Julie's Survey of Professional Media

Am I a millennial? Yes and no. I am a graphic design major so I guess I am pretty technologically savvy. I do not think that means that I fall under all of the stereotypes that go with being a millennial. I use my cell phone an average of thirty minutes a day and send about ten or fifteen text messages per day. It annoys me when people my age are constantly talking on cell phones or texting people all the time. I think that when people are always on cell phones or plug their ears with iPods they miss out on everything going on around them. They become very self-involved and live in their own little universe. This makes everyone around them feel uncomfortable especially if they need to get their attention. Where I am most like a typical millennial is probably my use of social networking sites, especially facebook. I check it at least once a day and can spend way too much time “creeping” on my friends when I am bored.
I agree with some of the assumptions about millennials. Many of my friends exhibit the assumption that millennials are conditioned to believe that they are special and can excel at anything. I never played in any sports where “everyone wins” but I know plenty of people who were. I also know many people my age who still live at home with their parents and have never had a job in their life. This really bothers me. I know one person in particular who does not pay for anything on her own, has never worked a real job, and is not paying for school. She thinks that she is entitled to whatever she wants and she truly believes that she is going to be a huge movie star/ singer/ model. I just cannot relate to that at all. I have worked hard for everything I have in my life and I know that when I get out of college I will have to work hard to rise to the top of my field and everything won’t be handed to me. I definitely agree with the assumption that millennials put family and friends before work, and I think that is a good thing. Work may pay the bills but the real value in life is in the relationships you cultivate with people.
If older generations want to communicate with the millennials I think the first step is becoming familiar with the technology we use. Even though I think it’s weird when middle-aged adults with families and a lot of responsibilities send me “My Christmas Tree” requests on facebook, I still appreciate them trying to stay current. Our lives are centered around social networking and instant communication so adults must adapt. I think employers will have to adjust and become more like “team builders” and work around our schedules, but I hope they don’t change too much. Lazy, self-involved people get on my nerves and I do not think changing the job market to meet their needs will do anyone any good.