There is one generation that receives a record-breaking amount of scrutiny for simply existing: Millennials, the generation born between 1981 and 1996. Also referred to as the “Me Me Me Generation,” Millennials, particularly those in North America, are regularly criticized by the media. It would seem that nearly every aspect of our lifestyle has been condemned, including the fact that we are addicted to technology, starting families later than generations past, and unravelling entire industries in our wake. To many, we are the generation who simply can’t get it right. However, a closer look reveals that we are the generation doing everything in our power to make sure we do.
As Millennials, we have spent the majority of our youth priming for success. Our early schooling years were filled with lessons of working hard to achieve our dreams. We were encouraged by our mentors and applauded for making small strides towards our goals, regardless of how far we were from the finish line. We believed we would one day enjoy the picture of success that was being painted before our eyes.
Entering adulthood, we continued working towards that same picture, but the framework had shifted. Among other challenges, skyrocketing tuition fees and rising academic standards made access to higher education difficult for many. Still, Millennials are en route to becoming the most educated generation to date. However, after graduating with exceptional degrees from esteemed institutions, it suddenly become clear that hard work was not enough. For instance, many Millennials find themselves facing obstacles in the form of dire financial circumstances..
The Great Recession of 2008 was likely a major contributing factor to this situation. Millennials in particular were uniquely impacted by it; coming of age during poor economic times, many were thrust into an unforgiving job market where those same degrees were considered to be the bare minimum for employment. Suddenly, there were fewer jobs, higher expectations, and greater uncertainty regarding financial stability. Having accumulated monumental debt while attempting to build their lives, many Millennials were compelled to start “side hustles” – a glamourized term for earning extra income simply to survive.
In addition to navigating complex professional trajectories, we Millennials are also faced with the reality that we may not retire. Student loan repayments concern more than half of Millennials today, and the rising cost-of-living intensifies this issue; starter homes and cars are being purchased later and at higher prices than previous generations, while rent and health insurance costs continue to soar.
Millennials
Although we cope with a relentless economy by being overqualified and underemployed, we still have a reputation of being lazy. However, believing we deserve anything more is considered to be a symptom of a generational entitlement complex. On one hand, we are told we need to be doing more. On the other hand, we need to be expecting less; attempting to break the mold and achieve stable, well-balanced, and fruitful lifestyles is preposterous, after all.
Many of the challenges and criticisms Millennials face stem from being raised in one world and entering our working years in another. Economic changes aside, one hallmark of our formative years was the rapid pace at which technology and, by extension, the entire world around us, evolved. The youngest among the generation, myself included, still had a childhood free from technology’s strong grasp. Sources of entertainment, such as playing outside, chasing ice creams trucks, and using our imaginations, were generally offline. At most, we would spend a few hours inside with our humble desktop computers or archaic television sets. However, we didn’t suspect the massive technological upheaval these items would soon experience.
We witnessed the drastic shift from VCRs, to DVDs, to eventually, Netflix. We learned to love Blockbuster and then watched it go out of business. We went from meeting with friends in person to congregating in online chatrooms such as MSN Messenger. Even that was soon replaced with Facebook. We went from using landlines to cell phones, and then watched as even those evolved year after year.
Millennials continue to face increasing levels of uncertainty as the world moves further away from their understanding of it. Regardless, we are the generation who chooses to persist. We are finding ways to not only survive, but thrive. We are a generation of activists, influencers, and changemakers. We are the generation that is taking charge in the combat against climate change. We are using our voices to make sure we are heard, and to adjust to an ever-changing world while trying to make it a better place.
How can Millennials accomplish so much change within so little time?
We were told to reach for the stars.
By Pallavi Mathur
Please note that opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
