2016 was a year filled with political uproar, economic instability, social media sandstorms, inequality and discrimination. But it was also a year with glimmering hope for what how our society can strive to be better. Young people watched as their world fell apart , every political catastrophic event that occurred had a direct effect on the millennials and young people of today. We were the ones watching on as our future got torn apart by Trump's campaign team, Nigel Farage's Brexit army, and Jeremy Hunt's junior doctor fire pit. We saw it all, we lived through it. We felt, dreamed and hoped, just like everyone else. However, the picture painted of Millennials was not one of ambition, dedication and intelligence. It was one of laziness, addiction, unstableness and sheer outrage. An image has been ingrained in people's minds of what this modern day 'millennial' looks like. He/she has been painted as a grumpy young person, glued to their smartphones, doing nothing with their spare time other than taking selfies and watching reality TV shows. We have been portrayed as spoilt, all-consuming and narcissistic.
However, the picture in my mind, as a young female student living in the UK, is very different. I see us as the generation with a sheer passion and determination to succeed in an economic climate that has the odds stacked against us. I see us as a group of people who are ambitious to make something of themselves, no matter what background they come from. I watch as many young people use social media as a form of positive, empowering political activism, against the tirade of discrimination and xenophobia that so many of us have faced throughout the years. We use the phenomenon of the internet to create our own platforms, to make our own authentic stamp on modern culture. We are not disengaged with voting and politics, we do indeed read and write, and we do it without nagging or pushing from the older generation.
And if some millennials are disengaged with the political and economic climate, it is because there is a severe gap in politics for reaching out to youngsters. The Brexit campaign had an extreme lack of youth engagement, we are in search of real political education that relates to young people from diverse backgrounds ; not just Millennials who have a background in higher education.
Millennials are trailblazers, content creators, writers, bloggers, vloggers, travellers and activists who are striving for creativity, individualism and artistic freedom in a world where it is impossible to make a living.
It's about time we looked at our young people with more sympathy and admiration, you only need to go on Twitter and Facebook to see why so many of us are ranting, campaigning and celebrating.
Yes, we may love to scroll through our social media feeds and watch funny videos of cats jumping on trampolines, but we also work extremely hard, and are as political, vocal and determined as ever.
So let's end this catastrophic media storm on Millennials. 2017 is the year of Millennial success. And we will succeed in getting our true voices heard.