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Apple: Not the kind you bite into but the company that’s bitten GenX big — from the affordable iPod to the much coveted iPad, they want everything that Steve Jobs made.
Abbreviations: GenX does not believe in spending time or characters (Twitter and SMS lingo) on complete words. Dey wnt 2 mnmise tym spc by usn abbrvns.
Blackberry: From being a bulky executive’s accessory on the move, the BlackBerry is now the sleek smartphone for GenX. College-goers and even schoolkids either have a BB or want to have one. And they ask for the BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) pin even before they ask for the email id.
Bluetooth: Why waste time sharing files via a pen drive when you can transfer data instantly, that too free of cost? Be it sharing music, pictures or videos, Bluetooth is the route to the information highway for GenX.
Converse shoes: They are cool, they are comfortable and they are an awesome canvas for creativity. Red, blue, yellow, green, printed, checked, painted or fake — Converse is the footwear of choice for the brat pack.
Drainpipe pants: Move over baggy jeans and straight legs, this is the age of fitted pants, the skinnier the better.
Dark Knight: Not Michael Keaton and the “pow wow” TV series, but its Batman’s new avatar, powered by Chris Nolan and Christian Bale, not to mention the late Heath Ledger’s Joker act, that defines this generation.
Energy drinks: They study hard, play harder… and party hardest! Red Bull and Co. gives the wings to keep them going!
E-book: When everything has gone virtual, can turning the pages of a book be far behind? While some do spend money buying e-books, most prefer to download e-versions (by bending the rule book) or read them online.
Facebook: Email is for work, everything else happens on Facebook. Pen friends have given way to Facebook friends, “poke”, “post”, “like” have replaced backslaps and high-fives. FB is their answer to “life, the universe and everything”!
Google: Have a question? Just google it. From simple things like spellings to major matters like study references, Google holds the key.
Hookah: A place that does not offer aromatic tobacco in a fancy bowl with a pipe is so not happening. If they are hanging out with friends, they need to puff away on the hookah.
How I Met Your Mother: They may know Joey, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler and Phoebe but what they are really addicted to and cannot have enough of is Barney “Legen… wait for it…dary” Stinson and his merry friends.
Harry Potter: They met the boy wizard when they were his age and grew up with him through seven books and eight movies. They are the Muggles who dream of having the power to swish a wand, utter “Wingardium Leviosa” and make things float.
Internship: This sure-footed lot doesn’t want to “waste” the years of college just getting a degree or chilling out — they want a headstart in their chosen field or at least find out what clicks for them. And they are not afraid of walking into an office and making it their own.
Just Dial: Need the number of a restaurant, cab service or even an education institute? Why pore over the bulky directory or sift through Google hits when you can Just Dial and get it on the go?
Khans & Kapoors: The Khan trio (Shah Rukh, Salman and Aamir) are of course still there, but it’s the Kapoors that rule their screen. Ranbir, Shahid, Sonam and Kareena are the Bollywood picks for GenX. With one Singh (Ranvir) joining the Bolly baaraat.
Laptop: Desktops are dead; it’s all about laptops now. Portability is the key for the generation always on the move.
Messi: If Maradona ruled GenEx, Messi is the god of the present lot. And it’s a double bonanza for the girls, who drool over his “cute” looks as much as his fab footwork.
Mall and Multiplex: Instant gratification of every kind, and all under one roof — from clothes and accessories to salons and films, not to mention the sip-and-bite options. No wonder they make a beeline for the mall at any given opportunity. And what’s a movie if it doesn’t come with a plush reclining seat and at least three choices of popcorn? Single-screen halls will just not do.
Night owls: Early to bed… is NOT for GenX. If they are not up studying, they are out partying, if not partying they are chatting, if not chatting they are surfing the Net. “Call me after midnight” is par for the course.
On the go: They do everything on the go, be it checking their mail, doing their reference work or planning a party, thanks to their new best friend, the smartphone.
OMG: Three golden words define GenX. Not “I love you” but “Oh my God!!”. Everything good, bad, ugly, brilliant, astonishing or otherwise is OMG!!
Oshos: Made of bamboo or cane strips and fitted with a rubber sole, they come with coloured straps and cool add-ons like beads, seashells or glitter. High on comfort and cool quotient, they mean happy feet for on-the-go guys and gals.
PDA (Public display of affection): Well, maybe not literally yet, but definitely virtually. GenX is busy making the world and its neighbour know who they love, where they dated, what gifts they got…. And what better way to let the world know than on Facebook?!
Qwerty keypad: Though they started with the regular keypads on their phones, they moved to Qwerty keys as soon as they or their pockets could. They can’t imagine how people type without Qwerty anymore.
Reality TV: From Roadies and Launchpad to American Idol and Masterchef Australia, shows where contestants slug it out rule the box for GenX.
Smileys: They find it impossible to have a text/BBM/email conversation without smileys. Some use it like punctuation, some think it’s rude not to use them and some just communicate through smileys. And while they started off with the usual :) or :( they came up with new ones soon enough.
T20: With a short attention span and a busy itinerary, GenX wants everything quick and short, even in cricket. For them, even the 100-over ODI is too long. Their defining moment? Team India lifting the Twenty20 World Cup in 2007. Now, 20:20 is all that counts.
Uber: The superlative has changed. Super is out, uber is in. So it is uber-cool and uber-hot and uber-sexy for them.
Vampires: Earlier it was only Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Gary Oldman and Tom Cruise to indulge our fantasies about the blood-sucking man. Now there is a deluge of vampire words and images from Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga to the Underworld series.
Wikipedia: Knowledge is power and it is available at the click of a mouse. Wikipedia not only answers questions, it gives deets (that is “details” for GenEx). Wiki is the saving grace at parties and addas because it gives you the power to talk on anything and everything. If in doubt about the authenticity, just google the info independently.
XBox: Going out to play is not for GenX, they have even brought outdoor games into their bedrooms, thanks to Xbox, whether it is football, tennis, racing or action games like Call of Duty.
YouTube: Missed JLo’s nip slip at the Oscars? Just log on to YouTube. The latest songs, movie trailers, virals, interviews and more — if it happened, it has to be on this media-sharing portal from the Google stable. But it doesn’t stop there. There’s a whole lot to learn from YouTube too, they insist — from how to woo a girl to how to do your eyes.
Zinger: Fast food is right food for GenX and nothing seems to be more popular than the juicy mayo-filled Zinger burger at KFC. Dates, birthdays and relationship anniversaries have become so much easier, they say.
Can you add to the list of things that define your generation? Tell t2@abp.in
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