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Tell Me About The Things You Wish Parents Understood About Being A Young Adult Today

I'm still trying to explain to my mom how dating works in 2023...

Being a millennial, I often find myself talking to my parents about today's worries and asking them for advice.

anne hathaway saying, "it isn't fair."

But I know as much as my dear parents try to relate to things I'm going through and offer their advice — they simply can't always understand what it's like to be a young adult in 2023. So I'm turning to the BuzzFeed Community to ask: what are some things you wish parents would realize about being a millennial or Gen Zer today?

Maybe you wish your parents realized the pressure that often exists to be active on social media and keep up with friends through that medium.

a woman saying, "this is the new thing you're doing now?"

Perhaps you wish your parents knew how heavily student loan debt weighs on younger generations and how a lot of financial decisions are influenced by that debt.

hand on a calculator with papers spread on a table

Or maybe you wish your parents understood how nuanced dating can be in the digital age. Like, I've complained to my mom before about how a guy I was seeing didn't answer my text but he watched all my Instagram stories — and she was very confused by what I was talking about.

a hand on a smartphone with a little heart notification

Lastly, perhaps you wish your parents realized that a lot of people in today's generation feel pressured to get married and have kids — but some don't want any of that.

a hand putting a wedding band on another hand

Share all your thoughts with me in this anonymous form or in the comments below.

Some responses might be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post.