You Know You're Gen X If These 11 Things Instantly Make You Feel Happy
PeopleImages / Shutterstock Gen X grew up with simple pleasures. They were often left to their own devices, otherwise known as latchkey kids, where they were alone after school while their parents were at work. Since they had to entertain themselves, they found joy in everyday experiences. Generations now grow up with the internet and constant screen time to entertain them. Gen Xers had to get creative.
While they were coming of age, technology looked a lot different. You likely remember listening to music on a cassette and watching classic cartoons on a tiny TV set. Gen X grew up with the best music, with certain songs and artists instantly bringing you back to your glory days. The little things are what made Gen Xers happy. When these nostalgic thoughts come to mind, you can’t help but become instantly happy.
You know you're Gen X if these 11 things instantly make you feel happy
1. Sarcasm
Sincerely Media from Nicole Honeywill's Images via Canva
Do you think everyone takes things a little too seriously? You’re likely Gen X. You are fluent in sarcasm. When someone makes a good sarcastic quip, you instantly feel happy. These comments are witty and fun, not meant to make people feel bad.
A study found that older generations are less sensitive to sarcasm, even with modern-day emojis, than the younger ones are. While both generations are comfortable using sarcastic language with people they know well, older generations are more likely to make these quips. Gen Xers invited sarcasm, and they are going to keep it alive and well.
2. Good music
Rufina Rusakova from Pexels via Canva
There is only one generation that mastered the mix tape. While we no longer have cassette players in our cars, with new cars going as far as to ditch CD players, you’ve had to adjust to new media. Instead of making that killer mix in physical format, you’ve had to become accustomed to streaming apps and playlists. Sure, it’s not as fun, but it’s still something that makes Gen Xers happy.
If you thrive with a good mix of music, you are not alone. Research supports the notion that listening to music brings psychological benefits. Music can influence your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It can reduce stress, help cognitive processing, and aid motivation. Not only does a good mix of music bring you back to your glory days, but there is science that backs up the idea that music has a positive impact on our brains.
3. '90s rom-coms
DAPA Images via Canva
Some of the best romantic comedies were made in the 1990s. From Pretty Woman to Sleepless in Seattle, these titles are sure to make you feel instantly happy. Gen Xers got to experience these legendary movies in theaters. They have a special connection to these films.
If they make you feel happy, you’re not alone. “Comfort takes many forms–if sometimes the smell of pumpkin pie brings back childhood memories and a sense of nostalgia, then at other times, what does the trick is escaping into a fictional world where things rarely go wrong,” says Aditi Subramaniam, Ph.D., for Psychology Today. “This is also why many of us enjoy rewatching old favorites so much–the famed 'familiarity principle.’ Simply being exposed to something repeatedly can cause us to feel a preference towards it just because our brains find it familiar.”
4. Landline phones
Guillermo Berlin from Pexels via Canva
Kids these days. They have access to their phones no matter where they are. What they’ll never experience is the thrill of receiving a call on your landline phone. If you heard it ring, you likely raced to the phone to be the first to answer it. There was so much excitement to be found when it was your friend calling, and even more disappointment when it was someone trying to reach your mom.
Thinking of the past brings us joy. Studies have found that nostalgia can boost our moods. If you’re brought back to a place in time when you're thinking of your landline phone, it’s likely from the nostalgia attached to it. Cell phones will never beat twirling that phone cord around your finger while chatting with your crush.
5. Being left alone
adamkaz from Getty Images Signature via Canva
To other generations, this may seem off-putting. We need human connection. However, Gen Xers know the joy of peace and quiet. Being latchkey kids, they spend many hours on their own after school. From entertaining themselves to just vegging out, silence can bring a sense of comfort to this generation.
Solitude is good for us. Although it may be associated with loneliness, there are countless benefits to taking time to unwind. It boosts relaxation and creativity. Gen X grew up on their own and mastered this skill. While they value connections with others, they thrive with moments of silence throughout the day.
6. The sound of a cassette tape
Stas Knop from Pexels via Canva
If you’re seeking some nostalgic joy, the sound of that cassette clicking will bring you exactly what you are looking for. The physical media form came of age during the 1980s. It was the only way to listen to music on the go for a while. Music isn’t the only thing that brings Gen X comfort. It’s everything from placing the cassette into the player to the little noises that come along with it. Cassette tapes take them back.
Believe it or not, cassettes are having a renaissance. Modern musicians are selling their albums on tape. If you need some instant joy, you can rebuild your cassette library and travel back in time.
7. Memories of video stores
Yuganov Konstantin via Canva
Picture this. It’s Saturday night. You’re having a sleepover with your best friends. Aside from ordering a pizza, there is only one major priority: a trip to the video store. You’ll snag your favorite movies to rent, and probably buy some candy at the checkout counter. Does thinking of this moment instantly make you feel happy? You know you’re Gen X if it did!
Those flashbacks to the video store can be beneficial for your mental health. “Most of the research available today, including my research, argues that nostalgia serves a number of functions. The thing that ties them all together is that nostalgia is an emotional experience that unifies,” says Krystine Batcho, PhD, for the American Psychological Association. “Nostalgia by motivating us to remember the past in our own life helps to unite us to that authentic self and remind us of who we have been and then compare that to who we feel we are today.”
8. Saturday morning cartoons
Martinns from Getty Images Signature via Canva
Kids these days are so spoiled by their children-focused TV channels. Not only do they have access to their favorite shows at any time on cable, but they are also able to stream everything whenever they want, wherever they want. However, they missed out on one simple joy: Saturday morning cartoons.
Saturday morning cartoons were an option for bonding with the people around you. If the thought of it makes you feel happy, there’s science to back it. During these Saturday mornings, your body produced oxytocin. It helps reduce stress. There were serious benefits to tuning in each weekend. The thought of doing so likely makes you smile to this day if you’re a true Gen Xer.
9. Authentic people
Monkey Business Images via Canva
Gen X is constantly searching for authenticity. SAP found that this generation seeks authenticity in their employers. They crave real connection. Since they grew up without cell phones and social media, they had to meet people in person and communicate by phone. It’s something they never grew out of. If a truly authentic and genuine person instantly makes you feel happy, you know you’re Gen X.
Finding genuine connection is important for Gen X. Whether it’s connecting with and meeting new people or in the workplace, authenticity means everything to them.
10. Remembering the early days of the Internet
AndreyPopov from Getty Images via Canva
The Internet started in the 1960s as a way for the government to do better research. However, it didn’t become a household object until the 80s. That meant the Gen X were the first to have computers with the internet in their homes. They played those early computer games and experienced the first chat rooms.
Today, younger generations are hooked on the internet. They have never known the pain of researching through giant textbooks for resources because of it. They have never had to sit through the dial-up tone. Gen Xers look back on the early days of the internet and feel happy remembering what it was like then.
11. Disconnecting from the world around you
Aflo Images from アフロ（Aflo）via Canva
Gen Xers were the last to fully disconnect from the world around them. Social media was non-existent while they were coming of age. There was comfort in knowing that your every move wasn’t being documented online. Since they were able to fully unplug, they have a complicated relationship with social media. Because of this, the thought of being disconnected brings them joy.
Social media provides constant feedback, which can be frustrating for Gen X. “A Gen Xer might feel frustrated when a Millennial seeks constant feedback, because it feels like a lack of self-sufficiency. Meanwhile, the Millennial could see the Gen Xer’s independence as aloofness or disinterest,” says Michelle Tennant Nicholson, M.A., for Psychology Today.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities, living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
