My generation may be one of the most hated generations of all time. We are known for being selfish, sensitive, privileged—the list goes on and on. We also may be one of the most loved generations, engaging in new waves of feminism, being a bold face for LGTBQ rights and overall being more accepting and understanding than many of the generations before us. The good and the bad, we are certainly a one-of-a-kind group of people. All of these things may be very true. Perhaps we are sensitive, privileged, have loud/opinionated voices, etc. But, in this article, I would like to argue how this generation may be the most self-deprecating.
I cannot tell you how many times a day I hear a fellow classmate or peer put themselves down, saying that they aren’t doing well enough or they aren’t living up to the expectations either themselves or others have for them. Within the last 24 hours, I heard from ten different men and women how they’re doing “terrible” in school, though each one said they were averaging at least a 3.0 this semester. I’ve heard student athletes say how terrible they’ve been playing, even though they might have a starting position or the team still won the game. These students are excelling but they are unable to see it.
I will most certainly agree that there is still a very high number of people in my generation who are arrogant and entitled, but the vast majority of people I have met in college are simply trying to get by. Too much of our attention is focused on the overwhelming idea of being perfect or being the absolute best. Here’s the problem with those two goals: it’s impossible to be perfect and only one person can be the best at something, leaving the other six billion people on this planet trailing behind them.
We need to give ourselves credit for what we do. Maybe you didn’t get that 4.0 this semester, but if you worked your butt off to pull that 2.9 out, good for you. Maybe you didn’t make the game-winning goal, but you’re on the team and that took so much time, effort and dedication; give yourself the praise you deserve.
The people who deserve to be the most proud, normally aren’t. They’re the ones that are the hardest on themselves. Granted, the pressure we place on ourselves pushes us and allows us to grow, but take a moment and realize how hard you have worked, how much time you’ve invested, the blood, sweat and tears that go into making you the person you are today. Stop beating yourself up.
