By: Casey Berner, Multimedia/Infographics

When you’re single, it seems like everyone around you is dating. Technology is solving that problem by bringing singles right to your smart phone. With apps like OkCupid, Tinder, Sonar and Grindr, finding a date and your next relationship is as easy as hitting the download button. The YAYA (Youth And Young Adult) market finds this to be the new way to meet up and see who has shared interests.

Online dating changed the game forever by bringing singles ready to mingle to laptops and taking the guessing game and bar scene out of the equation. According to Match.com, 1 in 5 relationships start online and sites like eHarmony boast they use science to match you with a partner to create a meaningful relationship.

But this could be first grade math compared to what new apps are doing. Smartphone dating apps add an extremely important feature to the dating game; location. Online dating sites allowed you to target by city or general area, but apps like Tindr and Grindr actually use the GPS in your phone to show you who is close to you, making the ‘breaking the ice’ process a lot quicker and easier. You can actually see the distance between you and another person. So if you’re looking to grab a drink with someone or lunch during your break, dating apps are showing you who’s looking as well.

New apps are taking things a step further by using data in your social life to suggest potential matches and even places to meet up. Data pulled from Facebook, hangout spots, or material provided by the user can match up people based on keywords and interests.Your restaurant might get suggested by FourSquare as a frequent location for two interested individuals to meet up.

This adds to the changing landscape of dating and relationships that YAYAs are trying to wade their way through. Changing the dating game itself has changed the meaning of “dating” all together. According to the New York Times, if you’re expecting a dinner at a romantic new bistro…forget it. It’s now the era of quick meet ups and hangouts and it’s confusing marketers.

A staggering 21% of millennials think it’s possible to have a relationship with someone without ever meeting them face-to-face, according to MDG Advertising. Marketers need to realize the dating atmosphere has changed and the dinner and a movie chivalry may be dead. Millennials are much more inclined to text potential love interests, go out on large group dates, and try online dating apps. Recent research shows that almost half of millennials believe dating today means simply hanging out and that 41% feel that it’s fine to ask someone out via text.

But just because making connections face-to-face has become less of a normal part of the routine, there is still plenty of room to connect. Just like dating sites, apps still lead to offline dates. And while the culture of dating has changed, there is still room for mistakes, seduction, disappointment and success.

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By Stephen Hays, Researcher

I rarely ever use my flat screen TV to watch cable television anymore. Besides live sporting events, I usually just connect my HDMI cord from my laptop to my TV, and start streaming my favorite television shows and movies. And I’m not the only one. With services like Netflix and Hulu Plus available at much lower prices, millennials are ditching cable for online TV.

This change in the YAYA generation isn’t news to cable execs, either. Dish Network’s co-founder and Chairman Charlie Ergen understands the evolving landscape of television. Recently, he said that a lot of college kids are already not paying for cable, and he doesn’t imagine they’ll switch to cable after graduating.

“A lot of customers can live with Netflix and an… antenna, and YouTube…  and they’d be pretty happy,” Ergen said.

What is so appealing to the YAYA market about these online services?

Price is certainly a key factor for millennials. While the average cable bill ranging from $72-$90 a month, subscribers to Netflix and Hulu Plus would only have to pay $7.99 for each service per month.

“A la carte” is another factor that appeals to the YAYA market. Being able to pick and choose what shows and movies we want to watch, on-demand, is very attractive. Especially with Netflix now creating original content, like the popular new show House of Cards, the online services understand how to cater to this emerging generation.

And these Internet services don’t plan on just targeting millennials, either. In December, Netflix is going to premiere a children’s television series created in partnership with DreamWorks.

However, cable companies still have one big service they can offer millennials. A recent MediaPost article articulated one cord that this YAYA generation will never cut: Internet access.

Sources:

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By: Carrie Cobler, Curated Research
“Millennials use social media platforms to manage many parts of their personal lives, and they are increasingly using these same tools to transition into their professional lives,” says Razor Suleman, founder and chairman of Achievers.

Launching back in May of 2003, LinkedIn slowly but surely managed to become the world’s largest professional online network. Now consisting of over 187 million users worldwide, this booming professional networking platform is certainly catching the attention of the YAYA (youth and young adult) generation during their job search.

“Millennials recognize LinkedIn as one of the best online tools to help jumpstart their professional careers,” says Suleman.  According to a 2012 survey conducted by Experience Inc. and Achievers, 35% of millennials say they plan to use LinkedIn as a primary source for their job hunt.

