Nobody Likes You When You’re A Millennial

Photo credit: nanigans.com

This post was written by Dolly, a UCSB graduate and an aspiring lawyer: 

Some days, I wake up feeling like a barista-designed agave latte, ready to awaken the senses and release my potential. And some days, it’s gas station coffee. Welcome to my rarely lavish, mostly ludicrous, twenty-something life.

The other day, I thought about the weird urge I felt to have every part of my life planned out and why I was feeling so anxious to get all my ducks in line. I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling of being behind. It was like waiting for the light to turn green and I was at a yellow. And that got me thinking about the little things in my life that were shaping how I expected the big things to occur in turn.

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20something profile: Sarah

This post was written by Sarah, who works in the biotech industry:

I graduated from UC Davis in 2009 with my BS in Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior. I chose that major not because I had a definite career path planned out after graduation but because it enthralled me. My choice in degree wasn’t a means to an end; it was an expression of my passion for biology.

People often ask me what I can do with that degree because it sounds so specific. And my answer to them is always anything. I personally have chosen to use it in my career path as a foundation for knowledge in a sales/marketing capacity within the biotech industry, but I could have chosen a myriad of other paths for myself.

20something entrepreneur starts bridesmaid-for-hire business

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Ever heard the expression “Always a bridesmaid, never a bride?” Well, 26-year-old Jen Glantz has been a bridesmaid so many times that now she’s doing it as a profession!

After being a bridesmaid four times in the past year alone (and twice in one week), Glantz posted an ad on Craigslist offering her services as a professional bridesmaid. Her ad went viral: she got over 100 responses within 48 hours, and her new business got coverage on media outlets including the Huffington Post, USA Today, Good Morning America, and the Today Show.

How to make the most of your 20s professionally

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Levo League recently published an article about how to make the most of your twenties professionally. While the article is geared toward young women, I think it could apply to all people in their twenties:

10 Ways to Make the Most of Your 20s Professionally (levo.com)

One piece of advice that the article gives is to use the time in your twenties wisely. Similar to Meg Jay, who warns us against delaying adulthood until we turn thirty, this article tells us not to waste our twenties procrastinating.

Millennial activist swims with sharks

Photo credit: Smithsonian magazine

You wouldn’t think that sharks need to be protected, but 29-year-old marine activist Ocean Ramsey is setting out to change that notion. Millennial magazine profiles Ramsey’s efforts to protect sharks and give their their image as savage killers a much-needed overhaul:

Marine Activist Ocean Ramsey Fights the War on Sharks (millennialmagazine.com)

It’s estimated that humans kill 100 million sharks each year. One reason why sharks are killed is for their fins, which are used to make shark fin soup. Though shark fin soup isn’t tasty or healthy, it’s perceived as a status symbol in mainland China, where customers pay up to $100 per bowl.

20something profile: Roe

This post was written by Roe, a musician and songwriter:

Hi, I’m Roe. I’m an unemployed 24-year-old “adult” who unashamedly lives with my parents. I also take care of my grandmother who has a plethora of chronic ailments, while simultaneously striving to set a good example for my younger brother who’s still in high school. I’m also a songwriter.

I graduated Ramapo College of New Jersey in May of 2013 with a degree in Music, concentrating in Music Industry and Music Production and minoring in Information Systems — you know, for good measure.

Framing youth and inexperience as an advantage

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Last week, I wrote a piece on Chelsea Krost’s blog about ways that millennials could gain professional experience for their first full-time job. This piece by Brian Hart, president of the PR firm Flackable, discusses how millennials could actually use their age and lack of experience to their advantage when they’re searching for jobs:

3 Ways Millennials Can Frame Youth And Inexperience As A Professional Advantage (chelseakrost.com)

One advantage that millennials have over older generations is their knowledge of technology and social media.

20something profile: Emily

This post was written by Emily, a writer, blogger, and avid coffee drinker:

Most mornings I make myself some coffee, toast a bagel, and wonder what the heck I’m doing with my life. For someone who has settled into a comfortable home and a comfortable career, it sounds like an ideal morning. But for someone who still needs something to look forward to in the day? That’s all I live for.

I graduated this past June from Knox College in central Illinois — small, liberal arts, cornfields for miles — and studied English Literature with a minor in Religious Studies. Moving from my home in sunny, busy California to the countryside of Illinois was a big change, but it was a change I accepted wholeheartedly.

Making the most of an internship

Photo credit: Blogging4jobs.com

We’ve all heard the stereotypes of interns being forced to do menial tasks like fetching the coffee, but internships can actually be a great launching pad for your career. My article on Chelsea Krost’s blog shares four things you should consider when you’re finding an internship:

What You Should Consider When Choosing An Internship (chelseakrost.com)

Thanks to Chelsea Krost for publishing my guest post. And if you haven’t already, please check out my previous guest post on Chelsea’s blog, Top 6 Ways To Gain Experience Before Your First Job.

Are millennials ruining this country?

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In a letter to Ask Stacy, a reader (referred to only as “C”) calls millennials “a danger to the financial security of this country and workforce security.”

C even likens working with millennials to working with alcoholics  — in that they let personal problems get in the way of their work — and accuses their parents of enabling them:

Ask Stacy: The Millennials Are Ruining This Country. What Can We Do? (moneytalksnews.com)