We don't have to illegally download
Gen Y's first introduction to the digital music world was Napster, back when we were teenagers. The revolutionary service whet our palates for instant downloads, and paved the way for torrenting. Of course, such services were all illegal. But, in 2014 we discovered how to bypass geographical restrictions and pay for the content we want, whether it be Orange is the New Black or the latest David Attenborough doco from the BBC. Next year, as Netflix will officially launch in New Zealand in March 2015, the content catalogue will finally reach international standards.
Making friends gets more difficult
Just as many things in our lives became easier in 2014, as the youngest Gen Y members arrived at 25 this year and began to realise how difficult it has become to make new friends. Owing to our lifestyle changes and our busy, transient lives, we realised that our youth is over and we now have to make the effort to convert new connections into real friends - they don't just happen naturally anymore.
Our sexy selfies aren't safe
Before 2014, selfies were for mountain tops, hot dog legs on a sunny beach, and group snaps before a big night out. But just as we got comfortable showing a little skin in our selfies, the Jennifer Lawrence "sex crime" saga taught us that our sexy selfies are not safe. Especially not when our smartphones unknowingly backup to the cloud.
Voting is important
Thanks to a very successful visual campaign from the Electoral Commission that featured Gen Y faces, we learned this year not just that voting is important, but that every one of our votes counts. There were certain things most of us were very uncomfortable about happening in this year's election, like Kim Dotcom having real influence over our lives, and we all turned up at the polls to help ensure they didn't happen.
Beards are still cool
While there's always a worry that a fashion trend will die soon after it's splashed all over the media, the beard phenomenon of 2014 shows no signs of abating. This year, we learned that traditionally clean shaven guys can look fantastic with a face full of fuzz. Moreover, Gen Y males learned we don't have to pay what ends up feeling like "the Gillette tax" every few weeks for new blades, as our lovers are just as keen on beardedness are we are.
Dry spells are normal
Sexual slumps aren't something Gen Y will readily admit to having. But in 2014 we blew the doors open on no-touchy time and learned that everybody has a period (or a few) in their twenties without regular ugly-bumping. And that's nothing to be ashamed of: we're focussed on career progression and, as we age, the appeal dwindles of a shag that isn't going to go anywhere. Importantly, and especially now summer is in full swing, we learned that we all get our game back eventually.
We're all intolerant of something
If 2013 was the year of the Paleo-style fad diet, 2014 was the year we wised up to our food intolerances. This year, it became standard to request gluten-free bread, acceptable to ask for almond milk, and we overcame our hesitations about being fussy regarding sugar content. Intolerances and sensitivities affect the best of us, and it's been a long time coming for us to speak openly about them.
It's okay to lie
Sometimes, however, it's inappropriate or too difficult to be specific about what we don't want to eat, so we lie and say we're allergic to prevent more questions. We also lie to our friends when we need some alone time, to our bosses to make them feel important, and to our colleagues when we're too damn busy to answer their emails. This year, we learned we're not alone in our little lies, either.
