7 Things Boomers & Gen X Were Expected To Know By 18 That Many Young Adults Are Still Learning
fotoak | Shutterstock For older generations, they were used to doing things on their own from a very young age. By the time they were 18, they were expected to know everything there was to know about being an adult.
Unfortunately, young people are still learning even the most basic skills that boomers and Gen Xers had under their belts by this age.
Boomers and Gen X were expected to know these things by 18 that young people are still learning
1. Cooking meals without a recipe
Mikhail Nilov | Pexels
For boomers and Gen Xers, knowing how to cook was a necessity, not just a skill. They were expected to feed themselves, and relied on their memory to make food. Their parents or grandparents likely taught them, and they learned by doing.
Eventually, they would make a meal enough times that they didn't need a recipe. They could make basic things like pasta or a sandwich, and the expectation was that they wouldn't starve if nobody else cooked for them.
Today, young people have access to food at every turn. They can order delivery from their phone or buy pre-made food. And as a result, they don't have as much confidence in the kitchen.
2. Handling their finances
Money was another thing older generations learned through necessity. They had a checking account as soon as they were old enough to work, and held steady jobs to pay for the things they wanted.
There weren't apps to track their purchases. Instead, they had to keep receipts and checkbooks to make sure they weren't overspending or staying within their budget.
Boomers and Gen Xers weren't automatically better with money, and plenty made bad financial decisions. But the majority knew how to write a check or read a bank statement by the time they were 18.
Younger generations today don't have that same urgency because so many financial tasks happen automatically. Adulthood requires understanding what's happening underneath all those conveniences, and Gen Zers and millennials don't seem to get it.
3. Making a phone call and talking to an adult
For many older people, making a phone call wasn't something you could avoid. If you needed to make an appointment or wanted information, you called. And when someone answered, you were expected to explain why you were calling.
Whether it was calling 4-1-1 or a friend's landline, they were expected to introduce themselves and speak clearly, while recording any information they needed for later.
For many young adults today, they grew up with technology, where texting or emailing was preferred instead of picking up the phone to call. And now, they're suffering from anxiety at just the thought of a phone call.
As an adult, you need to make calls to the doctor or to make a reservation, even to order food. It's not a special skill for older people because it was just the way they communicated.
4. Basic household skills
By the time boomers and Gen Xers turned 18, they had a basic understanding of how to do quick fixes around the house. They certainly didn't have the skills of a plumber or electrician, but had enough knowledge to take on small home repairs themselves.
They changed lightbulbs and set the breaker, or unclogged a drain, all on their own. They were resilient and resourceful because they had to be.
Today, young people can find a tutorial on anything. It's a good thing they have access to all this information, but they may still lack the mindset where they believe they can do something.
They don't have the same confidence of older folks, who would do something enough times where it didn't feel intimidating anymore.
5. Getting somewhere without directions
Vitaly Gariev | Pexels
There was a time when getting lost was part of learning how to navigate. Gen Xers and boomers relied on memorizing street names or using a physical map because there was no other choice. They had to practice getting around because GPS didn't exist.
Younger generations rely on the calm computerized voice of their direction apps to tell them where to go. It's much harder to get lost now, and older people tend to find this a bit stranger, as they were expected to figure out directions before leaving the house.
Unfortunately, because they solely use GPS, young people can't navigate without it now. These skills may seem unnecessary, but when that technology no longer works, these old-fashioned skills come in handy.
6. Behaving in situations where nobody told them the rules
Boomers and Gen Xers were expected to walk into a room and figure out how they were supposed to handle themselves. They knew how to dress for the occasion and how to interact with other people.
Whether it was shaking hands with a great aunt or introducing themselves to someone new, they learned quickly. And while not every old etiquette rule is relevant, there's still value in knowing how to read a room.
Young folks can be intelligent and still feel completely lost in an unfamiliar environment, especially if nobody ever taught them the unwritten rules of connecting. Because social skills are often learned through observation rather than instruction, and because they rely so much on interactions through their phones, they don't have the knowledge.
7. Figuring things out without relying on anyone else to rescue them
By 18 years old, boomers and Gen Xers were considered adults, and had to handle themselves as such. They were responsible for themselves and weren't expected to ask for help from their parents or family.
They were highly independent from a very young age. After they graduated high school, they went on to college and paid their own bills. After that, they bought homes and settled down to start a family. If they didn't know how to do something, they figured it out.
Because being an adult is full of situations that nobody can prepare you for, younger generations tend to struggle with getting in the right mindset. They know they can ask people for help, so they don't always try their hardest to figure it out on their own.
It doesn't mean young people should be expected to know everything immediately. But it's all about experiencing things without expecting anyone to save them.
MeShanda Deason is a writer with a BFA in Creative Writing from Stephen F. Austin State University and minors in Business Communication and Literature who covers storytelling, culture, identity, and human connection across editorial, journalism, and marketing spaces.
