Remember these lines? ‘Doon na tayo, 4:30 na! Ang TV na!’ ‘Uy, meron ka pang pulbo sa panyo? Pahingi naman!’ ‘Napakain mo na ba ang Tamagotchi mo?’ ‘May bago kang teks? Trade tayo!’ If you do, isa kang certified millennial and welcome to the club of adulthood.
For millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996, life used to be simpler. Their childhood was a world of endless outdoor play, only interrupted when mothers yelled their names, wielding the flying tsinelas (slipper) as a warning.
But one day, almost without noticing, they played outside for the last time. Their passion for outdoor adventures morphed into an obsession with mobile devices. The desire for a stable desk job evolved into a craving to create content and earn a living. The dream of starting a family by mid-twenties transformed into a quest for self-discovery.
As this generation matures and their priorities shift, they face their biggest challenge—adulting.
‘Adulting,’ a widely used millennial slang, means acting like a responsible adult, including tackling mundane but necessary tasks.
Adulting means doing your own laundry, handling grocery shopping, paying bills promptly, and using your money wisely. It’s a tough journey with no one-size-fits-all formula.
For millennials, adulting gets even trickier as they strive to excel in their careers, start families, manage finances, explore new hobbies, and travel the world—all at the same time.
They somehow end up quitting their daydreams while being entangled with hard to answer questions. Questions such as…
‘Anong trabaho mo?’
Growing up in a generation marked by comparisons and lofty career expectations, a simple question as ‘what do you do for a living?’ might sting for a millennial who’s stuck in a job that they only keep just to put food on the table.
The emergence of digital-driven work opportunities has empowered millennials to break free from the traditional 9-to-5 grind and explore avenues that enable them to savor life’s adventures.
In fact, a Deloitte survey underscores that millennials highly prioritize work-life balance. The data highlights that young professionals assess career prospects primarily based on:
- Achieving a good work-life balance (16.8%)
- Seizing opportunities for growth and leadership (13.4%)
- Embracing flexibility, including remote work and flexible hours (11.0%)
- Finding personal meaning in their work (9.3%)
For millennial OFW Christian Medina, he skillfully navigates his career and passions simultaneously. While employed in the sales department of an Italian food distribution company, he also passionately engages in his other interests such as content creation.
“For me, content creation is a kind of diversion from the hustle and bustle of the regular job. We need to have balance, and that should stem from what we’re passionate about,” he explained.
Comparing millennials to other generations in terms of career, he said that their generation’s career pursuits seek flexibility and not being micromanaged.
“I want a career where I can challenge the status quo and think outside of the box. I also think millennial professionals want more creative freedom and careers that won’t put us in a box,” he stated.
“To be able to effectively merge the advantages of digitalization and basic work fundamentals is a millennial’s badge of career success,” he added.
Besides careers, millennials often face inquiries about their love lives. If you’re still single, you’ve probably heard…
‘Kailan ka mag-aasawa?
And if not that particular question, perhaps ‘kailan ka mag-aanak?’ (When will you have children?) or ‘bakit single ka pa rin?’ (Why are you still single?) or similar inquiries that align with your current life stage.
Many want to start families but also cherish their single status, celebrating their independence.
With the rise of #SelfCare, #SelfLove, and creative ways to #LoveYourself, millennials grapple with finding “the one” while enjoying solo adventures.
This generation grew up with the idea that marrying and starting a family before turning thirty is what’s ideal. Our ancestors, especially parents and relatives, remind us of this at every family gathering, asking if we’ve found a life partner.
Fortunately, Sarah Gerundio-Macapagal, a former OFW turned housewife, silenced these questions by marrying before her thirties. However, it wasn’t an easy choice. She initially hesitated to leave her life in Dubai, fearing she’d miss out on the single life.
“I was in a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend, now husband, for seven years before we wed. We didn’t marry due to age but because we believed we were ready for a family,” shared Gerundio-Macapagal.
There were numerous struggles before deciding to marry, with many ‘what-ifs.’ She once returned to the Philippines, thinking she’d marry, only to realize she wasn’t ready. So, she returned to Dubai.