With the presence of over 2.6 million companies on the site, there are many opportunities readily available to millennials. They are able to research these companies, find open positions as well as connect with recruiters and search profiles of executives and current employees to obtain a better picture of the company.

Having a large number of job seekers with active profiles offers benefits to those in search of these candidates as well.  A recent survey from Jobvite found that 93% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find qualified candidates, which is up from 87% in 2011 and 78% in 2010.

Considering the benefits that connecting with professionals on LinkedIn brings, millennials shouldn’t ignore this networking platform. In fact, some experts say that these job seekers should begin their networking as early as possible.

Seventy-three percent of the recruiters polled said that they hired someone who was found or introduced to them through a social network. Although other social media sites did play a role in helping the recruiters find these talents, the majority (89%) found them through LinkedIn. But just to give you an idea of the others, 26% were found through Facebook and 15% through Twitter.

“The rise in social recruiting has allowed both candidates and employers an easier way to find the best match,” Jobvite CEO, Dan Finnigan, said in a statement. “We continue to see social recruiting gain popularity because it is more efficient than the days of sifting through a haystack of resumes. It also increases quality referral hires, which our own data on Jobvite proves are hired faster and last longer.”

So, for marketers who want to hire bright millennials for their team, LinkedIn can be the smart place to start.

Sources:

7 Ways College Students Can Benefit From LinkedIn

LinkedIn Facts & Figures

What Employers Need to Know About The Class of 2012

Heads Up, LinkedIn Users: 93% of Recruiters are looking at You

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By Lauren Brewer, Webmaster

Within seconds of the white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the Catholic Church’s selection of a new Pope, social media platforms went into a frenzy. Those in the Youth and Young Adult (YAYA) market jumped right into the conversation.

“Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope Wednesday and chose the name Francis, becoming the first pontiff from the Americas and the first from outside Europe in more than a millennium,” according to the Associated Press.

This is a historical moment following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, but does the YAYA market care about one of the most decorated figures in the religious realm?

Recently a blog post took the time to comment on whether or not millennials have religious affiliations. It seems as though 18 to 24 year olds are coming out of the woodwork to comment on Pope Francis. Whether it is statuses on Facebook, following the trends on Twitter or adding memes on Tumblr, the YAYA market is engaged in the conversation.

In the United States the trending topics on the new Pope include:

• #PopeFrancis
• #HabernusPapam
• #ReplaceMovieTitlesWithPope
• #JorgeMarioBergoglio
• #PapaFancisco
• #Argentina
• #Bergoglio

The YAYA demographic seems to be jumping into this trend as the focus shifts to the Western Hemisphere and the number of Catholic faithful in this region. The two countries with the largest population of Catholics are Brazil and Mexico, making it an obvious decision to choose a Pope from this region of the world.

In the coming days and weeks, it will be interesting to see if the YAYA market stays engaged with the conversation of who Pope Francis is and what he represents. Will this change make the YAYA demographic in the Western Hemisphere reconsider disaffiliation from the church? Or will they just engage for the humor of memes, trends and videos?

Photo Credits:

Pew Forum

NY Times

By Katie Martins, PR/Newsletter Editor

Featured in a previous post, the Harlem Shake had its viral claim to fame for the month of February, but a new, not so skillful video has hit the Internet. A prank called “Gallon Smashing” was shared over Facebook as “the thing that beats Harlem Shake.” The video on Facebook has accumulated about 103,000 likes and almost 140,000 shares. The YouTube version is close to breaking 1,000,000 views.

According to an article on NY Daily News, three brothers are responsible for going into grocery stores and smashing one or two gallons of milk or juice as if it was an accident. Then customers react to fallen pranksters when the boys dramatically struggle to get up. A YouTube search for “gallon smash prank” already delivers 842 results after a week. Could the re-creation of this new prank become dangerous and costly for supermarkets? One copycat video, GALLON SMASHING Public Prank Part 2 (Full Video) has just over 27,000 views and at 30 seconds a Wal-Mart worker says it was the second prank performed that day.

Millennials have all the tools they need to assemble simple, online videos with little to no cost. Mashable says, “With the proliferation of camera phones, many videos are being shot by amateurs on these devices.” The only costs that aren’t always considered are the legal actions that could be taken against viral video creators. Causing damages and being a public nuisance don’t necessarily look good on college or job applications. Although videos like this can be humorous and are featured on popular shows like Comedy Central’s Tosh.0 and MTV’s Ridiculousness, there are reasons the warnings ‘do not to attempt to recreate’ are included.

