Sorry Generation X, Only Millennials Are Passing This Quiz!

Torrance Grey

Image: Luis Alvarez/ DigitalVision/gettyimages

About This Quiz

What defines a millennial? A birth year between (approximately) 1980 and 2000? A confident, assertive, and possibly entitled (sorry!)  attitude toward life? Or is it just having grown up watching "Lizzie McGuire" and waiting all year for the "McRib" to come back to McDonald's?

There are reams of research on what the Millennial generation is all about -- their politics, their attitudes toward relationships and marriage, their approach to saving, spending and home ownership. Whole books have been written about them. To which we say: How exhausting! Can't we just talk about the TV, the movies and the tech?

The answer to that is yes. Yes, we can. We've created a quiz on '90s and 2000s culture that only Millennials will pass with flying colors. Some of our questions are nostalgic, about the early technology and games that '90s and 2000s kids owned. Others are about about Millennials today, especially the language they use to differentiate themselves from Generation X and Boomers. 

Whether you're a true Millennial, an "Xennial" (an older millennial with a lot in common with Generation X), or a Boomer or Gen-Xer trying to remain young and hip, we've got a quiz for you! Grab some shade-grown coffee and a cronut, settle in, and test your cultural savvy now!

Is "adulting" a good thing?

Yes, another noun has gotten "verbed." Millennials frequently use "adulting" to describe behaviors like paying the bills on time, carrying enough insurance, getting an annual physical, doing spring cleaning and so on.

Which of these shows introduced the world to both Elizabeth Berkley and Mario Lopez?

This reboot of "Good Morning, Miss Bliss" starred young actors like Berkley, Lopez, Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen. All of them have continued working in Hollywood, though none have attained A-list status.

Elizabeth Berkley broke out of her sweet "Jessie Spano" mold with what racy movie?

"Showgirls" is the only NC-17 movie ever to be given a wide release -- it was sort of a trial balloon for the new rating between R and X. Unfortunately, the movie flopped (though it's become a cult classic on video) and seemed to doom the NC-17 rating as well.

What company made the Game Boy?

The Game Boy was a handheld, 8-bit game system. It was released in mid-1989, making it technically a development of the '80s, but really a nostalgia item of the '90s.

Which of these was Sega's answer to the Game Boy?

Also an 8-bit system, the Game Gear came out in 1991. It lasted until 1996, never quite gaining the popularity of the Game Boy.

"FOMO" is the fear of what?

Millennials value experiences, like travel and adventure sports. So the coining of this acronym for "fear of missing out" really isn't a surprise.

Is there "JOMO" (joy of missing out) as well as "FOMO"?

Everyone's been to a lame party or an outdoor concert where it rained the whole time. It was for these things that the antonym phrase "JOMO" was coined.

How many feet of bubblegum came in a package of Bubble Tape?

Bubble Tape advertised itself as "six feet of bubblegum, for you, not them." That's right: it rampantly discouraged sharing. Is it any wonder Millennials are accused of being entitled?

Which of these TV shows was set in Sunnydale, California?

"Buffy" was a breakout hit for the WB. A reboot is planned for 2018 or 2019, with original series creator Joss Whedon on board as executive producer.

Who was Cher's best friend in "Clueless"?

Cher says that they get along, in part, because they're both named for 1970s singers. Dionne was played by Stacey Dash, whose polarizing comments about race and politics, made on Fox News appearances, have cost her roles in the present decade.

Which of these is a way to say "one hundred percent"?

"Hundo P" is a way of saying you are completely behind somebody in what they are doing. Use it wisely!

Finish the phrase: "I can't even ____."

"I can't even" is a way of saying "I'm overwhelmed." It needs no verb, but you *can* jump right to an indirect object: "I can't even with this crap right now."

The term "on fleek" was originally used to describe ______.

That's right, "on fleek" used to mean you had really well-sculpted eyebrows. This term has grown to describe almost anything that is well-put-together.

Somebody who is "on fleek" in all aspects of clothing and style has ______.

This Millennial word is memorialized in the Bruno Mars song, "Finesse." In it, he brags "We out here drippin' in finesse/You know it, you know it."

Finish the phrase: "The ______is real."

