By Taylor Inman, Staff writer
Millennial. It’s a term that has many definitions and connotations. The definition most know of millennial is the generational one. According to websites like dictionary.com, millennial is just another term for Generation Y, and if someone is born roughly between the years of 1980-1995, even if they don’t want to be, they are considered a millennial, and Murray State has many of them on campus.
The negative associations that go along with being a millennial reach far and wide. From article titles like “Millennials: The Me Me Me” generation” from Time Magazine, and “Working with Millennials is the worst” by the New York Post.
The Murray State News took to the busier parts of campus to stop and ask students what they think of the stereotypes that accompany their generation.
“There’s not a lot of follow through, when it comes to completing jobs and things of that nature,” McDonald said. “There’s weak character, when compared to the ‘Greatest Generation’.”
Many students rejected most of the stereotypes brought up. Cody Hall, a senior from Benton, Kentucky said his generation isn’t lazy, especially when it comes to politics.
“I believe that this generation is more politically active than some of the previous ones,” Hall said. “One of the biggest problems we face as millennials is that the older generation is so stuck in their ways that they’re holding back progressiveness.”
Teddy Martin, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, said the stereotypes he knows deal with what people spend a lot of time looking down at.
“We’re portrayed as technology dependent,” Martin said. “Honestly we just aren’t. I have a couple of friends who hate technology.”
But Martin goes on to say what most of the students interviewed said, that it all can’t be true.
“You just can’t stereotype an entire generation,” Martin said. “Because it’s just too eclectic.”
Zeon Garcia, a senior from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, said the only time he hears about millennials is from his mother, but he doesn’t agree with her when she talks about them.
“She seems to think that millennials feel self entitled,” Garcia said. “I think this generation has become more emotionally aware and sensitive, more so than past generations. And because of that they see us as too sensitive.”
Ty Elrod, a junior from Benton, Kentucky, also had a lot of negative stereotypes about millennials.
“Generally they’re considered lazy, not very hard working,” Elrod said. “A lot of times they get a bad rep for not being able to take anything into consideration and not knowing how the world works.
Jarmon Robinson, a junior from Belleville, Illinois, said while he doesn’t believe the stereotypes, he thinks there is some truth to them.
“I don’t really believe that’s true, granted, stereotypes come from some form of fact,” Robinson said. “But to say that the whole millennial generation is lazy and unappreciative is just not true at all.”
Chelsi Ann Ritter a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, said that she thinks her generation is more open than others.
“They like to say that we’re like crybabies, but I don’t think that’s the case.” Ritter said. “I think we’re more understanding and giving each other a chance instead of just judging.”
The students The News spoke to agreed stereotypes are hard to prove right.
“Stereotypes aren’t based out of fact, they’re based out of not thinking enough,” Martin said. “People from older generations that think millennials are ‘just this way or that way’ need to look at the bigger picture instead of a few individuals.”