From a marketer’s point of view, do you think 15 minutes (often less) of Internet fame are worth the consequences that can come from over sharing? Is there a way advertisers can manipulate these videos to use to their advantage?
Sources:
“Harlem Shake Goes Viral, What it Means to Your Brand (Previous Post)

“Gallon Smashing (The thing that beats Harlem Shake)” — (YouTube Video)

“VIDEO: Gallon Smashing hits the Web – but is it the next Gangnam Style or Harlem Shake?”
NY Daily News

“GALLON SMASHING Public Prank Part 2 (Full Video)” – (YouTube Video)

“Viral Video” – (Mashable Website)

“Online Home of Tosh.0’s Funny Viral Videos hosted by Daniel Tosh “ – (Website Homepage)

“Ridiculousness”  – (Website Homepage)

Photo Credit 

http://business.time.com/2011/10/03/entering-the-world-of-an-extreme-couponer/slide/milk/

By Sarah Tillou, Audience Development Team

Despite the economic downturn, shopping is still a universally enjoyed social activity, especially among youth and young adults (YAYAs). But YAYAs are showing that they are quite particular in their purchasing habits.

YAYAs rely heavily on recommendations, reviews and ratings to guide them through their shopping process and their friends are their key influences on purchases. Although they want guidance, YAYAs love freedom.

They look for shopping experiences where they are free to explore and touch products. They want to feel relaxed, stress free and optimistic about their new purchase. In addition, they want to feel in control with no pressure to buy, so when they do pull the trigger and buy they feel victorious.

Comparing in-store shopping and online shopping, YAYAs love the immediacy of an in-store purchase. To YAYAs, online shopping is inconvenient, includes extra cost of shipping and doesn’t provide the opportunity to try things on. In comparison, in-store offers provide immediacy and convenience around payment methods.

Although YAYAs prefer not to buy online, 49% rely on Internet research before they make an in-store purchase. Rather than buying clothing or accessories online, YAYAs are more likely to buy experiences online such as hotels, travel packages and music. YAYAs spend 36% of their money on clothes and accessories followed by 17% on technology.

But don’t worry about the future for these young adults because 45% of YAYAs consider themselves to be savers rather than spenders.

Source:

http://www.phdww.com/getattachment/Thought-Leadership/Media-Closer-Look/Articles/Millenials/Millennials-A-Global-Generation.pdf.aspx

 

Photo credit: theweconference.com

By Taylor Davis, Curated Research

It’s Mid-December and at universities around the country, finals are finishing up for the semester. If you are part of the 1/3 of young adults who attend college, your next destination for a few weeks is back home to your parent’s house.

For many, the first stop when they get home is planted on the couch to catch up with the numerous shows they missed while they were away. Sure there are some students out there that have DVR at their extended home, but the majority of students are relying on live TV or the internet for their media consumption while at school.

According to a recent Neilsen report, about 66% of primary homes have DVR as compared to only 9% of extended homes having the feature, making it harder for young adults to stay current with their favorite comedies and dramas.

They also found that many students leave their game consoles behind when going away to school. Seventy two percent use a game console at their parent’s house, but only 53% bring it to school with them. This could be due in part to the fact that college-aged students are not the top buying demographic for consoles, 35 year olds are.

One of the most popular ways young adults watch their favorite television shows and movies, is through streaming sites like Netflix and Hulu on their computers. Their demographic makes up 31% of Hulu users and 40% of Netflix users, respectively.

However, we find common ground between in cable consumption figures. The statistics are about even with 98% having it in their primary home and 96% at their college abodes. This could be part of the reason live broadcasts such as award shows and sporting events on basic cable networks bring in such a large viewing audience across all demographics.

Despite the different viewing tactics young adults use at school and in their hometowns, it is certain that media consumption is present regardless of the location. YAYA’s are digital so it would be no shock to me if the figures for internet-streamed content continued to rise. In the same regard, people want to be up to date on pop culture so live events will continue to be consumed on basic cable as well. The moral of the story – whether they are home or away from home, media consumption is going away no time soon for young adults.

Sources

Launch PDF file.

