" Millennials are lazy.”
“When I was your age, I worked for what I had.”
“Back then we didn’t rely on our parents to pay for schooling.”
“You’re always on that phone.”
Okay, so maybe the last one isn’t super relevant, but I think my point is clear. Older generations love to look down on us millennials and pass judgment. According to a general consensus of older adults, we don’t understand the meaning of hard work, we expect everything to be handed to us and we aren’t self-sufficient. First, I reject to being lumped into a group that consists of my entire generation. It might be a wild concept, but believe it or not -- we aren’t all the same. Second, we aren’t in the same situations as the adults who make these claims. City colleges used to be free or at most a few thousand dollars a year. If that were the case now then I would understand if my school costs fell to me and my summer job as a camp counselor, but I don’t see how my seasonal, part-time job can pay for my $45,000 tuition -- and that’s before books, housing, travel costs and a meal plan. The problem isn’t that all millennials are lazy; we just can’t afford to pay for such a large expense. Honestly, some adults with full-time jobs can’t even afford that.
I’m not going to claim that every millennial is absolutely stellar, but we’re a diverse group of individuals. We are student-athletes, scholars, artists, community leaders, and so much more. However, if we insist on sticking to the practice of grouping generations it’s time we realize that making assumptions isn’t a solid argument to stand behind. Millennials are more than what’s shown on reality TV and in weird Facebook videos. I think it’s reasonable to say that within every generation there are good apples and some funky apples, after all -- Donald Trump is a Baby Boomer, and we all see how he turned out. Why are millennials known as entitled, technology addicts instead of being known as the generation that helped expand the rights of citizens who don’t identify as heterosexual, or the generation that produced Adele or Mark Zuckerberg?
Furthermore, anyone who has a problem with millennials really has a problem with the way our parents raised us. We can only exhibit the values and manners instilled in us so before criticizing the apple, try checking out the tree it fell from. My parents taught me to be respectful, hardworking, sincere and compassionate towards others. They played a huge role in who I am today from sitting with me while I did my homework to my mom telling me to cover my mouth when I yawn, something I still forget to do despite her best efforts. Without them who’s to say where I’d be. Children need parents or guardians who are active participants in their lives. That’s not to say that everyone would be the image of perfection, but I’m sure there would be less talk of “unruly millennials.”
