Meet the Millennials
a.k.a. Generation Y, iGen, Digital Natives, Generation Me, Echo Boomers
Translated by Ελισάβετ Κεχαγιά
Based on the original article in Greek by Χριστίνα Αμπαζάι
The Millennials, born to baby boomers between the 80s and the 00s, constitute today’s longest generation. This is a much researched and talked about generation, being the first in the world’s history to grow up and keep on growing in the digital world. It is only natural then that technology plays an important role in Millennials everyday life, influencing not only their identity formation but also their political, social and cultural beliefs.
Just like the generations that preceded them, Millennials possess unique characteristics, positive and negative alike. However, it came to be that what first comes to mind upon hearing “Millennials”, are words such as lazy, narcissistic, rude and antisocial. Should they be this heavily branded? Let’s find out!
They give an arm and a leg for education
Education is pivotal to the Millennials and their actions prove it; they acquire undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral degrees which render them the most educated generation up to date. However, education is extremely expensive especially in America, where studies of the sort equate student loan debts that amount to one trillion dollars.
They are entrepreneurs
Growing up watching Steve Jobs building his all powerful Apple empire and Mark Zuckerberg connecting people far and wide, they seek for meaningful and substantial employment; they freelance, innovate and establish startup companies. In Great Britain freelancers take up the 1/3 of the workforce, and in the United States of America the sixty seven percent intends to set out their own business. According to a 2016 research, things in Greece are not different with thirty four percent of young people dreaming a business of their own, considering it more important than a career in the sector.
“I provide therefore I am”
Unlike previous generations, the Millennials set aside individual needs and focus more on social. Theirs is a strong sense of community, be it on a local or global level. They volunteer and provide pro bono services, with the number one reason behind all this being, not just the drive to help others in need, but also to help resolve sociopolitical, or even environmental problems.
They are team players
Being practical, they get easily irritated when they feel that their time is being wasted. They want to learn quickly, progress and evolve. They are confident, and want to remain original and true. They are result-oriented and think that in contrast to individual work, team effort bears more fruit.
Millennials: They are a travel folk
As you guessed it they are seekers of new experiences and travel a lot, desiring to meet and get in touch with complete strangers and cultures different than their own. They feel more like citizens of the world rather than of a particular nation, and when under socioeconomic pressure, they migrate choosing a life of freedom with no strings attached.
Millennials: They are socially sensitized
In stark contrast to previous generations, they display greater tolerance towards otherness and diversity. They are open minded, sensitized and fight against every form of discrimination, being disinterested in skin tone, origins, gender addresses,sexual preferences, (not) believing in one God or more; when they look upon a person, all they see is their humanity.
It is apparent that Millennials are not spoon-fed, but question facts and reject what doesn’t make the cut. Theirs is an overeducated generation that really wants to make a difference in the world, believes in dreams and knows how to bring them to life.
Αν επιθυμείς να διεκδικήσεις υποτροφίες στην Ελλάδα ή το εξωτερικό, ο Οδηγός Υποτροφιών του citycampus που μόλις κυκλοφόρησε σου προσφέρει ό,τι χρειάζεσαι!
Θέλεις να ενημερώνεσαι έγκυρα και κυρίως έγκαιρα με το πάτημα ενός κουμπιού; Κατέβασε την εφαρμογή μας από το Playstore (citycampus.gr) και διάβασε όλα τα νέα άρθρα εύκολα και γρήγορα!