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/consumer/does-college-play-a-role-in-media-consumption/

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/media_entertainment/detailing-the-digital-revolution-social-streaming-and-more/ 

http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=331&year=2009&level=nation&mode=data&state=0

By Derek Hickey, Editor

Increasingly, the youth and young adult (YAYA) market prefers to consult online videos as a way to learn new concepts. From Ted Talks to user-generated content on YouTube, there is an abundance of videos for any variety of interest.

Recently, Twitter unveiled its solution to this trend, Vine. Vine allows users to post 6-second videos and it’s beginning to attract the attention of innovative marketers.

There’s just one slight problem: how do you justify a 15-second spot for a 6-second video clip?

According to Adage.com, brands will be using a variety of techniques to reach consumers: behind the scenes, contests, user-generated content, and product demos.

It’s essentially a 140-character script.

A large distinction between Vine and other video players is the fact that it allows users to add geo location data to video. Small businesses will certainly capitalize on this function in order to entice YAYAs to visit businesses they see on Vine. Already with 500 million registered Twitter users, video sharing with Vine already has a source for marketers to try and reach their audience.

As popularity of Vine grows, it will undoubtedly be interesting to see how marketers raise brand awareness in 1…2…3…4…5…6.

What have your experiences with Vine been like? How do you expect marketers to adapt?

 

Sources:

http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/ways-brands-twitter-s-vine-app/239775/

 

YAYAConnection spends a lot of time studying Millennials in an attempt to offer unprecedented access into what makes a Millennial tick. Our hope is that your company can use our information to better meet the needs of Generation Y. Here is an article from Property Casualty 360 about Millennials and what they are looking for in businesses. Millennials can be a very lucrative and profitable market if approached correctly. Read on to find out how to do that.

6 Tips to Extract the Best Talents Millennials Offer

By Rachael Rizzi, MBA, CSRM, CISR

October 29, 2012

People often ask me how I gained so much knowledge in commercial insurance at such a young age, to which my answer is always that I was raised by the best. As the old adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a village to raise a professional.

A lot of buzz lately indicates that industries in all sectors of business are in a race to bridge the gap between soon to be retirees and up and coming talent. The shrewd among the pack realize that the key to this is raising strong Millennials (people born between 1980 and 2000) as successors.

One of the most cherished roles in my life is serving as an adviser to one of the sororities at UNLV. In this position I get to connect with some bright, talented, and incredibly driven people. Given this unique connection to these young minds coupled with my amazing experiences working with some amazing seasoned folks I have grown a propensity for serving as a translator between the two generations.

Thus, the concept for this article was born. Following are the best tips I can give for raising Millennial professionals in a way that meets their needs while extracting the best talent they have to offer.

Change YOUR Mindset

The current executives in control of the industry, baby boomers (people born from 1945 – 1965), typically provide overwhelming negative generalizations about Millennials with specific emphasis on a perceived lack of commitment and loyalty. Nothing could be further from the truth. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. In this case Millennials aren’t broken, but rather the ideologies of older generations. It is through evolution of generations throughout history that progress is made. The same is still true. Doing things the way they worked for your generation is not the same way it works for Millennials. Stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.  Learn about and from them instead of trying to change them to fit the previously used pattern.

Quality Over Quantity

As the generation following the wrath of The Great Depression, Baby Boomers became ravenous in their appetite for everything–in particular amassing wealth. Working 50, 60, or even 80 hour work weeks became the norm as it afforded the ability to meet these goals. While Millennials enjoy the perks of money, they recognize the value of a balanced life and will gladly sacrifice riches and accolades for the type of fortune that money can’t buy–a happy work environment, vacation time, feeling that their work means something, or the ability to spend time with their family and friends.

Bring It On!

One of the biggest myths out there is that Millennials are not capable of being loyal and staying with a company. While I am confident that raw statistical data on average tenures would support this position it is not for the reasons you may think. Millennials thrive on challenge and the opportunity to contribute in a way with which they connect. In other words, they don’t want to be good at doing the same thing for the rest of their lives like their predecessors. They want to be challenged. This doesn’t mean that they have to change positions or even companies. On the contrary, Millennials will follow you into battle, guns blazing, for the duration of the war IF they are part of the challenge. Change their goals, charge them with finding a solution to a productivity issue, cross-train them in another department, or elicit their help in innovating in technology. Get creative and think outside of your box!

