For the last decade or so, millennials have gotten the short end of the stick. From being known as the laziest generation in history, to "always being on that damn phone," the now young adults of Generation Y have struggled with stereotypes and attacks from former generations for far too long.

Personally, I think it's high time our predecessor's were held accountable for the world they have set up for us.

One of the biggest issues faced today is the cost of college. It is a well-known and often groaned about fact that in order to be successful in life these days, one must achieve a college education or its equal.

Now, this idea was fairly conceivable -- in 1970! According to the Delta Cost Project, which conducted research on the costs of college compared to average incomes, the cost of college is nearly 20 times that of the 70s. To put it in perspective, the cost of a semester at a four year college in 1970 ranged between $350-$1,500. In 2010, the range was from $6,000 to $21,900.

All this being said, this isn't particularly the fault of our parents, or even their parents, there are many factors that go into prices increasing, on any product. There is inflation, of course, as well as supply and demand, and the money given away in scholarships.

The reason I bring up the expense of college at all is to clarify that, barring miraculous circumstance, it is next to impossible to obtain a Bachelor's Degree -- the standard requirement for most jobs today -- without winding up with mountains of debt. This is just one of many great challenges presented to our generation.

On top of the expense of college classes, we are also faced with the ridiculous cost of textbooks. Where once there was a world in which textbooks could be purchased, or even gifted from former students, we now face a reality of being forced to buy from the campus bookstore. Despite our progression towards technology, and making learning techniques more easily available, the cost of these tools is shocking.

As a student myself, I have been asked to purchase my required materials this semester (after having paid almost $3,000 for classes) which included a textbook for nearly every class, along with the new fancy "access code."

The access code, or our online teacher, allows students to read their required readings, and take online homework and quizzes. The question I pose is, if I can learn all this from an online program, why am I paying the teacher at all? I learn, practice, and am tested by these online programs -- which, themselves cost anywhere from $150 to $250. While this may be a vast overstatement on the reality, I speak from my dwindling wallet when I say, enough is enough.

These are only a few of many issues that I personally am affected by, and in the future I shall brush on many more. The gist is, whatever your opinion may be about millennials, we are perhaps one of the most accepting, progressive, passionate, and hard-working generations in history. I may speak on behalf of millennials when I say: cut us some slack, but have no doubt, we will rise up to the challenge regardless.