The Observer, November 16, 2007
Volume XL, Issue 11
It's time to grow up, you "Millennials"
To the Editor:
If you missed the 60 Minutes segment "The Millennials Are Coming!" this past Sunday, I suggest that you watch it. It tells the story of a dramatic shift in the modern workforce. We Millennials (or as I prefer to call it, the "self-esteem generation"), born from 1980-2000, are the children of parents who had strict upbringings, resulting in a backlash generation of "Everyone is special" and "You get a trophy for participating!" While parenting of past generations reached an end, parents of the Millennials seem to have no stopping point. These parents confront teachers and even professors after their child receives a bad grade. "Billy deserves better than this! How could he have gotten a B?!"
At this point, you might think, "No, that doesn't happen here." You would be wrong. Professors often get parent complaints, and it has increased in recent years. And it doesn't stop there. In talking with administrators, I've caught word that the Career Center has actually gotten calls from employers who have hired students from Case. They call because the parents of Billy the Case graduate were calling Billy's employer as a result of Billy's bad performance review. Excuse me while I lose my composure…are you kidding me?! Why would that company want to hire future Case students? They shouldn't have to deal with this extreme form of coddling. Aren't we all adults capable of rationally handling a situation on our own? I guess I was born a generation too late, but I would be appalled if my parents were to do something like that.
The 60 Minutes piece goes on to discuss other things, including how the past generation should deal with the Millennials, but it all comes back to one point. When will this generation bear the responsibilities of becoming adults? College is touted as that time and place, but once again not everything comes as advertised. College doesn't make you an adult. College gives you a chance to make the decision to become an adult. Next time you get a bad grade and feel the urge to run off to your parents, think to yourself, "Could I handle this on my own?" You probably can. And you probably should.
Doug Bentley
Undergraduate student
