This is directed toward everyone born after the Baby Boomers' generation, but before the 80's gave us the best work of Springstein and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Generation X is comprised of our parents, teachers, and employers (think George Clooney, Julia Roberts, President Obama).

First off, I want you all to know that I, for one, love you and am eternally indebted to you. I owe my parents and teachers everything. Without Generation X, we (the millennials) would not even exist. That being said, I want you to know that I'm writing this as a sort of advocate (not the Devil's kind) for millennials. Now, I know that listening to a young college student rant about how millennials get a bad rap and deserve respect is not really how you want to spend your time, but hear me out. Or don't. I won't know either way, but if I can get at least one person who hates the "Selfie Generation" to rethink their opinion, that's good enough for me.

Okay, moving on.

Did you know that a higher percentage of millennials attend college than any other generation in history? Did you know that the price of college tuition has gone up more than 200 percent since the 90s? Did you know that the net worth of young adults has dropped more than 40 percent since that of which was enjoyed by your generation 20 years ago? (Rattner, "We’re Making Life Too Hard for Millennials")

I can practically feel the eye rolls as you skim those questions. Maybe you're thinking: Well, that's because there are more of you! or, That's because you're too lazy and self-indulgent to get a good job! Both of which could possibly be true. However, I didn't just type out random statistics to sound smarter (although it did help, didn't it?). Has anyone ever stopped to think about the fact that my generation might actually have to work harder in order to achieve less? I have had enough conversations with teachers and administrators and parents about this difficult subject to know that we're most likely going to disagree on the state of the millennials. And I'm not here to give you advice. I just want to point out some observations.

We are a generation that cares about people. Okay, I get it, it sounds ridiculous that a child of the "Selfie Generation" would say that her fellows empathize and care for others. And it's true that we love ourselves and tend to care a lot about our personal needs. However, we also tend to love and care for the social needs of our generation. I hate to break it to you, but it wasn't your generation that started the #LoveWins fight. Millennials are full of activists and protestors that yearn to make a change. We have taken long-ignored social issues and brought them into the light.

We are a generation with access to the whole world. More than ever before, we can connect to almost every corner of the planet without ever having to get on a plane. When was the last time that you scrolled through Facebook and didn't see something about what was happening in the news? I don't even have to pick up a newspaper (save the trees!) to know about the brutal slaughter of Cecil the lion, or the fiasco with Planned Parenthood. People call us apathetic and self-absorbed for being members of the social media revolution, but social media actually allows us to be more involved in current events. We may have not had "School House Rock" to teach us the Preamble, but Facebook sure as hell reminds me everyday of the inalienable rights given to me in the Constitution.

We are a damn brave generation. You can say what you want about millennials, but I will deny anyone who claims that we are cowards. Both of my parents went to West Point and my dad is still active duty. They say that it was much easier to volunteer to "risk their lives" in a time of peace than it would have been now. In my dad's second tour in Afghanistan, he held the hand of a 19 year old kid who died after an IED attack. He held the hand of a dying millennial. The young people of my generation enlist in the Army knowing full well that we have not seen peace since September 11, 2001. If that's not bravery, I don't know what is.

Look, I'm really not trying to be a brat about the way people view millennials. I simply think that Generation X lacks empathy when it comes to those of us who have to become functioning adults in a world that is anything but. Honestly, guys, we're doing our best. If anything, we are more creative, more informed, and more connected to humanity than ever before. Instead of treating us like people who are ruining the world, treat us like people who are going to change it.