Ah, Generation X, the cohort that practically invented resilience. We were the latchkey kids, roaming free without GPS tracking, learning independence from a young age. Our afternoons were filled with MTV, where Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” was the anthem of rebellion. Commercials taught us how to battle everything from acne to “noid” stains, and movies like “Less Than Zero” and “Stand by Me” showed us the raw, gritty side of adolescence.

We grew up amidst the turmoil of divorce and family fragmentation, but we also learned to adapt and find our own way. The HIV epidemic and the rise of crack hit hard, making us witness to some of the darkest times. Yet, we saw the dawn of technology, transitioning from rotary phones to the internet age. Now, we’re raising kids who are digital natives, fully immersed in tech from the moment they can swipe a screen.

Generation X may be the smallest generation, sandwiched between the Baby Boomers and Millennials, but we’ve navigated massive cultural and technological shifts with a sense of irreverence and self-reliance. We were the first to master the art of the mixtape, the original curators of personal soundtracks.

We’ve survived and thrived through chaos, and though we might not always get the spotlight, our influence is undeniable. We are the generation that bridged analog and digital, the last to know life without the internet, and the first to adapt to a world where technology is omnipresent.

We may be small in numbers, but we’ve left an indelible mark on society, proving that sometimes, the most powerful things come in the smallest packages. Cheers to Generation X—the latchkey kids who became the adaptable adults.