The Millennial Generation: born between 1982 and 2004. We are often described as being lazy, entitled, and dumb. A guest on the Today Show mentioned our generation being lazy yet again earlier this week. As someone who went to college and graduate school, incurred a ton of debt in that process, got a decent job at a non-profit, and recently purchased a house, I am so so tired of hearing these things. We, as a generation, are not lazy. In fact, we are inheriting the mess that generations before us have left behind. As we have finished school, we are expected to find a decent paying job and move out of our parents' houses in a society that faced a crash in both of those things within the last 10 years. We finish school with tens of thousands of dollars in debt, only to find a job that will pay $15/hour and somehow get out of debt and into financial security. Ah, if only that were possible. So, if you still think we are a lazy generation, check out some of the good things we are doing:

We are educated.

In 2010, the Pew Research Center reported Millennials were on track to become the most educated generation in United States history. A bachelor's degree is the new high school diploma - many jobs now require it, and we have responded by getting a degree.

We are involved in politics.

I read somewhere about this idea that millennials are not involved in politics. But that is not the case. One article mentioned the voting numbers in our generation are low - but there are reasons for it. Some of the reasons cited were difficulty registering to vote and lack of community outreach. Additionally, a major reason millennials tend to stay home on Election Day is because there is a major lack of trust in the political system as a whole. Can anyone blame us?

We are de-stigmatizing taboo subjects.

Things like mental health and supporting major social justice movements like #BlackLivesMatter.

We are resourceful.

We have the answers to almost any question at our fingertips - literally. We are quick to look things up and find the answers ourselves. We are also quick to do our own DIY projects (thanks, Pinterest).

We want to be respected.

As we enter the workforce, we bring our own experiences and perspectives on things. We are a generation full of creative thinkers and want to be given the chance to explore creative options. Rather than being pigeon-holed as a "stereotypical millennial", we would love to feel supported by those in older generations.

Yes, we understand the bad rep millennials have gotten over the past few years and hope to squash that stereotype. We just ask that you give us the chance.