Cheers, Millennials! Because no one else is doing it…
You guys, if you’re considered a “millennial” Or are basically between the ages of 20-35 (there’s really no definite beginning and end to the millennial category because it’s merely based on opinions)… we have a pretty bad rep. Like, really bad.
Here’s the thing. Every generation believes the one after them is lazy, useless, less capable, blah blah blah.
I just find it hilarious because the generation who mocks us for this is currently sitting on their ass at their Monday to Friday 9 to 5. Actually, they’re probably on their 1 hour lunch break. Finding something to calm them down after all that coffee they just drank on their 15 minute coffee break a couple hours ago.
Millennials… I have a question for you: what the fuck is a lunch break? There are jobs that allow you to take 15 minutes to sip delicious hot beverages and not think about the work you have to do?
Does anyone know how to get these jobs? I do. 10 years of post secondary education. So by the time we get those jobs, we’re going to be old enough to call the next generation lazy. But you know what, we probably won’t. Because that’s not really what we do.
Millennials are all about breaking cycles. Not judging what they don’t understand. Asking questions. Finding opportunity. Creating experiences.
Sure, there’s tons of self absorbed 25 year olds who can’t get off their phones. Any servers or bartenders out there? If you had a nickel for every time you’ve walked up to a table of people aged 55+ who couldn’t even look up at you when you asked what they’d like to drink.. well, you’d have a HELLUVA lot more money than they’ve ever tipped you.
We are very lucky. Yes. Like EVERY generation, we have opportunities like no generation before us. Of course. Some might see us as spoiled. But this is the result of evolving.
Now, there’s tons of stats I’ve read on the increase in tuition and cost of living vs wages and all that. But they’re always changing and I’m gonna keep this a little more fluffy.
Articles have come out lately saying our generation is staying at home longer and not buying houses. People also make fun of us for our $800 phones. Well, you know what. A phone is a necessity. And a phone costs us more than your fucking mortgage payment. So yeah, we’re less likely to buy a home in our 20’s.
I’m sure you’ve all read the avocado toast article. It’s kinda funny. It’s hilarious and ridiculous what we spend money on when you look at it that way. But can you tell me that in the 70’s, a piece of toast at a restaurant costs anyone $14? Probably not.
One point of view I read was actually amazing – stating that rather than things, millennials are more likely to spend money on experiences: Travel. Dining out. Events. Coffee dates. I think this is great. For a generation who gets made fun of for not knowing how to interact with others… that’s all we do. Maybe just in more unconventional ways than in the past.
This is what I love most about our generation though – We’ve been thrown a lot of curve balls, a fucked up economy, and not much of a chance at the college–>job–>home–>family kind of life. So we work around it.
Now, before you go any further, let me state this is simply MY OPINION based primarily on the people I know and surround myself with. I’m also part of an amazing online community who inspired this… babes, you know who you are.
And remember: Assholes exist in all generations. Millennials’ are just bleached.
We hustle.
Instead of sitting around complaining about it and cursing the generation that comes after us… we hustle. We fucking hustle. Gen X, call us lazy all you want. I’ve never known somebody my age with just 1 job. I’ve never known a millennial with a 40 hour work week. Those lucky enough (or not so lucky) to get the mon-fri 9-5, usually also have a second job serving or in retail on weekends or whatevs. Most of us work AT LEAST 6 days a week.
Side note: For me to afford school, I worked TWO full times jobs, both which had overtime. For about a year, I worked an average of 100 hrs/week. Most people I know did the same.
AND ON TOP OF THAT… everyone’s got a side hustle. A blog. A course they’re taking. Maybe they’re in part time school on top of their 2 jobs? A jewellery making business. They’re in a farmers market a few days a week trying to get something off the ground.
If you ask most people this age what they do for a living… you better have a few minutes for them to list it all for you.
We’re Passionate
Because we are so lucky to have access to travel and even just unconventional things than previous generations, we can go after what we’re passionate about. Most of us don’t want to sit in an office all day. We have to work our whole lives.. may as well do what we love. Right? With social media, there’s ways to access SUCH niche markets. Once a millennial discovers what they absolutely love and are good at, they find any opportunity they can in it. It usually becomes their side hustle and maybe career.
I mean, there are people who’ve created empires off of posting memes on Instagram. Or taking pictures of their smoothies.
We seek opportunity
Gen X, you make fun of us for social media and always being on our phones. But you know what, we find opportunity in it. With the lack of living waged jobs, we’ve found a way to make money else where. On our own. The fact that someone figured out how to make money by taking pictures of their salad bowls is amazing. Or posting a video of doing their own makeup on YouTube.
A few years ago, the idea of making money off blogging was hardly even heard of. I remember sitting in a class room at FIDM, where I went to college. Amy Astley from Teen Vogue did a little seminar and talked about blogging being the next thing. Referring to Tavi Gevinson, a then 13 year old fashion blogger. You guys. A 13 year old got famous through blogging. YEARS before Instagram even existed.
We don’t judge
Yes, people can be assholes. We all can be assholes. But it’s not millennials going “omg did you see what she was wearing?” or “who would ever dye their hair like that?” or “get a real job” And I know, it’s us 20 somethings calling reality stars fat on Instagram. But most of us have an appreciation for other peoples’ sense of… everything. Some people can simply pull off purple hair. Some actually LIKE working in a coffee shop. You make a living off of gluing eyelashes to people’s faces? Can you do mine? Millennials took these things and found the art in them. And don’t look down on the person providing us with our caffeine to get through our 14 hour work day… actually, they’re our favourite person.
Also, we don’t trash the next generation. You don’t hear, “can you believe that 15 year old is dressed like that?” You’re more likely to hear “Damn… I didn’t look like that at 15…” We see these amazing teenage girls creating a business for themselves through social media and find it inspiring. They’re not going to be judged by us for always taking selfies. If they can get paid to take pictures of their makeup, fucking go for it girl. You’re probably being followed by all us 20 somethings who wore blue eye shadow in high school.
We collaborate
We don’t trash talk a girl because she’s pretty. We ask her where she gets her eyebrows done. We don’t fight a competitor in business. We find a way we can work together because we probably have a similar audience and can help each other grow. We don’t hate someone for being better at our job than us. We learn from them. Pretty simple.
We’re Interested
We ask questions. We explore. We google the fuck out of everything. Millennials are curious. We do have access to so much information and experience. We want all of it. We’re not afraid of what we don’t know… we just want to know more.
We break cycles
My favourite thing about this generation, is the no excuses. No bullshit. A bigger issue that stands out for me is health. Many of us were raised eating what was considered normal in the early 90’s, but is considered extremely unhealthy now. We’re aware of that and want to change it. We care more about what goes into our food. We’re back to shopping at farmers markets. Growing or making our own food.
Going back to the job thing… We can’t just get a 4 year degree and hop in to a unionized job. We’re creating new industries because the reward is greater than the risk. Or we’re finding opportunities in what wasn’t considered a “real job” back in the day…
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
Like any generation, there’s good and bad. It’s who you surround yourself with. People call us overly sensitive and complainers. I think we’re open minded, independent, interested, hard working people. Like I’m sure many were before us and many will be after us.
XOXO