Millennials. Most people refer to them as a 20-something-year-old who is part of this "hook-up" generation. A generation where going out on a Friday night date has been replaced with "Netflix and chill." Others refer to it as a term coined for those hipster-like younglings who feel defiant in challenging the social norms of the past generation, people who proclaim they are filled with wanderlust and will never settle down.
The term first came about in William Strauss and Neil Howe’s "Generation: the History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069." It was then further explained in Jean Twenge’s "Generation Me." Twenge defines millennials as having traits of confidence and tolerance, while also carrying traits of entitlement and narcissism. The age range is projected to be in the late teens to early thirties.
With us, including myself, being college students, we automatically fit into the definition of a millennial. However, in my opinion, it is not a bad thing. To me, being a millennial is being a part of a generation who has the technological and social advantages past generations never even thought possible. Ask someone in their forties if gay marriage was even seen as having the possibility to be legalized when they were in college. Ask a 50-year-old if they had the technology to know a tragic event took place within seconds of it happening. Our generation has the tools at its fingertips to be the most informed and open-minded generation yet. We have the power to fight for causes and accept diverse types of people.
The social media we use every day has the power to make the world smaller. It’s hard in this era to not be reached by social media. Snapping, Facebooking, or even Tindering has created a new face for friendships and relationships. Now, there are no excuses for not keeping in touch with a friend on the other side of the world. The “hook-up” lifestyle has allowed us the ability to date all different types of people without the fear of commitment and fear of judgment. It has most importantly given women the ability to date guys and finally own their bodies. Before, society instructed girls to hide their sexuality and only give it to those who committed to a relationship. Now, girls are able to be seen as more equal to guys. Girls can casually date and hook up without the expectation of forming a relationship before or after looming over our heads. A girl can now say that she is not looking for a relationship without being scoffed at. Being a part of this new generation has also enabled us to do more and experience more with our time as young adults. With our newly opened minds we can try new things, travel more, and learn more. The expectation for finding a life partner and a nine-to-five job right after college has been somewhat downgraded. We value new experiences and see the benefit of not sticking to norms. We dream of traveling the world, falling in love with different types of people, and experiencing life before we decide to settle down.
We as millennials have the opportunity to prove the stereotype of a typical "millennial" wrong. To show that although we may be young and inexperienced, our voice can and will be heard. To show we are the next generation for this planet and that it is in good hands.
