We all got to know and love Kimmy Schmidt as the effervescent and beautifully optimistic mole woman on season one of "Unbreakable." In season two, we got to see her more vulnerable side, as she struggles to process her painful past and fights to not let the cynicism of the world bring her down.
Even though she has such a childishly buoyant spirit, she’s still hashbrown relatable to millennials like me who are old at heart, because being held captive in a bunker for 15 years has made her a bit behind the times. She struggles in her search to find a place of belonging, just like us old souls.
If you've ever been called "old-fashioned" before, get upset if you miss "Jeopardy," and love the simplicity of solitude, you're an old soul like me, welcome to the club! (Bingo is on Thursdays).
Being an old soul in a millennial body is like being a polar bear on a tropical island. It's challenging to adapt to an environment that you aren't naturally compatible with. Here are 13 outlets of life that we struggle with just like Kimmy Schmidt.
1. Dating
It's exponentially harder to date because we have a such a romantic view on the world. Our traditional and idealistic outlook always leads to disappointment in the casual dating scene. But is it really too much to ask to have my door opened for me? Can guys go back to sending girls flowers instead of unsolicited penis pictures?
2. Online Dating
As if regular dating wasn't already difficult enough, online dating is a fiasco. Tinder works for millennials seeking instant gratification and don't mind detached, sarcastic conversations, but it just isn't for old souls. I'm still holding out for my own memorable "meet cute." (see above if you don't know what that is)
3. Materialism
Life isn't just a pursuit of possessions for us. We're a lot more concerned with philosophy and travel than we are with vanity, so consumerism just isn't something we buy into (pun intended). This leads to a lag in conversation with others, though, and it becomes a little hard to relate to people.
4. Film and Literature
We're used to our references going unreceived because our favorites aren't from this decade.
5. Social Media
We can't keep up with trends on social media, and by the time we figure out what something is it's become outdated anyway. Side note, is pc4pc still a thing? Asking for a friend..
6. Abbreviations
We can't keep up with popular lingo and all the new fancy acronyms, either. Sometimes it's more fun to make up your own definition, anyway. (It is helpful to know what NSFW means though, speaking from experience.)
7. Job Searching
Standing out among the crowd of post graduates is hard when you have such old school ways. A firm handshake and good eye contact are not worth as much as LinkedIn connections and fancy certifications anymore, so we're at a bit of a disadvantage.
8. Education
Old souls are the annoying ones in the front of the class because we have an insatiable curiosity and we actually love learning. We kind of ostracize ourselves by doing this, but we can't help it.
9. Nightlife
Going out is a daunting idea. We like dinner at 5, an episode of Jeopardy, a bit of reading, and then bed. So, it takes a lot of mental preparation to leave the house after 9pm (aka our bedtime).
10. Television
We can't participate in water cooler conversations on Real Housewives and Teen Moms because the only kinds of shows we watch are Game and Crime.
11. Identity
We spend way too much time self-analyzing and we're too introspective for our own good. Also, the amount of mental energy we spend on the most menial decisions is nonsensical.
12. Comebacks
We're not good at insults or being mean, mainly because we are very easygoing and are used to being the mediator in argument. But also partially because we don't like to curse.
13. Socializing
Just being around people in general is exhausting. Old souls highly value impactful and meaningful relationships, but it's the small talk type stuff that we struggle with. There is such a high risk of us doing something awkward when we're around people, which is why we love being alone.
All in all, I think one thing that we can take away from Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is that it's okay to be an outlier. Old souls may not have a lot in common with Generation Y, but that's not to say we won't try to do our best to not be loners. Plus, there were polar bears on the island on LOST, so anything is possible!
