Millennials. A generation seen as entitled narcissists who can't possibly lift their heads from their phone screens long enough to tie their shoes.  This is my generation, and it would be easy to crumble under the stereotypes that plague us every day. Every too often, I hear how we are phone-obsessed little jerks who expect everything to be instantly at our disposal. Â
I resent the stigma, and I am here to tell you precisely why I think we aren't as doomed as you might think:
We are...
Tolerant. Isn't this the first generation that has seen a transgender woman, Laverne Cox fromOrange Is The New Black, on the cover of Time? And aren't we the first generation to see a gay couple allowed to marry one another? These huge social changes toward a more tolerant society were bound to shape how my generation viewed the world. And I believe they did. Not only that, but also we are more accepting of interracial relationships, minorities and families with unique dynamics. You wanna maintain your non-martial status and still raise a child? That's just fine with us. The generation preceding us had an equation for every aspect of life, with an astute eye for the traditional.  With our constantly shifting society, we are so much more appreciative of diversity in race, religion and sexual orientation.  In my opinion, that is a step in the right direction.
Global. Simply by virtue of the instantaneousness with which we are able to get information in this digital world, it's hard to ignore what's going on around us. With GoogleMaps or just pictures on the Internet, we can easily get a grasp of what other countries are like.  But we go further than just indirect exposure. Millennials, even at young ages, comprehend the importance of travel and the immersion in different cultures. We understand that our education becomes richer with travel, and we take advantage of school programs that allow us to fulfill that understanding. Our Facebook pages are constantly flooded with pictures from friends study abroad or immersion trips. It's good to get out of our comfort zones and understand new ways of life, and that is a definitive aspect of the Millennial generation.
Connected. Out of every generation, we are without a doubt the most interconnected. There are a multitude of websites and programs that would allow me to instantly connect with someone halfway across the world if I wanted.  Some argue that this is a bad thing; and new web-based developments, such as cyber-bullying, are a testament to that. But the internet also allows for social expression on a global scale. If you have an inspiring message to share, no need to take to the streets anymore.  Just upload and hope for it to go viral. Think about the ALS Bucket Challenge and how much money and exposure that raised for such an incredible cause. That type of circulation was made possible because of the connectedness of our generation.  Innovative. Millennials could easily crumble under the weight of our problematic future.  The economy is down the drain and the prospects of getting a good job straight out of college is downright nerve-racking. But rather than engage full-on panic mode, our generation, according to Time, "has embraced new modes of entrepreneurship." We capitalize on everything; from opening "blow-dry bars" to creating new apps, we will creatively pursue a new form of enterprise. Big corporate jobs are not the only option at this point because we had to adapt to the competitive job market of our time.Â