Our generation doesn't seem to have the best image - I've heard us dubbed everything from "The Millennials" to the not so nice phrase of "Entitlement Generation" - And apparently it is all Mr. Rogers' fault!
The general idea seems to be that growing up in the 90s exposed us to TV shows, new parenting methods, and an overall change in society that promoted unconditional love and support. How can this possibly be detrimental? Well, like anything, too much of a good thing can be bad...
Just ask a Tiger Mom.
This huge amount of complete support means that too many people were telling us we were "special" or "unique" when we were children. Resulting in what, you might ask? The expectation that our lives would be wonderful and picture-perfect without having to work for it. Some common adjectives used to describe us include: lazy, entitled, self-involved, etc.
I'm not really sure how much this is actually true... I certainly know some very hard-working and motivated young people. I guess it depends on how you were raised. While I by no means had a "Tiger Mom" for a parent, I did have parents who expected me to always try my best. This expectation that I would have to give 100% was also there with unconditional love.
Even when I came home with a 64% on an OPEN BOOK English exam!
It was 7th grade, my 12 year old mind clearly was not fully developed. Haha good news is that while I cried (from completely horror and shock that I could possibly do so poorly), my mom was able to laugh at the situation and brush it off. I mean, if it was an open-book exam, there is no way that I didn't try... what a struggle.
What I do know is that I think our expectations of post-grad life are very skewed.
Many of my friends have graduated with the expectation that post-graduation they would get their dream-job almost instantaneously, move into a great apartment in a city, and be fully satisfied with their future prospects.
Reality has since ensued.
More likely than not, your first job will be decent or mediocre, or even terrible. But, it's a job and it will get you in the door for bigger and brighter opportunities. Luckily I was prepared for this reality. My parents had constantly warned me: "Your first job post-grad won't be a glamorous one." And you know what? I'm completely okay with that! A job is a job, and it can't hurt to gain new experience, build connections, and see what opportunities are really out there.
While I'm able to view this positively, many other grads out there are not so lucky. Thus, the "Quarter-Life Crisis" has emerged. Our generation is more depressed, unsatisfied, and insecure than ever before. The idea that our lives should be 100% complete and stable by our mid-twenties is unrealistic - at best. Yet, this is what many educated twenty and thirtysomethings are expecting.
The result is an enormous amount of pressure. What I suggest is to stop, relax, and take a deep breath. There really shouldn't be such expectation, we haven't earned our success yet. All we can do now is just find what opportunities are out there and see what happens. Dealing with an uncertain and unplanned future is scary, sure. But we are young, let's enjoy it!
And have no fear, if you're having a particularly rough day and need some serious cheering-up, then maybe put on a re-run episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood... and sing-a-long:
"It's such a good feeling to know you're alive
It's such a happy feeling, you're growing inside
And when you wake up, ready to say:
'I think I'll make a snappy new day'"
Always Optimistic,
BB
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