Millennials, also known as Generation Y-ers, are a generation group born roughly between the years of 1980 and 2000. We make up about one-fourth of the United States population, but still often receive inaccurate labels and scrutiny from our older peers. We were nicknamed the "me me me generation" and branded as being narcissistic, lazy, and obsessed with technology. We may have our faults, just like all generations obviously do, but we're not given nearly as much credit as is due to us. We're more than selfie-taking, social media-obsessed, procrastinating teens and young adults. We are more powerful than you think.
Millennials are commonly stereotyped as being self-centered and useless, but factual statistics say otherwise. The Corporation for National and Community Service found that volunteers between the ages of 16 and 24 doubled from 1989 to 2005. Our generation actually cares deeply about the greater good; we want to improve society. This generation's passion for community service hasn't been seen in society since the generation of the 30's and 40's. So, yes, we might care a lot about the way our Instagram profiles look, but we also care a lot about bettering the lives of those around us.
The laziness stereotype that is constantly stigmatizing millennials is not a fully accurate representation of our group. Yes, we can get lazy at times, especially with the knowledge that Siri or Google can do a lot of our work for us. But who doesn't get occasionally lazy? We're all human beings. The reality is, our generation actually has to work a lot harder in order to succeed in our surrounding society. Times have changed since our parents' day; college is no longer an option but a requirement, and finding a job afterwards is not always a given. We have to work extra hard to get into acceptable colleges by taking AP courses, participating in extracurriculars, and scoring above-average SAT and ACT scores. After college comes internships and grad school for most graduates, since sole undergraduate degrees no longer impress most employers. If they want to be in any way successful, millennials simply cannot afford to be lazy in today's society. And statistics show we haven't been at all lazy: one-third of older millennials have earned at least, if not more than, an undergraduate degree, naming our generation the best-educated group of young adults in the history of the United States.
I will admit that our generation is notoriously internet-addicted. More times than not, if you're watching a young person waiting for their coffee order or sitting at a bus stop, they'll be scrolling through their phones. Forgetting my smartphone at home feels a lot like leaving the house naked, and I know I'm not the only one. A misconception about our generation, however, is that our being raised on technology is completely negative and has ruined our communication skills. If anything, the advantage of having the internet has brought people closer together. Features like FaceTime and Skype allow me to feel as though I'm sitting across from family in Italy. I have made a lifelong friendship with a girl living in England that would have been impossible without the help of social media. The internet exposes us to a world of cultures, opening people's minds to different lifestyles and perspectives.
Another advantage of growing up during the digital revolution is having an infinite amount of information accessible at your fingertips. Educational videos, apps, and websites make it easier to spark youths' interests in any existing topics ranging from science to politics. It is also a lot simpler for millennials with smartphones or computers to educate themselves on current events through easily-accessed news articles and even social media websites, like Twitter. I know I would personally never know what's going on in the world if it wasn't for my NYTimes app or a daily scroll through my tweets. This is how young people today are informed about the world around them. So, next time you see a teenager staring at their phone on the subway, don't assume they're making another Facebook status or taking a Snapchat with the dog filter. They could just as well be studying for an exam or informing themselves about presidential candidates.
Every generation has its own unique faults and receives criticism from their parents' and grandparents' generations; it's the circle of life. However, it is important to acknowledge facts and explore the youths' perspective. Growing up with the internet and social media hasn't shaped us all to be narcissistic cynics. Millennials are a group of open-minded, educated and diverse individuals, motivated by a desire to succeed in our lives and participate in making the world a better place (even if we are updating our followers about it along the way).
