“Millenials love their phones more than actual people.”“Millenials are lazy, spoiled narcissists who live in their parents’ basements.”“Millenials will be the downfall of our future.”
These are just a few stereotypes media, older generations and even people within our own 20-something age group impose upon us without a second thought. I can’t deny those of us who were born between the ’80s and ’00s are growing up in an age of unprecedented technological advancement. I can’t deny forms of communication are changing at an alarming rate. I can’t deny that, in certain ways, our lives our made easier by the innovations of those who came before us. However, this shouldn’t be held against us. We have the potential — perhaps more than any other generation — to shape where the world is heading. Yet, time after time, we’re dismissed as lazy egomaniacs with no self-discipline.
Take, for example, these three classic misconceptions about Generation Y:
1. Millennials binge drink more than previous generations.In fact, the amount of binge drinking is on the decline for our age group.
2. At least twice as many millennials live at home than compared to previous generations.The percentage of millennials living at home compared to the same age group has increased only by 4 percent since 1968.
3. Millenials have more casual sex and abuse more drugs.High school students reported in 2011 reported less instances of sex than teens of the ’90s. Though drug use has increased slightly since the ’90s, it is declining overall since the ’80s for our generation.
If these are all myths, then what is actually true about our generation?
1. We are more tolerant of homosexuality, interracial dating and immigration.2. We volunteer and are active in the community.3. We are more optimistic about the future.
Does this mean we’re perfect or that each one of us conforms to these statistics? Of course not. But it’s up to us to respond to negative stereotypes with actions rather than just words.
Take the ALS ice bucket challenge, for example. This social media campaign dominated every Internet feed as thousands of people, primarily millennials and younger, poured ice on their heads and raised millions for the fight against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Or look at Malala Yousafzai, a teenage activist who risked her life to support girls’ education in Pakistan and used technology to spread her message to millions. Closer to our home in The Gator Nation, thousands of UF students give back every year to the community or a cause, whether through Relay for Life, Dance Marathon, Project Makeover or other great benefits.
By using technology to affect positive change rather than as a distraction, by making our voices heard and by being active in our society, we millennials can make this world whatever we want it to be. Though we live in a troubled time, we are the solution. We are the next leaders of the community, of the country and of the world. As millennials, the future is in our hands.
I’m up for the challenge, collegiettes. Are you?