My departure from the university was relatively sober.

An email from the Examination Office informed me that my master’s certificates were ready.

In accordance with the usual pace of the university authorities, I was able to pick them up just a few months later.

In the naturally festive mood of an empty office with the blinds down, I was handed my certificates.

I don't care for big ceremonies and big speeches, and by that I mean, of course, only those that come from other people's mouths.

"Congratulations on your master's degree," the lady from the examination office complimented me.

"Yes, thank you, you too," I replied.

While walking around the campus, I observed a new generation of students who are again very different from mine.

And I think it's worth it

I don't want to get angry about the manners and the luxury addiction of young people.

These tiresome complaints are incomprehensible and moreover at least as worn as the sandals of old Socrates, who was certainly the very first to formulate this complaint 400 years before time.

Instead, I see a lot of potential in this generation.

Here is an attempt at cross-generational fraternization in three acts.

prolog

All those young people who were born after 1996 are referred to as Generation Z, Gen Z or Zoomer.

Gen Z has its own style of clothing and its own pop culture, it is also considered to be environmentally conscious, committed, cosmopolitan and tech-savvy.

Millennials are all those venerable old people who were born between 1980 and 1995, i.e. my generation.

This generation is also considered to be tech-savvy, safety-loving and self-fulfilling.

Zoomers and millennials are not that far apart.

First Act: Political Activism

When it comes to climate change, we all look to the same future.

In recent years it was you zoomers who simply couldn't be ignored with campaigns like "Fridays for Future".

That shook us all.

However, I find it counterproductive to describe your generation as a beacon of hope in this society.

Sure, that sounds like praise, but the thought gets in the way of your appeal and goals.

The other generations also have the potential to take to the streets and hold politicians accountable.

Everyone can and should consume more consciously, eat less meat and drive less.

Anyone who relinquishes the role of beacon of hope to others makes themselves comfortable, misjudges their own responsibility and thereby becomes part of the problem.

Those who take your thirst for action seriously and respect it will lend a hand.

You are not heroes that we can applaud symbolically and then unfortunately have to pass over for the sake of the economy, but you are young people who depend on the support of the other generations.

It is also up to us millennials to join in and do our part to ensure that climate demos cannot be ignored.

See you at the next climate strike.

Act Two: Why are you like this?

When skinny jeans and side parting stopped defining the appearance of young people in the last two years, I noticed for the first time how quickly fashions outlive each other.

But fashion seems to be like the broken clock that tells you the right time twice a day: if you walk around consistently in whatever clothes you wear for long enough, you'll accidentally end up banging on the trend at some point.

Recently, fishing hats, wide-cut trousers and partings have become popular not only with obese older men in fishing clubs, but also with young people.

In this context, I unfortunately noticed how quickly we millennials are willing to throw the next generation to the wolves for any trivialities.

And this despite the fact that a few years ago, articles accusing us of narcissism and laziness were still piling up about us, without ever wanting to look at life from our perspective.

I can already hear some of my generation ranting about the mum jeans, the hats and the completely new and absurd organization of the head of hair, as if they were trying to scare playing children off their lawn.

Yes, the zoomers look different than us.

Yes, trends come and go.

And now?

Don't you remember how we ourselves reacted to all that talk back then?

We collectively rolled our eyes and responded with the words "Okay Boomer".

Nothing good has ever come out of this gossip and we too will simply achieve that the following generation takes us a little less seriously.

Can we please just stop this?

Third Act: Similarities

Unity can also be the first step towards social change.

Like us Millennials, you Gen Z are no longer willing to throw your whole life overboard for a limited job.

Like us millennials, you demand more flexibility from your employers.

Just like us, you are well educated, want flat hierarchies and need the freedom to update yourself.

We can build on that and change a lot if we work together.

So what do you say?

Friends?

Maike Weisenburger has just completed her master's degree in medieval studies.

This was her last post in the "Uni live" column.