Twenty somethings in 2016

So here we are in 2016 where most twenty somethings otherwise known as millennials or Generation Me are living at home, spending their parents money waiting to become instafamous. The only thing talked about is Snapchat stories, likes on Instagram, juices and yoga class. Isn't this the general consice of my generation? We only care about ourselves and the pictures we take as narcissism and entitlement issues flood our minds. Politics? What's that?  This way of being may be true for a lot of millennials no doubt, but not all of us.

Most twenty year olds get lost in this fantasy of being a billionair-ess as Gigi Hadid and Kyle Jenner take over their Instagram feeds. They see kids their own age driving sports cars and wearing Hermes handbags. They think to themselves, "I want that". So they start living the life of a fifty year old house wive or retired CEO. Why? Well, if I'm gonna be twenty-four I might as well find someone or something to blame. So I blame social media, going out and spending money we don't have on fancy juices, yoga classes, and upscale bars is glamorized. Not hard work, not inventive thinking. Just going out and taking picture after picture showing off this amazing life, when in reality they live at home or work at the mall. Yes, this is fun and we all would like a life where we don't have to work eight hours a day. However at the age of twenty-two? Are we suppose to have our lives figured out with boats loads of money to burn on overpriced juiced lettuce at such a young age? I always thought our twenties were for the struggle. Finding who we are, trying out different careers, self-discovery? Top ramen anyone? 

Which brings me to my next point. I believe there is a division in the millennial generation. The celebrity obsessed brats who give us a bad rep and the tradition hard working college grad who can't catch a break. We're up against hard times. Now, I know every generation at my age says that, so in that case, let me say it again. We are up against hard times. There is in fact a large chunk of kids in Generation Me that are working hard for something good. I classify myself in this percentage. We're educated and respectful only there is not that many of us. As we work on our careers we hold jobs in the reception, sales, or waitress fields. These are typically viewed as an interim. Sounds pretty normal, right? After all isn't that what we're suppose to do?

Well, the standards use to be, go to college, then go into the work force where you'll land a good paying job in the field you love. Buy a house and on your spare time work on your own business or project. Growing up as a millennial I've observed that our career goals are taking longer than expected and those interim jobs are turning into full-time, life sucking, low paying positions. So again, we are up against hard times. 

Nepotism has taken over the work force and it has become more than difficult to get a decent paying job as a college graduate. Unless of course, you have ten years of experience to show on your resume or your father is the CEO of a major company. Unfortunately, this is not the case for most of us. As we go on job interview after interview we get down on ourselves due to our lack of experience and references. We fear that we might find ourselves working forty hours a week at a dead end job that sucks all our time so we have no energy to pursue what we really love.

So, what do we do? We're at a cross road. Do we take the soul sucking job that we know we'll find no satisfaction in order to pay rent? Or do we get lost in the vagabond route like so many of our peers? Either way we are in the same place as every other generation in their twenties has been before us. Young with little to no compass hoping everything will turn out. We carry hopes and dreams bigger than anyone else. We still believe in magic and know that we are not alone. We haven't given up yet and pray that we never will. This is the definition for my half of us millennials.

I have no doubt that we will figure it out, just as so many have before. My only wish is that the we drop the vain and money idolizing attitude that social media is force feeding us every day of our lives. No, you're not driving a Rolls Royce at the age of twenty and that's okay! No, you're not going to end up like your parents. No, you don't have to expect to have it made in the shade before thirty. My advise to my generation? Stop following those one in a million people who were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Don't worship money. Find work that will make you feel needed, like you matter. Work that allows you to give back to the community not solely your bank account. Don't fall victim to the stereotypes of Generation Me, defy it.