In Dubai, she aimed to maximize her single life and try new experiences before settling down. This included exploring unique places, trying various cafes and restaurants, and spending time with friends she’d eventually leave behind when she married.
“I got married at 29. I have no regrets because I maximized my single life, especially in Dubai. Now that I have a family, life isn’t limited; I just know what to prioritize,” she reflected.
As a millennial, Gerundio-Macapagal now raises her baby, part of the generation alpha. According to her, it’s not easy.
“The transition from singlehood to parenting comes with its challenges. While I used to focus solely on myself, now I have to shift my attention from ‘me’ to caring for my baby, who demands most of my time and attention,” she explained.
In the midst of inquiries regarding their careers and love lives, millennials face yet another probing question…
‘May ipon ka na ba?’
It’s a question that comes up because, in addition to aiming for work-life balance and getting married at the right time, millennials face the challenge of saving money for the future.
Millennials have coined the term “You Only Live Once” or YOLO, which refers to a lifestyle that focuses on the present moment’s pleasures and satisfaction and FOMO which means “Fear Of Missing Out.”
As this generation lives with this mindset, they are often put in an impossible position where they rush to do everything because they feel like time is running out for them, but at the same time, they want to savor every moment in their lives.
When asked about his struggles with having a YOLO mindset versus planning for the future, Medina said: “This is the Yin and the Yang of working professionals. The struggle is striking the right balance between living in the moment and planting your seeds.”
Meanwhile, OFW millennial Bella Apuda, a Dubai-based Executive Assistant, shared how supporting her family shaped her approach to finances.
“For a long time, I’ve been using a simple spreadsheet to track my spending. I write down everything I spend money on and how much I spend. I know there are apps for this, but I like using a spreadsheet because I can also write down why I spent too much on something,” Apuda said. “Before each new year, I plan out what I want to spend money on in the coming year. This practice has really helped me avoid running out of money,” she added.
Apuda emphasized that her financial proficiency didn’t develop overnight. She revealed that she had to make sacrifices and navigate through some financial missteps before acquiring the wisdom to manage her finances wisely.
Speaking of wisdom, have you come across…
The ‘Adulting’ Checklist
According to Jay Tolentino, creator of the ‘Pera and Purpose’ podcast and a financial coach, compared to millennials, previous generations gauged success through a structured checklist: establishing a family, raising children, owning a home, having a car, maintaining a stable job until retirement, and amassing substantial savings.
However, this traditional checklist has evolved for millennials. It has transformed from a list of obligatory life milestones into a bucket list of anticipated adventures. Yet, Tolentino, a millennial himself, emphasizes the importance of moderation in embracing these “adult” responsibilities alongside diverse interests.
Tolentino acknowledges that millennials frequently grapple with a misconstrued approach to savings. Saving excessively for the future may lead to feelings of deprivation and eventual reckless spending on a single significant purchase. Conversely, indulging too much in the present can provide immediate gratification but jeopardize future financial security. The key lies in balance: enjoying life while prudently setting aside funds for emergencies and retirement.
When addressing how millennials perceive success differently from previous generations, Tolentino contends that success is not a one-size-fits-all notion. He quotes a thought-provoking idea: “People aren’t happy because they’re successful. They’re successful because they’re happy.” To find happiness, one must derive meaning from their work.
Tolentino reminds us that life offers a single opportunity. Embrace it with purpose and meaning. Aging is a chance to share the wisdom and experiences we’ve acquired—often through hardship—with the next generation.
When adulthood feels overwhelming, reflect on the inherent qualities of millennials: a proven ability to adapt to change, proficiency in technology, and the knack for multitasking while pursuing our cherished activities.
And if you’ve encountered any of these probing questions, remember, you need not have all the answers, nor must you respond to them all at once.
Our generation has demonstrated its adaptability, and your resilience embodies the millennial can-do spirit. You can overcome these questions; they are, after all, just questions. Don’t overcomplicate things; sometimes, it’s best to let them be.
