'Stating your number when leaving a voicemail': 30+ 'Cringe but correct' takes Millennials 100% stand by

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Oct 3, 2025 10:00 AM EDT

Every generation ends up getting roasted by the ones that come after them. It's just the way the world works. Things that were once hallmarks of your generation become 'cringe' over time. There's nothing you can do to stop it, except embrace the cringe. Who's to say there's anything wrong with being cringe? To my knowledge, nobody has ever passed away from being cringe. It only hurts the people who cringe at it. The cringeworthy remains unharmed. 

Millennials are full of cringe. We can't help it, it's just the way we are. But as we just established, there is nothing wrong with that. There might even be some wisdom hidden in the cringeness. After all, we've been on this earth longer than Gen Z or Gen Alpha. We might just know a thing or two about a thing or two, like how we can take some nods from the way things used to be. Sure, we all scoff at the idea of a Blockbuster now, but we forget how magical it was to go there on a Friday night with your friends to pick out a sleepover movie. 

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  • 01
    "Forever wearing black skinny jeans”
    via DANNY G

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • So what follows is a list of a bunch of millennial-isms that we might be made fun of for, but we will never let go. We don't care if we're dragged through the mud by the younger generations, we're sticking to our takes. So scroll on to read some of them. 

  • 02

    What's the silliest 'Cringe but Correct' Millennial take you'll defend no matter what?

    Hey fellow Millennials! What's the ridiculous, often-mocked belief or practice from our generation that you know is objectively correct and highly valuable? The one thing you'll absolutely defend to the grave? Let's unite globally on these petty issues! My Non- Negotiable Example: The Digital Sigh I will forever maintain that using "LOL" for anything that is not actually funny is an essential form of emotional regulation in text or Teams or any chat.
    via u/dasisglucklich
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    If you send me an annoying task or deeply disappointing news, my response is "Will do LOL," or "Oh man, that s ks LOL." The LOL isn't a laugh; it's a silent scream. It means, "I acknowledge this, I'm slightly annoyed, but I am responding with a pleasant, non- threatening digital sigh." It is the most valuable punctuation mark we have, perfectly capturing nuanced, passive-aggressive resignation. Thank you for coming to my tedtalk.
    via u/dasisglucklich
  • 04

    Commenters came in with their opinions and takes.

