words Alexa Wang
One thing many people notice from millennials and the previous generations is that the former are postponing their plans to get married—or choosing not to get married altogether. Marriage does not have the same appeal to them as it did to the older generations.
Career, independence, and self-discovery seem to be their main goals instead of settling down. However, this doesn’t mean they don’t want to get married at all—they want to settle down later. In 2019, only 44 percent of millennials got married, compared with gen X (53 percent), boomers (61 percent), and the silent generation (81 percent) at the same age. The statistics show that millennials have other priorities aside from getting married.
Millennials Are More Career-Focused
A lot of millennials are goal-oriented and are more focused on becoming financially stable. Some of them have an online business or two on top of their full-time job. They don’t want to face financial troubles down the line when they’re already married with kids. They want to be financially secure and provide for themselves first before they bring kids into the picture. You can see that many online businesses are owned and run by millennials.
Millennials Like to Explore More Before They Settle
Dating apps are frequent nowadays, and it gives the notion that partners are easily replaceable. They don’t mind getting physical with multiple partners because it’s how they explore or assess whether this is the person they want to be with for the rest of their life. This setup is great because it lessens the chance of getting a divorce in the future.
A lesser chance of divorce means a healthy environment for the kids.
Millennials don’t mind if they take the time to know the person they’re currently dating. Some of them might come from single-parent households and don’t want a repeat of the situation. That’s why they are careful of history repeating itself. On the other hand, if you and your partner are ready to settle down, you might want to secure that engagement ring as a testament to your devotion to your partner.
Millennials Like to Travel
The tourist attractions on social media heighten the need to travel. Influencers have a solid social media presence that the millennials follow. They’re known to travel all around the world and document it whenever they see fit. Millennials have also adapted to this lifestyle because it improves their quality of life, and it’s a wholesome experience to immerse themselves in another culture. Traveling also leads to self-discovery, especially if you travel alone.
Millennials Feel Happiness Despite Being Unmarried
Is it possible to achieve happiness despite being unmarried? The answer is yes. The happiness of many millennials is anchored on independence, spending time with friends and family, and traveling. Furthermore, people don’t have to conform to society’s structure by getting married at a certain age.
There is no deadline on getting married—take your time and get married on your terms. Achieve whatever you want to achieve first because you can’t do these anymore if you have a family to go home to.
Millennials Prefer to Know Their Partners More Before Marriage
Moreover, a lot of millennials nowadays are living together with their romantic partners. This setup is a perfect way to determine whether you can stomach living with this person for the rest of your life. Your marriage is more likely to flourish if you’ve lived with your romantic partner under the same roof because you already know who they really are. Don’t be afraid to live life on your terms because you are responsible for your life—not anyone.
Millennials Want to Work On Themselves Before Marriage
The previous generations had some social structure of how their life would turn out: go to school, get a good job, then get married at a certain age. It’s all traditional and, in some ways, constricting. People back then probably didn’t want to get married but were pressured to do so because it’s the norm. They didn’t get to live life the way they wanted. But nowadays, the community is more welcoming compared to the times before. This made millennials live life the way they want.
If they decide to get married in the future, they will be the best version of themselves already. All the self-discovery and self-awareness before the marriage will make them the best parent to their children and partner to their spouses. And if married life is still not for them, that’s perfectly fine because marriage is not for everyone. They’ll remain content if they remain single for the rest of their lives.
It seems as though the younger generations do not feel obligated to get married. But that does not mean they don’t want to get married at all. Some millennials might want to improve their situation and themselves first before tying the knot. And to them, this is the more practical way.