People often ask me how I gained so much knowledge in commercial insurance at such a young age, to which my answer is always that I was raised by the best. As the old adage goes, it takes a village to raise a child; it also takes a village to raise a professional.

A lot of buzz lately indicates that industries in all sectors of business are in a race to bridge the gap between soon to be retirees and up and coming talent. The shrewd among the pack realize that the key to this is raising strong Millennials (people born between 1980 and 2000) as successors.

One of the most cherished roles in my life is serving as an advisor to one of the sororities at UNLV. In this position I get to connect with some bright, talented, and incredibly driven people. Given this unique connection to these young minds coupled with my amazing experiences working with some amazing seasoned folks I have grown a propensity for serving as a translator between the two generations.

Thus, the concept for this article was born. Following are the best tips I can give for raising Millennial professionals in a way that meets their needs while extracting the best talent they have to offer.

Change YOUR Mindset

The current executives in control of the industry, baby boomers (people born from 1945 – 1965), typically provide overwhelming negative generalizations about Millennials with specific emphasis on a perceived lack of commitment and loyalty. Nothing could be further from the truth. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. In this case Millennials aren’t broken, but rather the ideologies of older generations. It is through evolution of generations throughout history that progress is made. The same is still true. Doing things the way they worked for your generation is not the same way it works for Millennials. Stop trying to fit a square peg into a round hole.  Learn about and from them instead of trying to change them to fit the previously used pattern.

Quality Over Quantity

As the generation following the wrath of The Great Depression, Baby Boomers became ravenous in their appetite for everything–in particular amassing wealth. Working 50, 60, or even 80 hour work weeks became the norm as it afforded the ability to meet these goals. While Millennials enjoy the perks of money, they recognize the value of a balanced life and will gladly sacrifice riches and accolades for the type of fortune that money can’t buy–a happy work environment, vacation time, feeling that their work means something, or the ability to spend time with their family and friends.

Bring It On!

One of the biggest myths out there is that Millennials are not capable of being loyal and staying with a company. While I am confident that raw statistical data on average tenures would support this position it is not for the reasons you may think. Millennials thrive on challenge and the opportunity to contribute in a way with which they connect. In other words, they don’t want to be good at doing the same thing for the rest of their lives like their predecessors. They want to be challenged. This doesn’t mean that they have to change positions or even companies. On the contrary, Millennials will follow you into battle, guns blazing, for the duration of the war IF they are part of the challenge. Change their goals, charge them with finding a solution to a productivity issue, cross-train them in another department, or elicit their help in innovating in technology. Get creative and think outside of your box!

Embrace the Triple Bottom Line

In addition to a lack of connection to their personal responsibilities in a company, nothing will get a Millennial to jump ship faster than a company whose focus is primarily on profits. As a generation Millennials are very conscientious about the environment as well as the way people are treated. They will band together at the speed of light to boycott both products and employers whose gains are ill begotten through exploitation or any perceived wrongdoing. Companies who balance environmental and social responsibilities with fiscal ones have a much higher likelihood of keeping employees committed, as there is nothing Millennials love more than a cause (or in this case) a company to stand behind.

Mentor to Motivation

First, you have to be crystal clear on the fact that Millennials do not revere or respect those who have gotten their positions based on paying their dues. While they will respect those who are talented and have earned their stature, they pay respect in a different currency. For these young, talented workers respect should be given based on the merits of your work rather than entitlement. They will work hard, when they know that their work will be weighed as equally as others in their position.

Once you have this in mind, then it is necessary to mentor rather than simply train.  When they receive knowledge and wisdom rather than proficiencies and processes they flourish. On a very basic level you have to provide as much insight as to the philosophy and reasoning of a skill as you do to teaching the skill itself.  This seems like a “duh” kind of statement, but for many the reality of today’s busy world is that we teach to check a box, not why the box was created. The bottom line–they have to connect to their work and feel the purpose they are serving in their role.

Bend Like a Pretzel

This generation has grown up with the best of ever changing technology. They are adaptable and productive in ways that workers in other generations cannot fathom.  Unleash this productivity by providing the tools and autonomy they need to succeed.

The current confines of corporate America stifle Millennials–from the rigid 40 hour work week to the required daily appearance in a brick and mortar office. With their technological savvy, Millennials can often complete in 2 hours what may take workers in other generations 4 hours to do. Given this predisposed ability to reap results quickly and through alternative, more efficient means, Millennials crave the ability to direct their remaining time in a way that works for them–be it starting on another project or skipping out early for happy hour.

