There is such a negative connotation surrounding the word “millennials,” and it needs to go. Even as I type the word, I can hear an old voice narrating it with such disgust and middle aged women joking over us (no, I am not stereotyping; I have been so unfortunate as to be present when these things occur). This can’t continue.

First of all, hardly anyone even knows what generation the word “millennials” refers to. Some would consider it to be my generation, those just starting college. Some assign the term to people born from 2000 on. Others consider millennials the ones who began adulthood in 2000. It’s really hard to stereotype a group when you can’t even pinpoint who’s in it, so stop.

Wikipedia’s definition puts me and my friends right in the tail end of this generation. The joke that has been made of my generation has hurt me. It needs to cease. Whenever I hear people say “millennials,” it’s usually in a context of stereotyping, and that stereotype is usually negative. Let’s face it, no one really goes around discussing the names of generations just for the fun of it. For example, CBS just came out with a new show called The Great Indoors whose very premise is to poke fun at millennials. When I searched the word on Google, one of the first recommendations was “millennials suck.” Even going through everyday life, I’ve heard middle-aged adults joke about how lazy we supposedly are. Even if it is just a joke, there’s something wrong here!

These “jokes” signify a common idea about millennials. The reason anyone could think they are funny is because of the "general knowledge" that millennials are worthless. But how can you expect millennials to not be awful if you are already expecting them to be awful? We’ve become immersed in this culture that seeks out and dwells on the worst of us and our generation as a whole. So many people in this generation are hardworking and are not entitled brats, yet we still get swept up in the cliché of people who’ve never had to work for anything in their lives. What motivation remains for millennials to even try to escape the stereotyping chains we’ve become bound in?

I’m not saying we’re perfect; I’m just asking for a clean slate. You don’t know me, and it’s unfair to judge me solely on people born in the same year as me. Give us a fair chance, and for goodness' sake, stop using us to fuel your humor. That’s simple enough to ask, right?