We hear the world “Millennial” thrown around all the time, but what does it actually mean?
Millennials, or people born between 1980 and 2000 (though there is debate about the boundaries of generations), are often tagged as narcissistic and entitled – but also receive recognition for being confident and for “changing the game,” or going against the grain from traditional norms in the workplace, politics, education, communication, etc. The Millennial generation is oftentimes called the “Me” generation, but is simultaneously perceived as more open-minded than older generations. According to a 2014 article from The New York Times, nearly 64% of Millennials would rather make less money at a job they love than more money at a job they find boring.
In search of opinions and perspectives beyond the computer screen, I took to the streets and asked a few University of Florida students what it means to be a Millennial and how they hope our generation will be remembered.
HC: What do you think it means to be a Millennial?
“I think our generation is a lot more distancing than other cohorts are. Being a Millennial feels like there’s been a very big shift from other generations.” – Zack Calder, 20, Theater and Psychology junior from Ocala, Florida
“It’s about growing up in a time that is filled with technology and it seems like everything in my life is always changing – not just with physical aspects, like technology, but mindsets. It’s a time period of change.” – Nicole Mooradian, 18, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation freshman from Tampa, Florida
“Our generation is taking advantage of the advances in technology and pushing it even further. We keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible in all parts of our society.” – Tori Pankewich, 20, Electrical Engineering junior from Jupiter, Florida
“Being a Millennial is about being up-to-date with technology and wanting to improve the livelihood of others. Our generation wants to further America in the right direction.” – Jenna Sisson, 20, Industrial Engineering sophomore from Winter Haven, Florida
HC: What do you think our generation is defined by?
“It’s easy to only say technology, but I feel like it’s more than that. We’re not willing to just sit back and take something as it is. We are really eager to ask ‘why?’” – Zack Calder
“I really don’t like that I think this is what we are defined by, but I think it’s social media. I think social media has goods and bads, but I definitely think that because our generation has grown up with it, it has determined a lot about who we are and how we interact with people.” – Nicole Mooradian
“Our ambitions. We are competitive, and it seems like we always just want to achieve more. . . to be bigger and better.” – Tori Pankewich
HC: What do you want our generation to be remembered for?
“I want us to be remembered for being the generation that doesn’t have any war, which is ironic, because we were born during war, and that’s all we’ve known for decades.” – Zack Calder
“I want our generation to be remembered for taking all this change and doing something with it. I don’t want us to end up being exactly what everyone stereotypes us as, or for people to say, ‘Oh, they’re just wasting their time.’ I want us to take this change and use it to better our communities and the people around us.” – Nicole Mooradian
“It’s probably not what our generation is going to be remembered for, but I think we should use the resources that we have to better the world and figure out ways to apply what we know for a better society.” – Tori Pankewich
“I want our generation to be remembered for creating a positive impact on the country through equality and rights – we should be the ones to make it all happen.” – Jenna Sisson
Maybe it’s not possible to pinpoint one characteristic, experience or idea that unites all Millennials – but it is interesting to note the similarities and differences in these students’ responses. No matter how this generation is perceived or studied, one thing is for sure – we have many unique outlets for pursuing our passions and creating change. We have access to resources that were not imaginable for older generations. Even in our fast-paced world where things are evolving faster than we can keep up with, we should embrace our generation for what it is.
Being a Millennial means a lot of things – but most of all, it means we are all in this together.
Photo credit: unsplash.com