GEN-Y Identity Crisis

For GEN-Y, we find ourselves in an identity crisis. For us 20-somethings a few years ago we were still in high school; defined by our peers on who we were. Some of us were labeled as jocks, some of us were nerds, and some of us were loners. Whether class clowns or goody-two-shoes, we had an identity; an identity that was almost impossible to break out of until we graduated. In college we were supposed to have time to search for that identity, and discover who we were. However, once again we found ourselves defined as bros, sororstitutes, hipsters, or GDI’s. Each with an identity that was frowned upon by other groups. Even within groups there were subgroups, like the “hot sorority”, or the “party frat”. College was supposed to be a time of self discovery, with unlimited opportunities to discover who you really are, but stereotypes got in the way.

As we graduated college and found ourselves in the real world, a lot of us still were lacking an identity. Now, it may seem like we are a generation of identity procrastinators. We avoid becoming who we really are, to be what others want us to be. However, I do not think we are intentionally procrastinating. Most of us adapt to our surroundings in the best way we can. We don’t fully choose an identity, because we think there are dire consequences. Once an identity is chosen, you will make people mad, people will not like you, and usually there is no going back. If we put off choosing an identity, or all choose the same identity, then we will be able to not feel alone in this cruel world. Loneliness is feared way more than a lack of identity.

But how can the generation that is so open to differences be conforming? Why do we hide our personalities over just telling people who we really are? The struggle is 100% internal. Most people won’t judge you for who you are, but internally we think “what if they do”.

“What if they don’t like who I am?” is the dumbest question to internally ask yourself. If they don’t like who you really are, then why waste your time trying to be their friend? We need to stop hiding behind our own insecurities to become the powerful generation we say we are.

Let’s stop hiding. Let’s make being individualistic the cool thing to do, and empower those who think they need to conform by letting them know that who they are is good enough. For everyone who is still identity searching, continue to search. Self-awareness and self-confidence are two of the most internally empowering things you can achieve. It is a long journey figuring out who you really are, but it is a journey that is well worth it.

Let’s do away with the word “Creepy”

“Don’t talk to strangers”; advice that has been given to us since we were little kids. This information was pounded into our heads from a young age. The message was simple; other people are scary. Our parents had good intentions. By staying away from strangers we would be safe, and safety is always important.

This message stayed with us as we grew up. Don’t talk to strangers. Only talk to people who are “safe”. However, safety should no longer be a huge concern. Most of the time we can take care of ourselves. We do not need anyone to look after us anymore, because we can take care of ourselves.

Now I’m not implying that if a stranger walks up to us and starts a conversation that our instant response is, “Sorry, I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.” However, our response is not too different. We give them the cold shoulder until they leave, turn to our friends and say, “Wow, that was creepy.” A stranger coming up to you and generating conversation is considered creepy today. What is wrong with that?

Creepy is defined as, “unnerving through fear”. When we use creepy (or “creeper”) to describe someone, we are saying that that person actually scares us. I can honestly say that I have heard that term used among GEN-Y quite frequently. Apparently we all fear each other.

And we do. I walk around my college campus and it is quite frustrating to see how we interact with strangers. When walking around by myself, I sometimes find myself playing “the eye contact” game. The game is simple, make eye contact with the individuals who walk by you. If the other person breaks eye contact first, you win! The results are quite hilarious and sad at the same time. This is because when I get near someone, they don’t look at me at all. They look away and do everything they can to avoid eye contact.

Creepiness makes us feel alone. It is what makes us feel lost when surrounded by people. It is what makes us fear going out into public by ourselves. We not only fear that others are “creepy”, but we fear that others will view us as being “creepy”.

The fact is very few people are actually creepy. On a college campus for example, a majority of people we call creepy, are not creepy at all. They are actually just different. They may not be exactly the same as the people we are familiar with talking to, but they shouldn’t have to be. They shouldn’t be considered “creepy” for being different. They should be proud of who they are without being judged by others.

This is a call to do away with calling people “creepy”. There should not be a social stigma in going up to a stranger and talking to them. Think about when was the last time you walked up to someone you didn’t know and started a conversation with them. It doesn’t happen very often. Meeting people through others is not the only way we are allowed to connect. Embrace talking to people who are different. Embrace talking to strangers, and for goodness sake stop calling everyone “creepy”!

There are some people out there who are creepy, but the vast majority of us are not. Let’s get more realistic and stop living in fear of our differences. Let’s stop living in a place where walking up to strangers and asking to join them for a cup of coffee is a problem. We should all try to talk to strangers. We should want to live in a world that is “creepy-free”.

What are we forgetting about STEM education?

Careers in STEM fields have become a growing importance throughout the world, and this has been reflected in education. The push towards STEM can be seen very clearly at Purdue University. As a graduate student in education at Purdue, a university traditionally known for its strong Engineering program, I have become particularly interested in STEM education from K-12 all the way through undergraduate studies. The United States has made a strong push towards STEM, and rightly so. Careers in these fields occupy a majority of job vacancies in this country. However, there is something I worry about. One of the keys to being successful in these fields is innovation. We seem to be looking only at the surface of the problem. Yes, encouraging to students to pursue careers in these fields is great, but how do we encourage students to think outside the box?

The term “thinking outside the box” is typically associated with creativity, and innovation is a direct result of creativity. However, highly structural classes often seem to forget this. We pump information into students. All of this information is important, but can it be transferred to innovation? Unfortunately, I don’t think STEM is providing enough opportunities for creative thinking that is needed. A friend in computer science recently said to me, “Anyone can learn the material, but being able to write code and being able to write algorithms separate the boys from the men in computer science.” Neither task is easy, but there is a level of innovative thinking needed to do the latter; and technology seems to do a better job at focusing on some level of creativity than the other three.

In science, engineering, and math it seems like pumping information into students brains is more important than applying it to “outside the box thinking”. Students are encouraged to learn exactly what they are told. A lot of students I know in these fields graduate college without one creative thought in their head. Students shut down there right brain to try to make room for more information. If students fail, there are exiled instead of encouraged to keep trying. This encourages students to do exactly what they are told, and to fear being judged for “outside the box” thinking. Innovation will not happen if individuals are afraid to suggest new ideas. A lot of tech companies encourage brainstorming and coming up with new ideas, but that is not the case in many corporations today.

So what are we forgetting about STEM education? Could it be that a healthy and innovative person could benefit from classes that encourage creative thinking? I would think so, but we keep cutting classes that are typically thought of as creative. Most K-12 programs are cutting art, music, and drama programs as they lose funding. Most college students in STEM fields go through all of undergrad without taking any of these classes as well. How can we discourage creativity and the arts but encourage innovation? It doesn’t seem to make sense. As a recruiter, I would love to see a Mechanical Engineering student with a minor in art and design, or a Chemistry student with minor in music, but we do not encourage this as a country. I just hope the push for STEM is not pushing out creativity. Let’s fight for our arts, and turn STEM programs into STEAM programs before students completely lose their originality and uniqueness. Now that could make a huge difference!