Did you know that Millennials are the most studied generation to date?

Millennials by far, and this is only my opinion, are the most interesting generation in the world. Later in the article I will explain why, but right now let me tell you a story. The story of a Puerto Rican boy, from Chicago, Illinois.

I grew up in Chicago my whole life. I love that city more than any one person can even fathom. My parents both came from pretty bad neighborhoods, and lifestyles. My mom had me at a young age, and for the first couple years raised me in a neighborhood called Humboldt Park. My mom, being so young, knew that she could not raise me in this lifestyle. Now, I am about to be 18 years old, I graduated from High School a year early, and I am studying to be a Pastor. I beat the odds. Statistics say I should be in jail, in a gang, or even a drug addict. I have beaten all of those odds.

Now, why does this have anything to do with you? As a fellow Millennial I have been labeled and classified to be so many things. Lazy, unsuccessful, non-religious, and even projected to live with my parents into my late twenties. A lot of our generation is labeled this way, in fact. I am here to tell you, these statistics DO NOT DEFINE YOU! We are a cause driven generation looking for someone or something to guide us. I feel as a generation, if we prove them right, we have failed. So here are 5 ways you can be more than a statistic.

1. Identify what people are labeling you as

This might be obvious to you, but to many they are not even aware what other generations think of them. For example, one common stereotype about Millennials is that we are entitled. Prove that you work hard for what you have earned, show people that the car you drive in college was payed for by you. Show your bank statement, and how you pay for your own college. Show that you don't wine for things, but you work until you achieve. As many times as we fail we get back up and do it again. We are some of the hardest workers this world has ever seen. I mean, look how hard non-conservative millennials try to dethrone Trump. That alone deserves credit. On top of that look at how hard we work to organize protests, demonstrations, and other things.

2. Do not be a job hopper

Now, I am guilty of this myself. Not feeling needed, or even satisfied with what I am doing at a job. Through this I have decided to leave a job. What I have learned is someone is always going to have to do it. Why not millennials? Why can't we, although we do not necessarily like the job, be the ones who take up the position and do it to the best of our ability. Millennials believe that we need to be doing a job we have a passion for, but instead of jumping from job to job lets create that passion for the one we are already in. Don't worry, you won't be doing it forever unless you want to. Show other generations that we may not have to love it to do it great, and want to stay. We are a dedicated generation.

3. Stop asking for a participation trophy

We as a generation are notoriously known for wanting a participation trophy. I can understand why, we want to be recognized for being apart of something bigger. Let's be real, we do not always need to be recognized for all the work we do. Just take comfort in the fact that you were apart of something, and no matter how big or small you made a difference. People do not always need to know what you did. Don't let your pride get in the way of making a difference. Your humility will bless people more than you know! So, fellow Millennials, please do not beg to recognized, instead know that someone is better than you at something and strive to become better.

4. Stop sitting behind a computer screen

Your whole life will not be an argument behind a computer screen. Your relationships will not be a catfish situation. If we coordinate our lives based on what a screen says we can never fully grasp our true purposes in life. If you disagree with someone act like the woman/man you are,get up, and disagree in person. Don't play sims to interact with people, ask someone to coffee. Gentleman, chivalry is not dead. Ask someone on a date in person, not through Facebook messenger. Ladies, don't show interest in a man through a computer screen. Show him in person. The smallest changes make the biggest differences in the way people looks at us as Millennials.

5. You raised us (Non-Millennials)

Don't bash a generation when you raised them. Do not get mad at us when the habits we developed are a bi-product of what you have taught us. Judge the plank in your eye before you judge the speck of dust in ours. You people are great, but instead of bashing us and pointing out what is so wrong with us, encourage and lift us up so the generation after can be better than the both of us. Let us mutually love each other, and stop having this clash of generations, our world is to divided for age groups to now have struggles.

So millennials, no we are not statistics. Do not conform to what people have to say about you, but conform to what you decide about yourself. Statistics are numbers that mean nothing when you prove them wrong. We are a cause driven, inspired, and world changing generation meant to change the course of history forever.

On behalf of all Millennials we love you!

As always thanks for reading! Please keep reading and share this!