12 Things Millennials Wish The Older Generations Understood

Some say we're spoiled and want to get a pat on the back for everything; but let's get real about who exactly was handing out participation trophies at our soccer games and dance recitals.

Why? Because we have to. All the participation trophies in the world haven't made it easier for us to secure well-paying jobs, find affordable housing and health care, and support ourselves financially.

Please see above.

As mentioned earlier, millennials have been accused of ruining vacations for everyone, because we tend not to use all of our vacation days at work. (Interesting how we can simultaneously not take enough time off and also be lazy...) Do you want to know why we work so much?

1. We need more money, thus we work more.
2. Oftentimes, we can hardly afford life as is.
3. We're scared that vacations will be used against us.
4. We can't lose our jobs, because #1 and #2.

Please understand that life ain't cheap. Please also understand that we're very driven, focused, and motivated for the same reason.

It wasn't easy even as young ones. The job market hasn't been all that great, even if you're a teenager trying to flip burgers or scoop popcorn at the local theater.

This one kills me, because we're making it increasingly harder for people to get a college education. A 2012 article made one shocking revelation: the cost of a college degree in this country increased 1,120 percent in 30 years. Furthermore, reports say the cost of college is increasing faster than financial aid — which is a whole other problem. Even if we do get the financial aid we need, we'll likely be buried to our necks in debt long after graduating because of it.

The takeaway is this: the system is kind of working against us here. Don't judge us if we maybe consider not going to college, or postponing college, or going to a community college that's much more affordable. And when we don't take those vacation days because we want the extra money to pay for college so we don't have to take out more loans, just leave us be. We're doing our best in a system with many unattractive options.

As cool of a story as this is (seriously), working you way up the corporate ladder isn't always an option. There are a lot of politics involved in getting a job, and in getting a really good job. Let's be honest here: if a business thinks you're only qualified enough to scrub toilets and scrape the gum off the undersides of tables, do we really think they're going to give you a desk and a 401k?

That's not to say this never works, but it certainly doesn't work all the time... or very often at all.

Every industry is different; but more and more, that piece of paper we pay so much for at the end of our college education is being trumped by experience — or you at least have to have equal parts of both. Education alone often isn't enough. Employers want to know what you've actually done in the workforce. This is great news for people who have made time for work in addition to school, and bad news for people who were 100 percent dedicated to their education — something nobody should be punished for.

To insist that college is the answer to all your financial problems is both unfair and flat out inaccurate.

Yes, we're fortunate to have these very sophisticated devices. At the same time, however, they've become so available and common that many jobs now require us to have a smartphone and computer of our own, because they won't provide them. Don't think all we do is play on Instagram all day.

This might be a bit harsh, but it needs to be said. It wasn't uncommon for the generations before us to make so many great sacrifices, because they felt they needed to in order to survive; but to insist that we're lesser of a generation because we won't do the same is hardly fair (or accurate). Yes, some of us forgo traditional 9-5 jobs to become freelancers and digital nomads, even if it means a smaller paycheck. Yes, some of us quit our jobs because they make our lives miserable, and then we just figure it out as we go along. Yes, we'll live in cruddy apartments so we have more money to travel.

You know what we're doing? We're trying to find a way to be happy and still support ourselves. Is that so wrong?

BTW, there are still plenty of us making the same sacrifices older generations did — just to be clear.

This is a really insightful point, because so many people go out of their way to point out just how anti-technology they are. Yes, technology and social media are a double-edged sword — that goes without saying. But to deny it and damn it completely — along with the entire generation who is growing up with it — really just tells us that you're stuck in time, set in your own ways, narrow-minded, and refuse to learn new things.

Perspective! This is brilliant, and so true. Technology advances. Science advances. Society moves forward. The examples given here are great. Nothing sticks around unchanged forever, plain and simple. It never has! Otherwise, we'd still be getting around by horse and carriage.

This is so important, because millennials are so frequently criticized for speaking their minds. It's not complaining. Just because for older generations, it was considered normal to keep quiet about mental health and sexuality and reproductive rights and other things we're vocal about, doesn't mean it's right. Older generations do not set the standard just because they're older.