This is a way of sympathizing with a difficult situation. Or, since everything Millennials do is potentially ironic, a not-so-difficult situation. "I really want a third beer, but I don't want to be hung over." "The struggle is real!"

If someone is "humblebragging," are they bragging or not?

"Humblebragging" is definitely bragging -- you're just trying not to get called on it. Note to everyone: putting #humblebrag at the end of a post does not make you modest.

Speaking of "or not" choices, what's the millennial way of saying "or not"?

You'll see this on online polls: "Are these 2000s hair trends cool or nah?" Our recommendation: Save it for online comunication. Boomers and Gen-Xers will probably take offense to its sneering connotation.

Something you and your BFF's aspire to is a _____ goal.

This one often turns up as a hashtag: #squadgoal. Spoiler alert: "Squad goals" don't seem to get achieved at any higher rates than regular goals.

If you are socially and politically aware, you are _____.

"Woke" comes from the idea of "awakening" -- e.g., to the reality of voter fraud or police brutality or white privilege. Warning: It's often used in a derogatory way, to imply someone who only shows off the right attitudes on social media. If someone calls you "woke AF," they might not be complimenting you.

"Salty" is a millennial word for _____.

We're not sure how this one got started. "Saltiness" sounds kind of sexy to us, tbh.

If you're thirsty, what are you?

You'll often see this applied to sexual cravings. That is, a sexy photo posted online could be called "thirst-inducing." Or someone might remark, on seeing it, "The thirst is real."

Which of these things would a "basic girl" like?

Okay, a basic girl "might" like "Piers Plowman" and "The Canterbury Tales." But generally, basic girls like yoga, wine, book clubs, pumpkin spice everything ... not necessarily bad things, just very common ones.

Which of these is a digital wallet?

Venmo lets you pay tabs, split checks or send money digitally. Its parent company is PayPal.

If you're here to set the standard in something, you're here to ____.

Can we credit "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" with the popularity of this term? Maybe. However, "slay" isn't used to the exclusion of other terms -- you can also "kill it" or "nail it."

Which of these short-lived shows starred Claire Danes?

Danes is now better known for her role on "Homeland." She won the role of Angela Chase at just 13 years old.

What is "teh"?

This is a crossing of Millennial slang and "leetspeak." With roots in a simple typo, the word "teh" has become acceptable (at least online) for "the."

Which of these now-vintage computers came in blueberry, lime, tangerine and grape colors?

These turn-of-the-millennium computers were works of art. However, you had to lift with your knees when you picked them up: They weighed a ton.

If you are "turnt," you are ...

"Turnt" is Millennial slang for "drunk." It can also refer more loosely to having a good time.

In what fictitious town was "Veronica Mars" set?

The fictitious town of Neptune wasn't just set up to be an "Anytown, California." The show used Neptune to explore a rigid class divide that anyone who's lived in southern California beach towns will recognize.

On which social media platform might you have an "egg account"?

A new user to Twitter is given an avatar of an egg, because the site's symbol, overall, is a bird. Users who aren't that into Twitter never replace their avatar, and just go on having an "egg account."

Who were the stars of the "Freaky Friday" remake in 2003?

Before Lohan's life went so drastically downhill, she was one of the most promising actresses of her generation. She could have taken a lesson from Jamie Lee Curtis, who handled the transition from teen actor to adult with considerable poise.

What time of year is the McRib available?

Some people look forward all year to the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Stabucks. Others wait for the McRib, which debuted on McDonald's' menu in 1981, was discontinued in 1985, and is now a seasonal item.

Which social media site is represented by a white ghost on a yellow background?

The ghost represents the temporary, now-you-see-it nature of "snaps." Unlike other social-media sites, Snapchat only keeps messages and media up for a short time.

What year was the iPhone introduced?

The iPhone arrived on the scene in 2007 -- quite a few Millennials were adults by then. Today, we're on the iPhone X, a tenth-gen phone (depending on how you count).

Which of these movies was the Gen-X forerunner of "Mean Girls"?

We know we phrased this question backward: This isn't supposed to be a quiz about Gen-X stuff! But dang it, if you haven't seen "Heathers," see it posthaste. In this new century of school violence and anti-bullying campaigns, this movie would never have gotten made.

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