According to the Urban Dictionary the word Millennials can be defined as a term used to describe the generation born between 1982 and 1995 ( also known as Generation Y).

Characteristics include: a strong sense of citizenship, moral, confidence, and sociability. Millennials often are associated with being optimistic, stubborn and civic.

Some important events of this generation include the Columbine High School shooting, the death of Princess Diana, World Trade Center attacks (1993 and 2001), and the Iraq War.

Trends include: internet chat rooms, the boom of reality TV, and multiculturalism.
Generation Y or Millennials are primarily children of Baby Boomers and in some cases Generation X.

Ok, now that we got that squared away it's time to talk about my generation… the Millennials. In one month I will officially be old. I am turning 25 on July 15th and my rapidly approaching day of birth has got me thinking about where I stand in this thing called life.

Now to some I’m far from being old, but if you ask a six-year-old (like my niece) they’ll quickly tell you I am. And I feel old. My life has quickly becoming a roundabout routine of work, eat, and sleep.

I am one of the lucky ones – I have a great job. I am blessed to be doing what I set out to do at the tender age of 14, which was to work in television. But, some of my peers haven’t been as fortunate in their pursuit of happiness.

The “Me” Generation – that’s how my doting mother often refers to us 13 to 26 year olds - have grown up learning that we can do and be anything we want to be.

All through our young lives we’ve been privy to this expansive technology that delivers anything we want to us at the click of a button. We’ve been taught to think outside the box and reach for the stars. (fyi, I have secretly always hated that expression – “reach for the stars” no matter how much one succeeds they will never be able to touch a star … even if they are an astronaut.) So as a result we have learned not to settle – for anything. Not to settle for a mediocre job, car, or life for that matter.

We’ve all grown up watching our parents struggle through life working jobs they hate just to put food on the table and buy us the designer clothes and shoes we crave – and have to have or we’ll just die….

But now that we are adults we find the world to be a very different place then how our parents described it to be…

We are just five months away from possibly having the first African American Male as President of the United States, gas is topping off at $4.20 a gallon in some parts of the city, and a cell phone can now double as a mini computer slash CD or tape-less music device.

My friends and I text more than we actually talk … I found it very difficult to write this blog without abbreviating my words and using cute symbols to describe my feelings (lol ;). And during the course of me writing this very blog, I’ve checked my Facebook and MySpace pages several times.

The entire world is accessible to me just by typing three w’s in a rectangular box.

It’s a life my African Immigrant parents have never known and currently don’t understand.

My peers and I believe that it is strongly important to love what you do and have fun doing it.
Does that makes us flighty – or risk takers?

I work a professional job that allows us show up to work in jeans and t-shirts. I don’t remember the last time I wore a pair of pantyhose – or bought a pair for that matter.

Being comfortable is key for me.

My peers and I walk around with our iPods and cell phones attached to our ears. We take cabs – instead of walking, we are more than willing to pay for convenience and a speedy delivery than being practical and saving our money.

(Coincidently, my mom is currently lecturing me right now on the fine art of saving money)

Our way of living life is different but it begs the question of is it wrong?

My generation is built off sex, violence, and Rock and Roll – just like those before me … well I think it might be more Hip- Hop than Rock and Roll. But you get my point.

Yes, we may not know what it is like to fight for civil rights for all – but we are living our lives in a more globally dangerous environment and are striving to make our marks on this world.

So can you blame us Millennials for wanting to better ourselves and only caring about what we want?

So many strong leaders died so that we may have these opportunities and yes some of us aren’t taking the full advantage of those opportunities but a lot of us are.

Don’t be so quick to write us off as a self absorbed-- tech crazy generation.

We are just living our lives the only way we know how...jumping outside the box that society is trying so hard put us in all the while reaching for those precious stars.

If you get a chance check out this link:http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=4126233n

Morey Shafer from 60 minutes did a fabulous piece on The Millennials, which prompted me to write this blog.

These are just the thoughts of a 20-somethinger ... please feel free to leave a comment

Afua
News Producer
(Uh-fee-yah)