"I am a millennial. Generation Y; born between the birth of AIDS and 9/11, give or take. They call us the global generation. We are known for our entitlement and narcissism. Some say it's because we're the first generation where every kid gets a trophy just for showing up. Others think it's because social media allows us to post when we fart or have a sandwich for all the world to see. But it seems our one defining trait is a numbness to the world. An indifference to suffering."- Madison Montgomery, American Horror Story: Coven
My generation has been criticized for a lot of things by older generations. We have been called cynical, entitled, and spoiled. Perhaps some of these criticisms are true. Then again, for us to be so entitled, the so-called "American Dream", has become so mediocre that if you pay attention to the old dreams and ambitions of the generation before us versus the ones we have now, it might give you more perspective into the general mindset of a millennial.
1. Old dream: A nice, expensive car.
VS
New dream: Just having a car that runs
Don't get me wrong; I wouldn't turn down the '87 Ford Mustang in the first picture if it were offered to me. It isn't that we don't want a nice car, but the general need for a car is typically more important to us. A vast majority of us have little to no income,so we'll take whatever we can get that doesn't seem to need to be sent to the mechanic every other week.
2. Old dream: Owning a mansion
VS
New dream: Owning a home in general
Again, it isn't that the idea of a mansion isn't appealing. The main dream, however, is to simply be able to afford a place to live instead of renting a place. Having an actual house outside of the one you bought or built on The Sims isn't feasible for most.
3. Goofing around and having fun in our 20s
VS
Hustling in our 20s
Yes, we still party. Yes, our generation does over glorify partying. However, it is very seldom that we hear about someone taking a year off to travel the world or find themselves. If someone my age does take a year off, they usually spend a great deal of it working at one or maybe even two menial jobs and not going much of anywhere.4. Old dream: Getting a job you love that applies to your field of study
New dream: Having a job after college
Let's be honest. Jobs are very hard to come by,even menial jobs. Who wouldn't love to have the job of their dreams. The thing is: 1. Your degree does not guarantee that you will get hired in any given field. 2. Your dream job may not pay the bills, and you still have loans to pay off.
5. Old dream: Get straight A's
New dream: Not flunking out
We start each semester with good intentions. We tell ourselves we won't procrastinate and that we're going to do better than we did last semester. Unless you have one or more scholarships that require a higher GPA, this resolution doesn't last long.
