You don't pay attention to the news, do you?

But why are you on your phones so much? You should get off the phones, millennials. What do you mean you don't follow politics? That's your future, and you really should, even if you hate everyone running. What do you mean you think your vote doesn't count? You're listening to that crazy Google stuff again, but can you help me with my internet passwords? I can't seem to work it. Your generation is so tech savvy, and instead of paying attention to things that matter, you play those video games all the time. You shouldn't sit home so much and game, it's not healthy. You should go outside, but don't play that stupid PokemonGO game, go outside and do something real. Why not get a dog that you can walk instead? Well, yeah, you need to pay for college, get a job just like I did in college. Or three. You also need a high GPA to get into a good program or get a good job, so work hard in college. You need to have a career. Definitely spend more time with people who matter to you, but you need to work more, but the economy is terrible, and even I can't find a job with 20 years of experience. Get experience so you can get a good career.

Economy has you down? You should still go to the gym more often - exercise is healthy. Maybe that's why you're "depressed". You just need to eat better instead of eating that college food. You're going to die young if you don't eat properly, but goodness, food is so expensive and it's hard to make it today. You know what else happens if you don't eat well while you're young and beautiful and healthy in college? You get health problems like your older generations. What do you mean you're "depressed" and "anxious"? You aren't sick, that isn't a sickness, but mental health treatment is such a big problem in our country. All of those people should be working. I know, big pharma sucks, but take that medicine for your "depression" and you might feel better so you can get back to work. Healthcare is such a disaster and needs reform, but don't be so politically correct - everyone is "disabled" with weird health problems or has "depression" now. You know what else Millennials are politically correct about? That's right, global warming. We should really care about it, I guess, but solar powered cars are dumb. They look weird. You know what else is weird? People different from you, but always be accepting. Feminism is weird too. Women have equal rights, calm down. What do you mean you were followed at night? That's terrible. What were you wearing?

Science is advancing, and your generation has a bright future, even amid terrorism, political hatred, and racial tensions, but life is just about work and nothing else. Adult life is miserable, I wish I was a kid again. I never had these "iPads" as a kid, technology is amazing and you're lucky to have it, even though it's terrible for you and you're consumed by it. You know what you should do? Have a career in science instead of broadcast television, even though universities are screwing over your professors, which I am completely oblivious to. Go to college and live your dream major, you can do whatever you want, but only major in something that can get you a job. You have to work. Save money with the job you can't get and travel the world, but don't go anywhere dangerous like those third world countries, even though France has had three terrorism attacks in the last two or three years. And remember, you need a good career to travel.

You'll live to see science advance, though, maybe - if you're not shot or blown up first - and maybe it can help if we come together as a generation, or as generations, and stop trying to tell each other what to do or how to act.

Never forget amid all of those scathing criticisms, you have a future, Millennials. It may be a tough one, but you have one. The light might be dim, but there's still some light. I, for one, am trying to use the light amid the issues of our time - terrorism, racial tensions, political chaos (really, that's all it can be seen as), as a means to come together. Never stop being the melting pot generation, and never stop loving each other more than any other generation. I know it's hard, and it's hard to see things like France when you live in New York City, racial tensions when your best friend is a black man, and political chaos when your age block is ignored for voting day or pandered to. It's hard to see it.

But see it nonetheless, and try your best to change it, even amid the criticisms.

Oh, and be whatever major you want and make it work. Play whatever games you want with your black feminist friends after voting that day, driving home in your SmartCar from your Muslim friend's house after eating sushi.

No one can tell you how to be you.

Remember that you are the shimmers of light. Your tolerance for each other is a shimmer. Your scientific advancements are the shimmers of light. Your judgements of the future, your decisions, and what you fight for will light the future.

Keep being a great generation, even while others try to get you to hate each other in a world with too much death and corruption as it is. I write this post in memory of those who died in France. I am only hoping my generation, despite all we've seen, can fix this, and love each other even more.

Thank you, millennials, for being the lights.