Quite frequently, our generation is deemed to be self-absorbed.

We are accused of being wrapped up in ourselves and unable to see past our own selfish desires. This is publicized so regularly that in the eyes of many older men and women, this has become our permanent image. However, this stereotype is not characteristic of our generation as a whole, and we refuse to be associated with it any longer.

One number comes to mind when I hear such a false claim be made about the people that I am surrounded by: $2,152,382.

On March 2, my so-called “egocentric” peers stood on their feet for over 20 hours and raised that exact amount during Florida State University’s 2018 Dance Marathon.

Dance Marathon is a movement benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, a non-profit organization that raises funds and awareness for more than 170 pediatric hospitals across North America. Students fundraise year-round to benefit kids suffering from life-altering illnesses, and come together in the spring to meet these courageous individuals and reveal the final amount collected.

The selflessness and dedication to this cause that I have witnessed on campus has been an extremely eye-opening experience. Dancers and delegates alike work tirelessly for DM for months, and it is no easy feat. Fundraisers must raise a MINIMUM of $300 to be able to dance, but these are not students who strive solely for the minimum. Instead, they desire excellence, setting seemingly impossible goals in the hopes of creating miracles for the kids.

Florida State’s goal for Dance Marathon this year was an astonishing two million dollars, and the amazing students who attend this university not only reached this benchmark, but surpassed it by almost one hundred and fifty-three thousand dollars. We are not individuals with self-serving agendas, but a community with passion for creating positive change.

Say what you want about us millennials, but we are a force to be reckoned with. The passion we have for the causes that are dear to our hearts is unparalleled, and we will work tirelessly to achieve the goals that we set for ourselves. This will not be an era of entitlement, but one of service that will lead to positive change.

So thank you to all of those who participated in Dance Marathon, you are each prime examples of who we are and what works we are capable of. You are the face of your generation, and you are all fighting for a cause that is bigger than yourself.