I've heard the typical smears against the millennial generation, calling us entitled and narcissists. One article claims the following items:
1. Millennials know nothing about politics.
2. Millennials know nothing about money.
3. We disproportionately oppose vaccination.
4. We smoke.
5. We're lazy.
6. We're high on self-esteem.
I may have just laughed out loud at the preceding thoughts about my generation. First off, I'm an accounting major, so I would argue that I do have to know something about money in order to enter such a profession. Secondly, I watch the news whenever I have the opportunity because I care about current world events. Number three is just absurd. I question why it even matters, and I'm actually up to date on all my vaccines, thank you very much.
We smoke? Why don't we look at some statistics for once? In 2013, only 18.7 percent of the population ages 18-24 actually smoke. This is a lot smaller share than the 45.5 percent of Americans 18-24 years of age smoked in 1965.
We're lazy and high on self-esteem as well, apparently. This is the premise of my overall argument in favor of my generation.
Finals week is quickly approaching. We all can feel the tension in the hallways, as students are sleepwalking towards their classrooms and hair that looks like it hasn't been washed in weeks. Writer's block has become a way of life, and frequently I find I must remind myself to eat something. Others struggle to pay off the balance of their school bill working at a minimum-wage job. Some are close to graduating and have no idea what to do because of the constant reminders that another human being in the world is smarter, better looking, better in almost every way. We are tired. We want to make our parents proud. We are exhausted.
We're constantly struggling to make good grades and perform to the best of our abilities. Hearing my friends say, "I just don't know how I'm going to get everything done this week." We go to class between three to four hours a day, only to go home and do about six to eight hours of homework a night. Is that even possible? This includes staying physically fit, needing to eat something substantial, socializing with friends and professors, and engaging in extracurricular activities. All while being entrapped by a wall of debt because we are invariably told that a college education is the greatest investment we can make towards our future.
No wonder so many of my fellow millennials are developing apathy.
We want to believe we can make a difference, but the self-fulfilling prophecy of failure is eminent.
If we let ourselves care, we care too much. We feel emotions swallow us whole. As if the only thing in the world we feel is that we are consistently not good enough.
When looking at the results of a survey conducted in 2013, 19 percent of millennials said they had experienced depression while another 12 percent say they had been diagnosed with anxiety disorders. The risk of developing mental illness is significantly increasing due to the pressures our generation is under, including money, jobs, and relationships. When we do not meet the expectations placed upon our shoulders, we ultimately must find a way to cope with things considered "failure." This is where our brains take over and start disconnecting to try and protect us from ourselves.
So, here are a few things to keep in mind, whether your a part of the millennial group or not:
1. Be kind. Intentionally get to know those around you. We can learn so much from one another; we just have to look up from our technological distractions.
2. Pursue empathy. Feel what another human being is feeling. A little bit of understanding and love can go a long way.
3. Millennials are tired. We relentlessly strive to make people proud of us and prove that our generation is capable of creating good change. Spend time with us. Provide us rest.
We are exhausted.
Help us find freedom.
