For whatever reason, people seem to be quick to target the millennial generation. And I get it, we can be pretty stupid sometimes. I always see articles criticizing us, calling us lazy, and all sorts of other things. And yes, like any generation, the Millennials have made our fair share of mistakes. But some of our stereotypes, while they can seem bad, are actually positive for us.
1. Millennials are too lazy to get a job.
Here's the thing: I was lucky enough to grow up with a family business I could work for. But when I moved away for school, I got the wake up call of the adult world and struggling to find a job. And that is not to say I was not trying, I filled out so many applications I had to keep up a list, which reached about 20 before I even got an interview. No matter how many doors I knocked on, it was harder than it seemed to get a job.
2. Millennials are all liberals.
I am not going to lie. I think some policies in our country are outdated, and need change. I am also going to be living in this country a lot longer than some of my elders who have more conservative views and choose to disagree with me. So I will chalk this one up to everyone has the right to their own opinion.
3. Millennials all follow blindly.
I am going to put it out there, for anyone who is not my Facebook friend. I am a loyal supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders. But I also did not declare I was supporting someone until I had thoroughly researched everyone who was running, their views, and their history. There was no "blind following" on my part.
4. Millennials all have to be different.
After all, we're the generation with tons of gender, romantic, and sexual orientations. As someone who is an ally with friends who identify in ways that others find odd, I think people should be allowed to identify however they are comfortable, and they shouldn't have to justify that to me or anyone.
5. Millennials are obsessed with the hook-up culture.
Here's the thing, I think it should be considered a "sex positive culture" instead. Yes, a lot of us hook up. So did our parents. The difference is, we don't treat sex as a taboo. We own our bodies, and we don't always keep quiet about what we do with them. Unfortunately, this perpetuates slut-shaming... but that's a rant for another article.
6. Millennials will leech off of their parents as long as possible.
When I told my mom I was moving out, she was upset. Why wouldn't I stay home and live on free food and not paying bills for another year? And trust me, I have done my share of leeching. I have called crying because I had $5 and I needed gas, or my friends were all going out or I had a project and I couldn't afford it. But I still felt guilty. And I am trying really hard to make it on my own.
7. Millennials are addicted to their smartphones.
Not to point fingers, but I see a lot of adults from the last generation on Facebook constantly. With that being said, I have Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Pinterest.... alright. So we have a lot of apps. But before I had a smart phone, I read. And I would talk to my friends about books just like grown up me talks about the article I was reading earlier, or a meme I saw. Our generation has simply adapted to what technology has given us.
8. Millennials are ruining the economy by not buying things like houses and new cars.
I don't know about everyone else in our generation, but I can barely afford rent. Let alone to replace the heap of metal I call a car. By no means am I intentionally "ruining the economy," I just can't afford to nurture it the way the older generations seem to think I should.
9. Millennials are obsessed with themselves.
"The Selfie Generation," they call us. I won't speak for my entire generation with this, but I will speak for myself. I hate asking strangers to take pictures for me. And I also hate not taking pictures, especially when I am having fun and making memories with people I love. So most of my pictures with my sister, best friends, and boyfriend are in the form of selfies. And yes, I even have some selfies of just me during spurts of high self esteem. Let's not push it back down by calling me a narcissist.
10. Millennials always complain about their student loan debt.
Well, I can't deny this one. By the time all of my student loans are paid off, my kids will be graduating college. How insane is that? I think if I am going to be in debt for the majority of my life, and the prices keep going up, then I should have every right to be unhappy. Especially when I hear about trustees getting raises, or see what we pay some of our coaches.
11. Millennials are afraid of commitments.
So here is the thing. I am in college. My boyfriend is in college. Neither of us want to get married until we have degrees in our hands. He also insists on giving me my dream wedding, so we will have to save up after graduation. Then, we have agreed we would not want to bring children into this world until we have a stable and established life and the financial means to provide for a child. So yes, we are waiting until at least our late 20s. Sorry we want to be responsible?