In short, Millennials are redefining the path to achieving the American dream to fit their ideals, just as the generations before them did and the generations after them will do.  Just like adapting to changes in technology, companies who do not change to meet the changing of the generational tide will fall by the wayside.

An interesting issue was brought up in this article in the second to last paragraph: “Millennials can often complete in 2 hours what may take workers in other generations 4 hours to do.” Much discussion has been generated about Millennials shying away from the stiff and typical 40-hour work week, which is even mentioned in this article. However, if they only need half the time, then does it really matter? All these questions will be ironed out as the business world changes, but for now, many people spend a lot of time eyeing the quirky ways of a Millennial. Do you see Millennials changing the workplace? Does this help you better target Millennials if you know what they look for in business?

Image Credit: parents-are-people-too.com

There was a debate Monday night? Yes, between Monday Night Football and Game 7 of the NLCS, viewers had the chance to catch the third and final debate between the two candidates. Who won? It’s no surprise to YAYAConnection that no one can seem to agree other than that the American people may have lost. Millennials were watching, and many who are trying to find a job or look for a better job view this as a very important election. Here is an interesting article showing a few different sides. Read on for this article from PolicyMic for a look into six different Millenials’ reaction to the debate.

 Debate Results: 6 North Carolina Millennials React

By: Adam Jutha

Debate Results 6 North Carolina Millennials React

It was hard to tell if Monday night’s presidential debate was really the “foreign policy” debate we were all promised as Governor Romney and President Obama jumped back to the economy at every possible moment. It’s easy to lay some of that blame on the moderator, Bob Schieffer, but the candidates also dodged the real discussion topics.

Substance and quality were lacking in the debate. As one Pakistani citizen put it, “Even though the Middle East was a central topic in the debate, there was no mention of state of the Palestinian refugees and what either candidate hopes to do in encouraging peace talks to resume. Furthermore, neither candidate discussed drone attacks in Pakistan and the civilian causalities caused by them. As the debate kept being reverted back to the economy, issues of international aid, the UN, and climate change were ignored. At the end of the day, Romney and Obama had similar opinions regarding Iran, Middle East and Israel.”

Let’s take a look at some reactions from young adults across the battleground state of North Carolina:

1) Everett Lozzi ’13 remained unwaivered by the debate, identifying this frustration with the past four years of office and keeping firm in his opinion that significant changes would not occur in the coming four years. “The last 4 years have been a disappointment for those Americans who voted in 2008 for the protection of civil-liberties and a change in America’s foreign policy. The debate tonight highlighted the fact that there is no significant difference between Democrats and Republicans on foreign policy. Big issues, such as the National Defense Authorization Act, the renewal of the PATRIOT Act, Guantanamo Bay, undeclared wars, increased military spending, and drone strikes, received little or no attention in tonight’s debate. Much of the post-debate analysis will cover style or demeanor with the understanding, all along, that we will not see any fundamental changes to the military-industrial-complex in the next 4 years.”

2) Jeremy Saxe ’15, had a similar outlook, recognizing that, “there will be few foreign policy shifts with either a second term for President Obama or a first for Governor Romney. Both see the United States having a smaller role globally; a ‘shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere,’ rather than policing and bullying the bottom of the hill. A key difference in policy, however, is the continued expansion of the U.S. military versus limiting growth. Though both differ on military spending they see U.S. debt as a large national defense issue and pointed to their individual economic plans as solutions. Stylistically, both Romney and Obama continued to seep dislike of each other. Romney improved after the second presidential debate and exited seeming presidential. Obama, free from expectations and further debates, let loose and attempted to get more laughs than he received at the Al Smith Dinner. Ultimately, the electorate may see this move as either snarky or confidence exuding from a President who saw his opponent arguing his policies back at him.”

3) And continuing on with similar perspectives, Connor Belson ’15, could not determine a clear winner from the debate. “In a debate over foreign policy, the two candidates discussed very little foreign policy. Instead, the pair focused on degrading comments and negativities of the other. The debate came across as a final opportunity for both Obama and Romney to assert any remaining disagreements yet to be presented through the debate series. Obama prepared aggressively and debated aggressively—his comments developed and sharp when compared to the first debate. Romney, however, rebounded with aplomb to many of Obama’s arguments. Experience shined in the third and final debate. In terms of foreign policy, Obama’s successes over the last four years, including the capture of Bin Laden, cannot be ignored. No side appeared to have established a firmer or stronger foreign policy argument; the pair agrees on actions that need to occur in the future, even if they differ on some of the methods by which this will happen. Foreign policy has become a common goal of the United States, no longer a qualified topic for determining a “winner” of the debate. Both sides present future goals that need to be addressed within the next term of Presidency, and both sides contain agreeable solutions. No legitimate winner can be determined from such a debate.”

