Bread baking and modern-day “Victory Gardens” are all the rage among millennials in the time of COVID-19. Almost certainly as a way to cope with restrictions on grocery shopping, food staple shortages, and overall pandemic-induced anxiety. It’s no surprise that millennials are doubling down on do-it-yourself habits in a time of crisis: this generation’s thriftiness more closely mirrors people raised during the Great Depression than any other recent generation.
Oat Milk Lattes Don’t Mean Millennials Are Frivolous
The 2007-09 Great Recession shaped a frugal generation that invests cautiously. Millennials tend to work more hours and start saving for retirement earlier than our predecessors. Being “irreplaceable” and “always busy” are badges of honor. We glorify side hustles and partake in the gig economy. Perhaps if we work harder we can overcompensate for the effects of slowed GDP growth, unemployment spikes, and a shifting social contract?
We postpone buying homes and starting families, instead spending money on activities like dining, entertainment, and travel. It’s not that we’re overly indulgent, despite being mislabeled as delaying adulthood. We put off traditional milestones because we face an affordability crisis—one that has now been amplified at a critical time in our professional lives. Consider that the price of a $15 avocado toast and oat milk latte is a drop in the bucket against college tuition. The cost of an average four-year degree has increased fourfold in the last 30 years to nearly $100,000 on average.
Social Distancing Has Upended Typical Millennial Habits
Many millennials prioritize experiences over simply gaining possessions: where you’re traveling, what you’re eating, who you’re doing it with. Yes, for some people this translates into flaunting your wealth and status online. But for many millennials, ‘experience culture’ correlates with a generation that is intellectually curious. Ethical sourcing, sustainability, product quality and value are more important than simply acquiring stuff. (Think sipping on a small-batch release at a craft brewery with friends. Then noshing on a grilled cheese sandwich from a local farmer.) Traveling shows people the world outside their own bubble. Trying new cuisines can be a good start to learn about other cultures.
Our new way of living amid COVID-19—staying home when possible, avoiding large gatherings, limiting travel—has derailed these tenants of millennial life. And beyond the day-to-day activities, there are life milestones that many millennials will further have to postpone. I’ve had several friends push back weddings, baby showers, and graduation parties. Some have been rescheduled to digital celebrations, which are wonderful but not quite the same. You can’t serve a wedding cake over Zoom.
Care For Yourself To Have The Energy To Support Others
Millennials were already burned out with our nonstop work culture before the start of a global health crisis—followed by economic turmoil and the re-ignition of a civil rights movement. There can be a tendency when stressed to freeze when the path ahead is unclear. Or to shut down, or to make a rash decision that isn’t in your best long-term interest.
But we need to save our energy because the challenges facing us are marathons, not sprints. That means staying financially prudent and hardworking, but also going easy on yourself. Getting respite when you can and not feeling bad for enjoying the fruits of your labor. Being extra mindful about how you spend your time and mental energy, and the people who get a precious piece.
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare,” were the 1988 words of poet Audre Lorde, a black, lesbian civil rights activist. In 2020, we sometimes forget that “self care” isn’t just a hashtag, a pretty Facebook photo, and an aspirational display of wealth for the most privileged in society. It can in fact be a way to protect your mental wellness and identity in a hostile world. And you need to replenish your strength first if you’re going to stand up for anyone else.
Make The Most Of The Present As A Way To Prepare For The Future
How do bread baking and Victory Gardens reflect how millennials are surviving and seeking to thrive in the new normal? My take is that these activities encompass attributes millennials value: frugality, preparing for the future, gaining an experience, partaking in high-quality artisinal products. You set goals and they pay off. You literally reap what you sow.
My hope is that they also allow millennials to slow down the pace of their lives. Furthermore, to engage in activities that haven’t been totally monetized yet, or perfected with a social media aesthetic. Watching bread proof is about as exciting as watching paint dry. There are only so many glamour shots you can take of tilling soil and waiting for seeds to sprout. Or pruning a potted basil plant.
Bread baking and gardening show that commitment and patience can be more important than how much money you spend. If you nurture the process along the way, you’ll be rewarded with nourishment and a bounty that is much greater than the raw materials you put in.