    MartianTrinkets 17h ago . Unabashedly enjoying things and not being paralyzed by fear of being cringe
    via u/MartianTrinkets
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    SmokeAgreeable8... My side part stays
    via u/SmokeAgreeable8675
  • 06
    VERGEXILL 17h ago . I've spent a lifetime cultivating a wardrobe of flannels, jeans, and boots, I ain't changing now
    via u/VERGEXILL
  • 07
    thesy5temfire • 17h ago . Stating your number when leaving a voicemail. Double points if you do it at the beginning and again at the end.
    via u/thesy5temfire
  • 08
    Franzmithanz • 18h ago Big decisions and purchases are on big screens. Not my phone.
    via u/Franzmithanz
  • 09
    Cal_858 17h ago Until one streaming service has every movie or show made and is readily available at all times, I will continue to collect and keep DVDs/Blu Rays of movies and shows I want to watch
    via u/Cal_858
  • 10
    17h ago Edited 14h ago Ca... 17h ago I will murder anyone who comes for my Oxford comma.
    via u/CaptainFuzzyBootz
  • 11
    yourfreudianslip • 18h ago You can pry my ankle and no- show socks off my cold, de d feet; there's no way in h I I'm going to go rocking a crew- sock farmer's tan just because you dumbal kids insist on dressing like my grandpa going golfing.
    via u/yourfreudianslip
  • 12
    caseyallarie •17h ago They aren't flared leggings, they are yoga pants and they have to touch the ground. I work in a highschool and I'm so sick of seeing kids with flood pants - we would have been roasted so hard for that.
    via u/caseyallarie
  • 13
    BlackQuartzSphinx_ · 18h ago . I will never give up comfort camisoles. If I ever have only one layer on, I have been replaced by a pod person.
    via u/BlackQuartzSphinx_
  • 14
    Pudgy_Pigeon5 • 17h ago Idc what the cool kids are doing these days I am using. capital letters
    via u/Pudgy_Pigeon5
  • 15
    armadillo1296 · 17h ago Ever since I realized that lol and Imao are just conversational filler/lube, i feel way less weirdly guilty about using them
    via u/armadillo1296
  • 16
    aggressiveanswer_17h ago The OG sailor moon intro had no business being that catchy. It hits different Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight ♪♪♪ If I buy a game, I should be able to play it as soon as I get home and not wait x amount of hours for it to download and update
    via u/aggressiveanswer_
  • 17
    Ma... 18h ago Edited 17h ago . . screens in cars are ugly give me knobs and buttons edit: put a kenwood head unit with segmented display and buttons in my mr2 deliberately
    via u/MakesYourMise
  • 18
    InjurySensitive 17h ago I refuse to buy everything online. Sometimes, you need the in-person store experience, so you can see how stuff actually looks and feels. I don't want a nice looking but scratchy af blanket or the painting that looked a different color online. I definitely don't want
    via u/InjurySensitive
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    to wait weeks while I return it and get a refund to order another elsewhere and potentially have the same thing happen again. I just want to go to the store, buy it, and be done with it already.
    via u/InjurySensitive
  • 20
    Significant_Push_... . 18h ago Video rental stores are cool and good. Sure Netflix, Hulu, whatever HBO's service has been renamed to this week are more convenient but the simple joy of convincing my parents I needed to rent Richie Rich again is peak childhood
    via u/Significant_Push_856
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    tubular1845 • 18h ago Writing LOL instead of lol is weird, I don't know why but I've always found it cringe unless something is actually extremely funny.
    via u/tubular1845
  • 22
    mrsspooky84 • 16h ago Not everything needs to be "smart". I don't need a smart windshield, smart glasses, a smart watch. Like, f . | have a phone and a tv. That covers my needs.
    via u/mrsspooky84
  • 23
    s408v 17h ago . I'll di on the hill of forever wearing black skinny jeans/jeggings, purchasing big ticket items on a desktop/laptop, and overusing lol and e lol
    via u/s408v
  • 24
    chocoheed · 16h ago End of sentence emojis as tone clarifiers might be cringe, but they've led to me having fewer stupid arguments due to misunderstandings and I stand by them.
    via u/chocoheed
  • 25
    RawBean7 • 16h ago Cars peaked in the mid 90s to mid 00s. Now they're all ginormous, look the same, everything is an SUV with too many screens and sensors and computers to cost a fortune when they break. Power windows were the most technology needed. We used to have fun colors, makers experimented with new and weird body styles. I miss seeing station wagons everywhere.
    via u/RawBean7
  • 26
    DistortedDumptruck 17h ago . I'm gonna put my hands in the air when I dance. Especially at a concert. Going to concerts where people's hands are only in the air when they are holding their phones is crazy to me!!
    via u/DistortedDumptruck
  • 27
    EarthTrash • 16h ago Paper menus are the correct way to order food when dining in. I am not scanning a QR code.
    via u/EarthTrash
  • 28
    scaddleblurt • 17h ago The way we all say "from my cold, de d hands"
    via u/scaddleblurt
  • 29
    Happy-Hearing6671 · 16h ago Phone etiquette. Jesus Christ don't call and after a long pause and random sounds in the background say "what's up with my application" ok for one, who the f are you what is your name. Two, what's up with it? What do
    via u/Happy-Hearing6671
  • 30
    you even mean? Are you having issues? Wanting an update? Etc etc etc. then when I ask to spell their name they go from speaking at a normal pace to talking as FAST AND MUMBLED as possible spelling it. Kills me
    via u/Happy-Hearing6671
  • 31
    Professor_Hala • 16h ago. . The Millennial Pause is functionally useful, since it allows the viewer to orient to the video before you start talking. Seriously, how many videos have you had pop up that start talking before your brain says "oh, this guy is saying something," and you miss the first sentence?
    via u/Professor_Hala

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Tags

1990s right in the childhood millennial memes elder millennial childhood millennials cringe 90s problems funny memes the 90s 90s pop pop culture Memes hot take 90s kids 90s Reddit millennial-nostalgia funny-millennials
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