Who is the Zillennial?

I’m starting my first post off fairly easily with an in-depth introduction to myself. I believe that understanding a person’s point of view also includes understanding where they come from. With context, we can do a better job at seeing people as people and treating each other with respect, even when there are disagreements.

So, who am I? My name is Hollie Saatkamp (pronounced sot-camp) and I am a 23-year-old student in my last semester at Brigham Young University- Idaho.

I grew up in Loveland, Ohio, which is the home of our very own cryptid, the Loveland Frog. I currently live in Rexburg, Idaho for school, but I would love to one day end up in London. I am also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which has played a large role in shaping my life. I served a proselytizing mission for my church in Alabama for a year and a half. Anything I write on this blog, however, is from me, and has no affiliation with the church.

I grew up reading Harry Potter and I’m a proud Slytherin. I love all sorts of fandom-type things, though I find it hard to keep up with everything. I am a middle child of three. I’m also extremely non-athletic- in high school I “ran” a mile in… 11 minutes. I find joy in being out in nature when the weather is nice, and I hate winter and being cold.

I also struggle with depression and anxiety. I will write more about this in a later post, but these struggles have been with me for years, and it’s something I’m still learning to manage.

Why did I decide to start this blog? There are actually several reasons. I’m aware that readership will probably be low, since I’m just a random person writing into the void. I’m okay with that. I’ve thought of starting something like this since high school, because I’ve always enjoyed writing, and some things just don’t leave my head until they’re written down. I know I’m not an expert on any topic, and I don’t want to be taken as one. I just think that personal stories can make a difference, and so by sharing mine, I hope to be someone people can relate to. And if not, that’s perfectly fine. There are plenty of other blogs to read.

Why did I call this the Zillennial? I always find it interesting to learn about the different generations, and what makes each one tick. However, as someone born in 1996, I never felt like I quite fit in with Millennials or Gen Z perfectly. There are aspects of both that I do and don’t relate to. Also, no one can quite decide when the generations start and stop, so calling myself a Zillennial is easier. Urban Dictionary says a Zillennial is “a microgeneration consisting of persons born 3 years before the end of Millennials and/or 3 years after the start of Generation Z (1992 - 1998).” Sounds good to me. This blog is the expressions of a Zillennial, and so it is The Zillennial.

There are a lot of things I want to say. This is a sort of passion project of mine, so I hope you’ll bear with me as I learn the ropes of running a blog. Thanks so much for reading!