Suicide rates are higher, divorces seem to be the norm these days, and almost every single one of my friends either has an anxiety issue or can't concentrate. It seems the world is getting harder to live in, or we are struggling to live in it more than ever, and everyone seems to have a finger to point blame at.

My generation.

I'm not going to say that my generation doesn't have its issues. I understand that most of us spend most of our time on our phones and don't seem to really care about the issues going on in the world. I've been told several times that my generation has lost its respect for its elders, and that we aren't going to find success in this lifetime unless we change our attitudes. But here's what I think: I think it's every generation that needs to change their attitude.

When I was growing up, we played outside and we had chalk, and we were rarely on the computer. But as we got older, technology slowly infiltrated every aspect of our lives. We started learning and reading on computers, cell phones were how we stayed connected with our parents, and television was another mindless distraction in order to "protect us" from the outside world.

We were raised to grow up and to get good grades so that we could go to college so that we could get a well-paying job. But in reality, that turned out to be pressure to succeed in school, then go to college, where most of us have to take out several thousands of dollars of loans to pay for a simple undergraduate degree, which can barely guarantee us a part-time job at a local convenience store. We've seen our friends and family argue over race and presidential elections and health care, and we can hardly remember a time where conflict wasn't something we dealt with daily.


You say my generation is failing because maybe we spend too much time on our cell phones or our social media sites. Because we've lost the willpower to work hard and make sacrifices. But in the end, my generation is strong. My generation is succeeding, because despite the reality that we are faced with every day - that the unemployment rate is rocketing, that social security may not exist when we retire, and that our country becomes more unstable with passing years - we still wake up. We still try.

You say my generation is overly confident. We've been told too many times growing up that we were special and that we could change the world, so now we believe we deserve to be handed everything. But the reality is we live in a society where we can barely get a job without a master's degree and connections beyond connections. We are well aware of the world that lies ahead of us, and to tell you the truth, most of us are terrified. Our fear does not define us, though, so we choose to believe we can make it. We choose to work hard and be confident because the alternative is giving up, and we weren't raised to be quitters.

You say we've lost our respect and our selflessness. But men and women of my generation still join the military to fight for our country. Men and women of my generation still get educations to TEACH education, so that those children can hopefully live in a better world. My generation could be the generation to stop smoking. My generation still seeks to better this world, despite the constant negativity and pain thrown it's way.

I understand if you want someone to blame for the way the world is today. But the reality is we are still young adults trying to find our way in the world. A world that we were thrown into with basic instructions in order to be able to do everything right. But life is life, and we all have to go through the same things you did in order to get where we are going. Don't simplify our journey into a soap box for you to stand on.

We are not failing. We are strong. We are striving. And we are the future. Instead of beating us down, offer us encouragement instead. Give us a foothold rather than telling us that what we are trying to do is impossible.

When we were kids, you told us that "We could do anything if we set our minds to it."

We're a generation seeking to learn our own definition of success and make the world a better place in the process.

"You see us as you want to see us—in the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain ... and an athlete ... and a basket case ... a princess ... and a criminal. Does that answer your question?" - "The Breakfast Club"

We are so much more than you give us a credit for. Believe in us.