8 boomer habits that quietly annoy everyone around them

Every generation has its quirks. Gen Z can’t put their phones down. Millennials obsess over side hustles. Gen X hides in plain sight with dry sarcasm.

And then there are the boomers—born between 1946 and 1964—who shaped much of modern culture but also carry some everyday habits that, well, don’t always land well with the people around them.

To be clear, these habits aren’t malicious. They’re mostly rooted in how boomers were raised, what technology they did or didn’t grow up with, and how they learned to interact with the world.

But if you’ve ever rolled your eyes when your dad hits caps lock in a text, or cringed when a neighbor launches into another “back in my day” monologue, you know these little quirks can be… a lot.

So let’s talk about the boomer habits that quietly grate on everyone around them—not to bash, but to shine a light on the everyday friction points that reveal just how much the world has changed.

1. Repeating the same stories

Every family gathering has that moment: a story you’ve heard at least a dozen times makes another grand reappearance. It might be the one about walking uphill both ways to school, or the epic workplace saga that shaped their career.

To be fair, repetition is comforting. Familiar stories actually reinforce a sense of identity and belonging. But for everyone else in the room, hearing Uncle Steve’s “glory days” football story again can feel like déjà vu mixed with mild torture.

I’ve noticed this most with my own parents. My dad will launch into the same story about buying his first car, and even though I could recite it word-for-word, I nod along. Why? Because for him, it’s less about the story itself and more about reliving the pride he felt in that moment.

Still, if you’re on the receiving end, it can be exhausting. Listeners crave novelty, and boomers often underestimate how much the next generation has already memorized their highlight reel.

2. Preferring calls over texts

Why text when you can call? That’s the boomer motto.

The problem is, most people under 40 view an unexpected phone call with the same dread as a surprise visit from the IRS.

For boomers, calling feels efficient. They grew up with rotary phones and landlines, so conversation was always direct and real-time.

But in a world where everyone juggles multiple apps, constant notifications, and busy schedules, texting is more flexible. You can respond when it’s convenient.

The clash here is really about expectations. Boomers often expect immediate answers when they dial, while younger people expect the courtesy of asynchronous communication.

When those worlds collide, both sides get frustrated—one feels ignored, the other feels intruded upon.

3. Talking loudly in public

Have you ever sat in a café or airplane row and realized you know way too much about a stranger’s medical history or their neighbor’s roofing job? Chances are, a boomer was talking within earshot.

This habit isn’t about rudeness as much as conditioning. In the pre-cell phone era, conversations were public by default. You chatted with store clerks, you yelled across the street to a friend, you spoke at full volume because there was no alternative.

Today, many people prefer hushed tones and headphones, which makes boomer volume stand out all the more.

It can be endearing—there’s something bold about not caring who overhears you. But for everyone else, the lack of volume control can feel intrusive, like someone has turned up the dial on a radio you didn’t choose.

4. Overusing ellipses and ALL CAPS in messages

I still remember the first time my mom texted me, “CALL ME….” My heart dropped. I thought something terrible had happened.

Turns out, she just wanted to know how to reset the Wi-Fi.

For boomers, punctuation quirks like ellipses or caps lock are just style choices. But in digital culture, they carry heavy subtext.

Ellipses suggest passive-aggression or ominous pauses. ALL CAPS looks like yelling. What boomers think of as harmless emphasis often feels like emotional landmines to their kids and grandkids.

Part of the annoyance comes from translation fatigue. Younger generations are fluent in the subtle signals of text culture, and they have to mentally decode every boomer message.

The result: unnecessary stress, even when the intention was pure.

5. Reminiscing that everything was better “back in my day”

Was gas cheaper? Sure. Were neighborhoods closer-knit? Probably. But constant reminders that life used to be simpler and better can grate on the people listening, especially when the world they live in feels more complex than ever.

This habit often comes from nostalgia—a longing for the security and community boomers felt in their formative years.

The issue is that when every present moment is measured against the past, it can feel like a dismissal of modern challenges. Younger people hear it as, “You don’t know how good you have it,” instead of empathy for how tough things can be now.

I’ll never forget one Thanksgiving when my aunt went on a rant about how kids today “have it easy.” Meanwhile, my cousin was juggling student loans, a side job, and raising two kids. The room fell into awkward silence, because the comparison just didn’t feel fair.

Boomers may see the past through rose-colored glasses, but constant nostalgia can alienate the very people they want to connect with.

6. Forwarding chain emails or Facebook posts

You know the ones: “Share this for good luck,” or “10 things the government doesn’t want you to know.”

For younger generations, these messages feel outdated at best and dangerous at worst.

Boomers grew up trusting print media and authority figures. That makes them more vulnerable to misinformation online, where the lines between truth and fiction are blurry.

Sharing feels like a way to stay connected, but for recipients, it’s more like digital clutter.

This habit annoys not because of the content itself, but because of the extra energy it demands. Younger people often feel the burden of fact-checking, explaining, or just deleting, which creates unnecessary tension in relationships.

7. Dropping by unannounced

Have you ever had a boomer relative knock on your door at 8 p.m., smiling and holding a pie, while you’re sitting there in sweatpants surrounded by unfolded laundry? That’s me—I’ve lived it.

Boomers grew up in an era when neighbors popped over and families kept open-door policies. It was considered friendly. But today, privacy and boundaries are valued differently. A surprise visit can feel like an intrusion rather than a kindness.

I once came home from a long day to find my mom waiting on my porch, holding a bag of groceries. Sweet? Absolutely. But also mildly panic-inducing, because my house was a disaster. I appreciated the gesture, but I also wished for a text first.

Unannounced visits are rooted in generosity, but in today’s culture, they can unintentionally create stress instead of connection.

8. Overexplaining simple things

Whether it’s how to use a printer, the “right” way to grill a burger, or the best route to the airport, boomers often can’t resist adding layers of detail no one asked for.

Part of this comes from a teaching instinct. They want to be helpful. But for younger people, who often Google everything in seconds, the extra commentary feels condescending.

It’s not about the advice itself—it’s the assumption that the listener couldn’t figure it out alone.

The irony is, many boomers are just sharing knowledge the way they were taught: through direct instruction. But in fast-paced modern culture, that level of detail can come across as patronizing, even when it’s meant with love.

Final thoughts

Every generation has habits that drive the others a little crazy. For boomers, these quirks are simply artifacts of a different time—remnants of the values, technologies, and social norms that shaped their lives.

Yes, these habits can be annoying. But they’re also reminders of how quickly culture shifts. What feels frustrating today may, in a few decades, be the very thing that makes us nostalgic for our own parents and grandparents.

So the next time a boomer repeats a story or shows up unannounced, take a breath. Notice the humor in it. After all, the quirks that annoy us most are often the same ones that make us feel connected in the long run.