Millennials.
The term has been thrown around a lot lately and to define it: millennials are those born between 1982 and 2000; so all of us darling collegiates are millennials.We are the largest generation in the U.S. right now making up 1/3 of the population and we are more diverse and educated than past generations, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Just let that sink in for a moment.
We are pretty damn important and occupying a majority of the population, we are also pretty damn influential.
We get a bad rep. for being lazy, spoiled, entitled, restless, selfish, a “me generation” but in reality, we’re not. We have merely prioritized differently than past generations and from what I have noticed, this is ever true for our inclination to travel and to travel everywhere while we’re young.
Articles across many…probably all… social media platforms are written and shared continuously to preach to millennials why they (we) need to “drop everything and travel the world.” I’ve read these articles, you’ve probably read these articles, I have my grandmother e-mailing me these articles, and in the simplest terms; they are inspiring. I relate to these articles and enjoy reading them, living vicariously through my fellow millennials who found success in their travels and dreams.
We are influenced by those similar in age and circumstance relating to life, love, and finance. We are more receptive to these individuals’ stories that have thrived.
Why else would these articles be so popular? Why would I even be writing this?
It got me thinking, though, why our generation is so inclined to say f*** it and leave our careers, relationships, and lives on a whim.
I feel as though our parents and grandparents weren’t as worried with traveling and seeing the world. Their emphasis was more on settling in a career, home, marriage and family. We embrace the freedom we have, the here and now, the capacity to in fact leave anything that isn’t satisfying us 24/7. We’re young and still have an optimism about our futures. We aren’t afraid to dream and to go after these dreams–we’re proactive. This may be because we were raised thinking “we can.” We are the first generation to have access to the Internet during our developing years. We can have everything at the touch of a button. We are constantly anticipating the next best thing, which I feel has instilled this so called restlessness in us, but it is more a restlessness in the soul.
As for being selfish, is it truly a bad thing? Now may be the only time it is okay to be undeniably and unapologetically selfish. We glorify young world travelers and their successes and all thanks to the Internet, these stories are viral, they have touched many millennials contributing to this generation’s self-awareness. So, selfish may be the wrong word. We are simply more aware of our opportunities. We are aware of the importance of now, not later, and it’s because of articles like this, which serve as a reminder or merely to get us thinking that living out our dreams seems and is plausible.
My father always asked me what I would do if money wasn’t an option, and my answer was always travel–hence the career choice into writing. We have made our way by diverting from routine and settling for the 9–to–5 jobs. We are celebrated by one another for our ability to acknowledge and act upon our infinite creativities and passions. We strive to work from the heart to do what we love, not necessarily what is the most lucrative. And I think it says a lot about our generation.
We have evolved during a recession with higher unemployment rates, higher student debts; we seem to recognize the instability in retirement plans and waiting for our “golden years” to see the world– we want it now, while we still can, and there is nothing wrong with that.
We are expected to spend the most on travel services in the next year; we will be the leading cause of the industry’s recovery–like I said, pretty damn influential.
We’re utilizing our energy, youth, and curiosity to do what we won’t find time for when life and responsibilities truly take over. We are also aware of how these experiences are going to ultimately further us in our futures. Think about the connections we make and the bonding we do with those we travel with, the knowledge we gain; we get to explore our interests (food, wine, culture, language, etc) in a more hands-on way. We are choosing to be thrown out of our element, learning to adjust, communicate, and survive; these are what make for a bountiful and more fulfilling life. This is how we lose ourselves and find ourselves all at the same time. This is how we appreciate what we have. This is how we grow and that in a positive direction.
I’m not saying traveling now is better than going to school or getting a job or starting a family, but I think it is intriguing to note the difference in generations. We are natural born travelers.
It’s as if we’ve created a new definition for the American Dream. I’ve asked multiple individuals, and they view travel as a birthright-an imperative part of the American dream. We aren’t a “me generation,” we are a “wanderlust generation,” a “self-aware generation,” an “innovative and passionate generation,” and I lean towards these labels over “entitled, selfish, and restless.” Not just because the latter aren’t as positive, but because the former contains more truth.
We march to a different drum than our parents and grandparents, running circles around them with not only social media, but our ability to make things happen for ourselves. I think it is incredibly moving and a much more productive view on our generation.
We see travel as more than a sun-sand-ocean weekend stay somewhere; we seek extended journeys that serve a higher purpose: educational, philanthropic, dignifying, cultural, freeing and meaningful.
I write a lot about taking advantage of the time we have now, how this is when it is the best to stay up till sunrise and make mistakes and experience life and love. This is the freest we will be without mortgages or debt or responsibilities.
Blame it on the recession, Internet, social media, but the world seems smaller, more attainable. According to Priceline, 73 percent of Millennials are happy to drop everything for a last-minute vacation.
How many of you would do the same?
Photo credit:
http://wavenuelife.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/travel-without-us-pass…