First of all, I don't want you to get the wrong idea here. I detest generalizations about generations, and I tend to bristle when I hear others talk about how we are all addicted to our phones and unable to think deeply. While I do realize that our generation has faults due to the timing of certain technological advances, applying these broad, hopeless characterizations to an entire generation is extremely disheartening and far from my intention.

I am also usually an advocate for placing trust in people, especially among young adults. To trust them is to allow them to have space and time to think about why they're making the right decision instead of making them feel forced to do so.

However, we're in the midst of a crisis, and my generation is not sacrificing enough.

According to ABC News, as of August 22, there have been coronavirus cases on at least 36 college campuses so far. As of today, the first day of classes here at The Ohio State University, 228 students have been suspended for participation in parties and gatherings consisting of more than 10 people.

Specifically referring to us college students, we're in this particular position in which we're still young enough to have relatively low hospitalization and death rates, but we're old enough to be independent. For some of us, this independence is newfound, and the failure to use this independence wisely has the potential to do serious harm to others. It takes self-restraint, responsibility, and compassion in order to keep others safe, and we've been greatly lacking in all of these areas.

The biggest fault of my generation that this pandemic has revealed is our tendency to feel invincible. It's natural for younger people in relatively comfortable living situations to not think about their mortality very often. We don't have to.

Unfortunately, this becomes a problem when these subconscious feelings of invincibility prevent us from having compassion for those that have been affected by the virus. It becomes a problem when our invincibility places the needs of our frivolous social lives over the needs of those who are at risk.

I'm disappointed. I thought my generation knew better about doing what they could to respect others' health and reduce their anxiety.

Even if it may seem out of our comfort zones, we should be letting friends know how many people will be at any sort of gathering (hopefully 10 or less) and what safety precautions will be set in place (masks, hand sanitizer, social distancing). All of the awareness about mental health that I know members of my generation have done so much to help raise should not go to waste during a time such as this.

With all of this being said, have I lost all hope in our generation? Of course not.

I specifically remember a college student who publicly apologized back in March after previously stating his indifference to the pandemic and unwillingness to change his spring break plans. I also realize that there are members of every age group that refuse to follow new social norms such as wearing masks and social distancing; however, my age group must realize the unique position we're in and the capability we have of damaging the physical and mental health of those around us.

I know we can do better.