From our ability to multitask with ease to our openness to the world around us, there’s something special about Generation Y. We have the character and the unique way of thinking that can change the world as we know it, but that doesn’t mean we know it all.
Along with all of the perks of our generation also come the downsides. With clothes getting smaller and selfies taking up more time than service hours, it’s time to change the way Generation Y is perceived. Our generation should be remembered for the better, not the worse.
What our generation sees as skills that others don’t have, other generations see as laziness. Multitasking is one of these so-called skills. We have the technology and ability to do many things at one time. From listening to the news as we walk to class to checking emails on the morning commute, we need to remember to slow down.
Unplug your headphones, take in the sounds around you, and learn to drink in life. Life is constantly moving, but we have the ability to stop time when we slow down and appreciate the world outside our iPhones and Facebook profiles. Listen more and talk less and you’ll realize that we can learn a lot from not only other people but our surroundings as well.
But the work to improve our generation doesn’t stop there. Remember that there are no shortcuts to becoming an expert. Although we’re the it’s-all-about-who-you-know generation, working hard will always get you to the top. Don’t be afraid to play the game, but know when to give the pawns a rest.
It’s easy to get caught up in other people’s successes. When it comes to social media, Generation Y seems to focus on comparing themselves to others. This makes us easily discouraged when our accomplishments don’t add up to someone else’s. Be relentlessly aggressive and hungry for experience.
Everyone’s life path is different. Instead of measuring your middle with someone else’s end, focus on your passion and don’t let anything else get in the way. Trust yourself enough to know that, with an open mind and a burning love for what you’re doing, you will reach your goals.
We spend anywhere from 12 to 22 years in school, but the learning doesn’t stop there. When you allow yourself to always be learning, you open up a whole new world of opportunities for yourself. There will always be topics and skills that you are good at, but when you find the courage to try new things, you gain the ability to become not only good but great at what you do.
With time come new generations and new ways of thinking. There will never be one right or wrong generation, but by listening to the advice of generations before us and sharing advice with generations to come, we can change the way that Generation Y will go down in history.
Featured image via Inimafoto on Pexels
