My Generation

“Individualistic. Wild. Reckless. Emotionally unstable.”

People have a need to categorize and stereotype things into neat compartments that they can understand. When it comes to young people, adults often think along pretty much the same lines as mentioned above.

And it’s true that there are certain aspects of being a young person that apply across the board, and if you ask me to sum them up in three words, I would pick: Potential. Talent. Passion.

Yes, in the past young people have done some things that led to such warped thinking that adolescence is a time of irrational, uncontrolled behavior. We had student riots and demonstrations gone bad. We had the hippie movement that preached love but practiced the messy culture of free sex and drugs.

It’s all too easy to write youths off as self-absorbed and immature, but as a young person, I ask you to consider otherwise.

I know past generations of young people may have wasted their youth pursuing frivolous fancies, but maybe we need to open our eyes and see that this generation of young people – my generation – is changing and evolving, and learning from the mistakes of the past.

Not all young people are self-centered, rebellious, money-minded, and shallow. Not in my generation, at least.

Let me tell you about my generation.

My generation is blessed with much more than previous generations not just in terms of technology, but the fact that with technology, education, and the opportunity to travel overseas to study, we are exposed to many different cultures and ways of living.

As a result we are very conscious of our actions and their consequences, and we are also aware that we have the freedom of choice to live a life that is fulfilling, whatever that may mean to different people. And this has opened our eyes to the vast possibilities the world holds for us.

My generation of youth is very socially aware and community-minded. We have a need for connection. We value peace, unity, and tolerance. We’re passionate about seeing people come together to support a cause, fight for justice, or just to connect. We are concerned about issues ranging from the environment to human rights to world hunger to genocide to politics even.

We believe in living for causes that are bigger than ourselves.

Just look at the increasing number of youth-organized charity/fund-raising events, or browse through recent issues of youth magazines.

My generation of young people is self-directed. We understand that our future, and society’s future, lies in our hands. We don’t need validation from other people – we seek it within ourselves. Look at the numerous new businesses sprouting up started by budding young entrepreneurs, some with barely more than a secondary school education.

My generation of young people is down-to-earth. We’re tired of empty promises, short-lived hype, and unrealistic expectations. We don’t want to hear another feel-good pep talk or attend another motivational seminar. No, my generation of young people is more than just a generation of dreamers.

We take action. We are innovative and resourceful. We want to know what we need to do to get things done. And then we do it.

With the great blessings we’ve been given, I want to see my generation making a positive impact on the world we live in – and I know it is possible, using the knowledge and experiences we’ve gained to do our part in giving back to the local and global community.

Whether it is through involvement in environmental causes, relief/welfare work, or even through advocating and talking about these causes, I believe change is possible. We have done so much damage to our planet and each other through wars, destruction of rainforests, and etc, but I truly believe that my generation has the potential to reverse some of the mistakes we made, if we choose to do so.

My generation of young people is not like past generations of young people. But it’s only because we look at the past and realize that there are lessons to learn. And then maybe, just maybe, from learning those lessons, we can determine the future.

By Crystal Cha | 19 years young. Lover of words, beauty, and magic. Dreamer of dreams. Currently finishing her last semester of a Diploma in Mass Communication at Life College. She writes, bakes, sings, takes photographs, and, occasionally, composes songs and dances. She also blogs at www.burnoutbrightly.blogspot.com