Millennials face unique communication challenges in their relationships because of technology and the impact of social media. As a generation that grew up with access to communication tools like smartphones and the internet, millennials often rely on technology to connect with their partners.
Fear of commitment
We live in a world where labeling people is out of the question, so, naturally, millennials grew this fear of being labeled. Fear of commitment is one of the biggest reasons for being hard to date, as they don't like being labeled and they very much dislike defining certain things.
The constant lack of emotional connection is a significant reason why millennials are afraid of commitment. The majority of them likely choose relationships for convenience. It saves money, lets them move out of their parent's house, and well, you always have someone for your physical desires and pleasures too.
Tinder and consulting firm Morar HPI surveyed 1,000 singles between 18 to 25 years old and found that 72 percent “have made a conscious decision” to stay single. “Solo status gives young adults a sense of adventure, independence and empowerment,” the dating app said.
Common stereotypes associated with millennials, roughly defined as the generation born since 1980, are well documented and mostly negative. Millennials are presumed to be lazy, entitled, delusional, narcissistic and unreliable.
Young adults' desire to marry has greatly dwindled over the years as factors like fear of commitment, inflation and high divorce rates have taken a toll on younger generations. A majority of millennials — those born from 1981 to 1996 — aren't tying the knot at the same rate as previous generations.
Data shows that nearly half of Americans think dating is harder now than it was 10 years ago. 1 Some reasons include more physical and emotional risk, technology, it being harder to meet people, and shifting societal expectations. Dating opens even the most well-adjusted to uncertainty and vulnerability.
"Getting married is often perceived as a risk so Millennials tend to cohabitate and get financially stable before moving forward." Business Insider reported that fear is leading Millennials to marry later "as they take time to get to know their partner, accumulate assets and become financially successful."
According to the nationwide study of Millennials (adults ages 18 to 37), most in the generation say they are dissatisfied with their intimate and peer relationships. In fact, when it comes to relationships, they avoid conflict and have a hard time trusting others.
Whether it's financial debt, consumption of social media, always connected work environments or heavier workloads with fewer resources, there are many different factors that may cause higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression in millennials compared to past generations.
Everyone experiences stress at some point in their lives.” While you are correct, 78 percent of those surveyed stated that they think they are more stressed than previous generations, with more debt, a more competitive job market, and more expensive healthcare being the leading reasons why.
So, millennials tend to have very positive views of themselves and are very optimistic about their expectations for their lives and they're more likely to say that they're above average compared to their peers and they tend to score higher on other measures of positive self-views, like self-esteem and even narcissism.
The first year of the relationship is the hardest stage, and even when you're living together, you still discover new things about each other every day. How to Survive: The key to getting past the discovery stage is also discovery. The discovery of your partner's imperfections and your imperfections as well.
This storm of break-ups and make-ups is a common phenomenon. A recent study found that the average relationship in your twenties lasts 4.2 years, but that those years are not always consecutive; 60 percent of 20-year-olds report experiencing at least one on again/off again relationship.
72% of millennials make a conscious decision to be single.
They value freedom and independence. 75% of Gen Z are single. 44% of millennials are married.
Some aspects of dating in your 30s make the process harder—such as a shrinking candidate pool. You can no longer meet potential partners at school and probably aren't attending parties and social gatherings as often. These are hot spots for fresh encounters.
Millennial Dating is a Constant Grey Area
Commitment for millennials looks like “almost relationships” and sex with no strings attached. We don't know where a relationship is headed and then worry about whether we're wasting their time. Many millennials aren't clear about their intentions.
Even as the Baby Boomers continue to age, they divorce more than any other age group.
In fact, 22% of millennials (ages 26 to 41) and 19% of Gen Zers (ages 18 to 25) have gone into debt from what they've spent on dating, according to a September Lendingtree survey. Overall, survey respondents said they spend about $91 on a night out, on average.
Boomers Still Most Likely to Divorce
There are several factors behind the decline. People are getting married later in life and are more educated when they get married. Arguably, Millennials are more selective in who they marry because there's less pressure on them to get married in their early 20s.
Millennials, the generation that includes those born between 1980 and 2003, are commonly described as lazy, poorly prepared and without aspirations.