Generation Y
I went to a retreat recently and there was a presentation about working with different age groups, which were broken down into generations that we could analyze to our hearts content! It was a pretty light-hearted session and for the most part, I could understand some of the generalizations they were making about the different age groups. That was until they got to MY age group, the Millennials or Generation Y.
They started by saying we value our lives outside of work, which I agree with 100 percent. They also said we would leave a job if it didn't allow us the life-work balance that we expect. I was still with them there. We also enjoy flexibility in our schedules, which I also agree with. However, they lost me when they said the majority of our generation expects employers not to have an issue with us showing up at 10:30 after our yoga class and that we find nothing odd about having 4 jobs in one year. What the heck! Either I am totally disconnected from my generation or that is a load of crap. I know plenty of people my age who, while they might prefer to arrive at 10:30, show up at 8 because they understand that is the schedule they agreed to when they took the job. While we may jump around from job to job, I think most people my age would agree that 4 different jobs in one year is less than ideal.
I also know that frequently people assume I'm older than I am because of the way I act. I guess I'm a little more serious than others my age. I really don't mind that, and I take it as a compliment most of the time. However, sometimes I'd rather be known as the fun one. Sure, I might be skating on the border of immaturity, but as long as I'm having a good time, who cares? I don't know that I've ever been this way, but a girl can dream.
I was thinking about all of this last night as Kim and I were eating ice cream and watching the SERIES finale of One Tree Hill. I took comfort in the fact that no one who is too serious still watches that show in their mid- to late-20s. OTH started my senior year in high school. It's a teenage drama set in a small town in North Carolina. This small town just HAPPENED to have a recording studio and the world headquarters of a famous clothing brand, but I digress. Anyway, Kim and I have been faithful to the show since it's first season and although it's had several "jump the shark" episodes (a kidnapping nanny, a dog eating someone's heart transplant, a psycho dead-wife look-a-like who shot Gwen and Clay, etc.) we've been there through it all. The good, the bad, the ugly. It was a little sad for it to end last night, but definitely time. We've grown out of OTH and hopefully we've grown out of all the negative Generation Y stereotypes. But if not, we're still young. We have plenty of time to figure it out.
They started by saying we value our lives outside of work, which I agree with 100 percent. They also said we would leave a job if it didn't allow us the life-work balance that we expect. I was still with them there. We also enjoy flexibility in our schedules, which I also agree with. However, they lost me when they said the majority of our generation expects employers not to have an issue with us showing up at 10:30 after our yoga class and that we find nothing odd about having 4 jobs in one year. What the heck! Either I am totally disconnected from my generation or that is a load of crap. I know plenty of people my age who, while they might prefer to arrive at 10:30, show up at 8 because they understand that is the schedule they agreed to when they took the job. While we may jump around from job to job, I think most people my age would agree that 4 different jobs in one year is less than ideal.
I also know that frequently people assume I'm older than I am because of the way I act. I guess I'm a little more serious than others my age. I really don't mind that, and I take it as a compliment most of the time. However, sometimes I'd rather be known as the fun one. Sure, I might be skating on the border of immaturity, but as long as I'm having a good time, who cares? I don't know that I've ever been this way, but a girl can dream.
I was thinking about all of this last night as Kim and I were eating ice cream and watching the SERIES finale of One Tree Hill. I took comfort in the fact that no one who is too serious still watches that show in their mid- to late-20s. OTH started my senior year in high school. It's a teenage drama set in a small town in North Carolina. This small town just HAPPENED to have a recording studio and the world headquarters of a famous clothing brand, but I digress. Anyway, Kim and I have been faithful to the show since it's first season and although it's had several "jump the shark" episodes (a kidnapping nanny, a dog eating someone's heart transplant, a psycho dead-wife look-a-like who shot Gwen and Clay, etc.) we've been there through it all. The good, the bad, the ugly. It was a little sad for it to end last night, but definitely time. We've grown out of OTH and hopefully we've grown out of all the negative Generation Y stereotypes. But if not, we're still young. We have plenty of time to figure it out.
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