Millennials get a bad rep in today's society, whether it's criticism about our obsessive amount of selfies, the way we "text", or the assumption that we can't live without our phones. We hear it from our parents, our teachers, distant relatives, adults we don't even know, and even from ourselves. Honestly, I am sick of it. And I'm sure that is how a lot of us feel. We're tired of being generalized and categorized as this selfish, entitled, materialist, whiney group of teenagers when we're so much more. We are individuals. We should not be ashamed of growing up in an era of technology. We should not be ashamed of the culture of our generation. And we should stop listening to people that put us down just because of our age. Instead, we should be proud. We should be proud of how highly educated we are. We should be proud of how technologically capable we are. And we should be proud of how good we look in all those selfies.
More people than ever before are choosing to get college degrees. A college degree today is almost as highly expected as a high school diploma was 20 years ago. The surge in students deciding to continue their education means that universities are highly more selective. This means countless hours of studying for the SATs, doing homework for AP classes, and expanding extracurriculars before even applying to college. And then, once we get there, we have to work harder than ever to secure our spots. On top of all of that, college tuition rates are ridiculously high, and minimum wage is ridiculously low. This leads to college students taking out student loans, which results in entering adulthood in debt. So next time you want to call a millennial lazy, just think of the hours, effort, work, and stress it takes just to get an education. And millennials, be proud of that education and how hard you worked for it.
As a part of the millennial generation, my political opinions are rarely taken seriously. Every time I try to speak respectfully and professionally with an adult about politics my opinions are written off. Some common comments are: "You only believe what your parents believe." "Your teachers are shoving their liberal beliefs down your throat." "I bet you only like that candidate because they're cool." "You'll change your mind when you're older." Actually, no. All of those assumptions are unfair and rude, and my generation is sick of hearing them. Age has nothing to do with knowledge and no one's opinion should come second to anyone else's. I'm proud of my generation because despite being constantly put down, we have decided to rise up and get involved. Whether democratic, independent, or republican, my generation sticks behind their beliefs. We campaign, we advocate and we vote. This election is sure to see a rise in young voters because my generation has decided to take our future into our hands. So, I'm proud of the role my fellow millennials are playing in politics.
Each generation has a culture. Each generation has slang. The 50s had "greasers" and Rock and Roll, the 60s had hippies and "funky" and the 70s had Disco and "Far-Out", so why is it such a crime that my generation has pop music and "LOL." Taking part in the culture of the time shouldn't be anything to be ashamed about. So, we need to stop listening to people who try and tell us that Classic Rock is so much better than anything on the radio and that the bands of their generation are superior to our pop, hip-hop, and rap. In actuality, it's not better, it's just different. What really makes twerking different than the hand jive or moonwalk? Time. Generations-- and that's it. If you want to say "LOL" "ily" and "tbh" in a text to your friend, go ahead. Do it with pride. It's the language of our generation. Use that emoji! Send that meme! Do it while we're young and everything is still, as our parents would say, "hip." As long as we know the time and place for proper grammar, (AKA an email to a professor, a job resume, giving an old person directions) we have nothing to shame away from. Besides, most likely our teachers, bosses, and "elders" will be replying with a "k -Sent From iPhone" anyways, because they're worse than us.
Like in every other generation, there are Millennials that are good people, and some that are bad people. But despite criticisms, generalizations, and ignorance, I choose to be proud of the generation I was born into. The reasons I listed above only scrape the top of the iceberg and are all of the reasons I'm proud to be a part of my generation. I'm proud that so many of us are excited about making a difference in the world. I'm proud to be a millennial because we are smart, driven, cultured, accepting, and are full of potential. I'm proud to be a millennial because I know we're going to change the world.
