A Unique Generation

As you may or may not know, older generations have been studying, surveying and writing about what makes us millennials so unique for years now. It has already been established that we as a generation are different. As always, no traits can define an entire generation, but we all grew up in the same time period and share some similar life experiences. The question now is why are we so different? And, how are we going to change things in the work place over the next 5 or 10 or 20 years?

We may be different because of the enormous amount of new technology that we have grown up with and now take for granted. We have always had computers; we can't imagine our teenage and college years without cell phones, AIM and the ability to have information at our fingertips through the internet. Is this what makes us so unique?

We may be different because we have grown up with constant change and therefore have an innate ability to thrive in any new circumstance. From pagers and car phones to the internet and cell phones, we have seen and adapted to new technologies at a pace unparalleled in American history. Maybe we need this constant change to continue in our jobs. Maybe we can't simply adapt to the status quo of the corporate environment. Is this what makes us so unique?

We may be different because we really are the children of a new age. Not since 1850's Has America seen a fundamental shift like we have seen in the past 10 years. We are indeed in a new era in history, the Information Age. Maybe us millennials simply do not understand how or why we should fit into a corporate structure that was designed over 150 years ago during the industrial revolution. Is this what makes us so unique?

We may be different because our parents, teachers, aunts and uncles have told us since day one that we could do "whatever we set our minds to" and we should "find a job/career that we love." Now we find ourselves in careers that we have settled for and jobs that we don't even like. We work for corporations large and small that deny our creativity, passion and drive to do what we set our minds to by telling us what to do rather than asking for input.

Why didn't they tell us this harsh reality growing up? Why weren't we warned that doing what we love is not always practical in the current environment if we want to sustain or improve on the life our parents provided for us?

Maybe it's because they knew we were different. Maybe we were being groomed from birth to change the way things work. Maybe the answer to getting out of working paycheck to paycheck at a dead end job is not to find a new, better job. Maybe the answer is to change the fundamental structure of the corporate world so everyone can enjoy their jobs. Maybe we can achieve this if we make our voices heard.

We have been labeled "Americas next Great Generation." It is my prediction that by the time we are leading this country, things will be different and eventually we will live up to the title. Why should we wait 20 years to do this? Maybe I'm crazy and maybe these are the same thoughts everyone generation had at 22 years old. But there is one glaring difference - the numbers are in our favor.