely gotten stuck in stagnancy because they were taught a different kind of grit that you don’t develop in a classroom.
7. They aren’t afraid of a challenge
As a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry explains, adversity improves resilience for people who are willing to lean in and push through it. That’s why so many Gen Xers and older millennials are such hard workers. They had to figure out how to solve problems and manage challenges on their own, without a parent around to solve it all for them.
They’re self-reliant as adults, who can look out for themselves and grow better and better every single day by learning from their mistakes.
8. They can have hard conversations face-to-face
Especially for older generations who are incredibly practiced at being present in social situations, it’s not surprising that leaning into challenges comes naturally.
They’re former latchkey kids who spent nearly the entirety of their childhoods fending for themselves. Of course, they know how to resolve arguments and issues without relying on someone else to do it for them. Their directness is a form of kindness that too many people today are missing out on.
9. They can talk to anyone
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Many Gen Xers and older millennials grew up before technology and cell phones started sabotaging people’s social skills. They learned to make friends, connect with people, ask questions, and navigate the social world without a distraction in their back pocket all the time. They could practice being social and getting along with people before the era of ignoring someone for comfort came along.
Especially when someone can move beyond small talk and really connect with the people they meet, their well-being and happiness are better off because of it.
10. They can fly under the radar
While most people raised in the 70s and 80s don’t prioritize privacy to the extent that their own parents and grandparents did, they still know how to master the art of flying under the radar. If they don’t care to be the center of attention or have something in particular that they want to keep just for themselves, staying quiet is easy for them.
Especially when it comes to their proving intelligence or staying on track with their goals, they are less likely to sabotage their own progress by bragging about things they haven’t yet accomplished.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