However, others felt more comfortable handing Obama the win on foreign policy.

4) Jake Lewis ’14 said he ”can only imagine that Mitt Romney’s strategy going into the debate was to agree with everything the President said. It was clear Obama knew much more about foreign policy, as expected considering his past four years in office. I found the only real difference between the two came when discussing the Middle East. Barack Obama was in support of finishing our objectives in Afghanistan and then leaving the country with an Afghan security force in place, while Mitt Romney insinuated that without an American presence there is a risk that the Pakistani government will implode causing future security issues for the states and our allies in the region. Aesthetically, Mitt Romney’s “seven point plan” clearly laid out how he will deal with Iran if he is president. Obama did not present an orderly plan like this in the debate, which could portray him as scattered and unorganized. I believe that his lack of a checklist when dealing with Iran shows his touch with reality, in that historically in the Middle East not much goes exactly according to plan. Overall I’d give the victory to Obama, as most of the thoughts in the debate were his. However, agreeing with the president on just about everything proved not to be a bad strategy for good old Mittens.”

5) Similarly, Austin Root ’15, outlined how high the stakes were for Romney to build credit and foreign policy clout, which was not very successful.  ”Romney had a lot to lose tonight. Judging by the amount of sweat on his brow, Mitt was well aware. Obama came in strong, with his usual denouncement of Mitt’s inability to do simple math (Mitt’s plan to balance the budget is more enigmatic than his tax records). The trite criticism of Obama’s handling of Israel and Iran seemed to land Mitt a few points with key demographics. All in all, the debate was rather stale. We have seen and heard every talking point the two have made in previous statements and debates. Frankly, I am very excited (and nervous) about November sixth – mostly because I will not have to receive any more solicitations from Obama or Romney.”

6) And here Annie Clark ’10 brings it all home with the general consensus among many young adults in North Carolina: “President Obama showed up tonight; he presented himself as a prepared, confident leader. This is a glimpse of the Obama we saw for four years, but was unimpressive in absentia during the first debate. This was an Obama speaking from presidential experience, as someone who has clearly made many tough decisions – I had almost a visceral reaction to hear him speak occasionally. I appreciated the fact that Obama consistently fact-checked Romney on the spot. Obama did get snarky with the “horses and bayonets” comment, but at this point, I think that’s what some voters wanted. It seemed like he was trying to possibly “catch up,” but overall I think Obama won the debate on points.

Romney used a lot of buzzwords, and much of what he said was truthfully: “I agree with what Obama did, but I would have done it differently,” without offering any specific examples. As a former teacher, I don’t want to hear Romney say “I love teachers,” I want policies which support education; as a supporter of Detroit, I don’t want to hear “I love cars,” I want polices which support growth.

Regardless, due to Romney’s aggressive nature in the previous debates, I think his strategy was to tone down perceived and prior extremism. He seemed to want to appear more moderate for undecided voters, and I think he did a good job achieving that. I can see how if not evaluating the issues at hand, particularly social ones, that one might describe the debate as close. However, I don’t see how Romney made any headway with women or minority voters in particular.  Finally, while strategically it behooves both candidates to discuss domestic policy, I would have appreciated a focus more on the questions, and for that, we need Raddaz back.”

Apart from the horses and bayonets, there’s a common trend floating among young adults tonight…“President Obama sunk Mitten’s battleship.”

We at YAYAConnection thought this was the perfect article for anyone trying to understand Millennials and politics. What did we learn? Perhaps there is no real true understanding of the Millennial Generation, but this still can help form a better idea. The viewpoints were different, but there does seem to be one main theme throughout the reactions: YAYAs are tired of the bickering and fighting. So take that away, if anything, from this article. Millennials aren’t getting tricked into the same talking points and distractions. They want substance. Did you watch the debate? What did you think Millennials believe to be the biggest issues concerning them?

Image Credit: theliberaloc.com