Many of the habits boomers still have seem totally foreign to young people these days.
Whether it’s carrying exact change or actually picking up a phone call from an unknown number, these things make perfect sense to those born between the mid-1940s and the mid-1960s, but Gen Z just doesn’t get it. They’re not better or worse, just different—and often kind of sweet in their own way.
1. Leaving voicemails—and expecting you to listen to them
For boomers, leaving a voicemail is the polite thing to do. If they’ve called, and you didn’t answer, they’ll leave a message detailing why they rang, what they had for lunch, and how your aunt is doing, just in case you were wondering. And they assume, of course, that you’ll actually listen to it and call back.
Gen Z, on the other hand, sees a voicemail and panics slightly. Then they text: “Hey, did you call?” Listening to someone’s recorded message feels unnecessarily time-consuming when a quick text could cover the same ground. It’s not rudeness;it’s just a different form of efficiency.
2. Carrying cash and exact change
Boomers are loyal to the art of paying in cash, and many still insist on getting the exact change out, even if it means digging through a purse or wallet in slow motion at the till. There’s something about handing over the perfect combination of coins that just feels right to them.
Gen Z will tap to pay every time, even if it’s for a pack of gum. If a place is cash-only, there’s a high chance they’ll walk away empty-handed because they didn’t even know ATMs still existed. To them, money is digital—coins are for parking meters, if those still exist, too.
3. Reading a newspaper with their morning coffee
The daily paper and a cup of coffee is a ritual many boomers still enjoy. There’s comfort in the crisp pages, the smell of print, and the slow flipping through the world’s headlines—no screen time required. It’s an experience, not just a source of information.
On the flip side, young people get their news from Instagram stories, TikToks, or curated newsletters that land in their inbox. Anything longer than three paragraphs better come with a “TL;DR.” Holding a broadsheet while sipping coffee feels like a scene from a historical documentary.
4. Having a long, cheerful voicemail greeting
“Hi! You’ve reached Linda and Dave. Sorry we missed you, but leave a message, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Hope you’re having a wonderful day!” This is a classic boomer voicemail—warm, friendly, and thoroughly unnecessary by Gen Z standards.
In fact, they tend to skip the greeting altogether or leave the default robotic voice in place. The idea that someone would spend 30 seconds recording a personalised greeting is baffling to them. Voicemail, to Gen Z, is a feature that probably came with the phone but never gets used.
5. Printing directions instead of using a maps app
Before phones became pocket-sized navigators, boomers printed out directions, or memorised them. Some still trust a printed route more than a constantly recalculating GPS, even if it means a few wrong turns and pulling over to squint at tiny street names.
Gen Z relies entirely on maps apps. If their phone dies mid-trip, they’re more likely to cry than pull into a petrol station and ask for help. The idea of planning a route the night before and printing it out feels oddly medieval in a world of real-time traffic updates.
6. Answering unknown phone numbers
If a number pops up that boomers don’t recognise, they answer it. It could be the doctor, the bank, or someone who has the wrong number—but either way, they’ll answer politely and deal with it.
Gen Z stares at unknown numbers like they’re cursed. They might Google it or send it to voicemail, but answering it? That’s brave. If it’s important, they assume the caller will text. If it’s a scam, they assume they dodged a bullet.
7. Writing thank-you cards by hand
Boomers still believe in sending handwritten thank-you cards, complete with stamps, joined-up writing, and maybe even a wax seal if they’re feeling fancy. It’s not just about manners; it’s a thoughtful gesture they grew up seeing as essential.
Gen Z is more likely to shoot off a grateful text or post a story tagging the gift-giver. It’s not that they’re ungrateful, just more inclined to express thanks digitally. The card aisle is mostly a mystery to them unless it’s someone’s birthday, and they’ve been told to “make an effort.”
8. Watching TV when it airs
Boomers will still plan their evenings around what’s on telly. They know what time their favourite shows start and wouldn’t dream of skipping live TV night, especially if it involves a quiz show or a long-running soap.
Gen Z doesn’t even check what’s on. If it’s not streaming, it doesn’t exist. Watching something with adverts, at a set time, on someone else’s schedule? Hard pass. They’ll wait for the entire series to drop and binge it at 2am while eating cereal from the box.
9. Using an actual alarm clock
Plenty of boomers still have a real alarm clock on their bedside table, and they trust it more than a phone. Some even use a radio alarm that wakes them up with music or the shipping forecast—it’s oddly comforting.
Gen Z’s phone is their alarm, their news feed, and their snooze button all in one. If the phone dies overnight, it’s game over. The idea of setting an alarm without also checking five apps first is completely foreign.
10. Going into a bank to sort something out
When boomers have a banking issue, they’ll drive to the nearest branch, take a number, and wait to talk to someone face-to-face. It feels reliable. They want a human to confirm everything’s sorted.
Gen Z would rather try 10 different apps before speaking to a real person. If it can’t be fixed through a chatbot, they’ll assume it’s unfixable. The thought of queuing in a physical bank building is about as appealing as a root canal.
11. Having a landline
Landlines are still very much a thing in many boomer households. They’re dependable, don’t rely on Wi-Fi, and serve as backup for when the mobile’s out of reach, or when they want to chat for hours without worrying about battery life.
For Gen Z, a landline is something you see in films. If they hear one ring, it’s slightly jarring. It’s either a vintage prop or their parents’ house phone, and either way, they won’t be the one picking it up.
12. Telling time with a wristwatch
Boomers often wear classic wristwatches every day, and checking them is second nature. It’s about more than telling time; it’s about having a reliable, stylish accessory that’s not tethered to a notification feed.
Gen Z checks their phone for the time, the weather, and whether it’s been five minutes or five hours since they last doom-scrolled. Watches are either fashion statements or fitness trackers—not timekeepers. If they wear one, it’s probably just vibing with the outfit.
