The Millennial Struggle

The lazy and entitled generation…. Really?

This is a huge generalisation. I would say that most millennials are highly ambitious and willing to work hard to get what they want. We have high career aspirations, meaning we are most likely to have more than one career in our lifetime in comparison to our parents. 

With the development of technology and the internet which a majority of us have grown up with, it is inevitable that we would make the most of it find or create new opportunities for ourselves. I find that millennials (at least the ones I surround myself with) are willing to hustle - a state of great activity: networking, learning and creating their own opportunities in life.

This generation is skilled in computer technology and social media like no other generation thus the rising of new and unique careers are formed. Like many others, I started my blog: Engineer with style, this blog has brought me new experiences, new people, and new skills. It has opened my world to a number of great opportunities which I would have never had without it.

As a blogger I have learned how to:

• Create content - information to be shared on any media platform 
• Create graphics for blog posts and social media 
• Create workbooks and printables [As shown below - download your free printable worksheets>>>HERE]
• Schedule social media posts 
• Write on a variety of topics I’m interested in such as personal development, women in STEM and my life lessons as a black female engineer in the UK. My blog has and continues to teach me more about myself, new skills and my capacity to learn and grow into the woman I want to be. 

FREE Printables to download

Less likely to own a home before 30

So this is where the struggle gets real. Like many of you, I went to university with the promise that I would get a great job after graduation. However, what followed was the economic crash which basically crushed all our hopes and dreams.

As it turns out a university degree doesn’t guarantee you a job anymore. You can find yourself job searching for about 6-9 months before landing that coveted graduate role. Then there is the disappointment of the starting salary…(don’t even get me started on this)

So you find yourself with a graduate degree with no dream job at the end of all your hard work. You can’t even afford your own place, leaving you to rent a small place, flat share or if needed move back home. This is the reality for many millennials, having been promised so much from earlier generations yet not having the survival tools to cope with the downturn of the economy.

This then proceeds to not having the money to save for a house deposit hence, it takes longer than expected because you are stuck between not having enough to save and live on while you pour money down a black hole in rent. Now many of us are facing 30 without our dream job, a house or the wonderful adult life we once dreamt of.

What does being a Millennial mean to me

A millennial, those born in the early 1980s to 2000. A wide range I know but this group is broken down into two groups the earlier group also known as Generation Y 80s-90s and the later group known as Gen Z.

I proudly fall into the first group. For me being a millennial has 3 main parts:

Identity and Relationships - who we are as individuals and how the world sees us is a very important aspect of being a millennial today. After spending a huge part of my life in education, with mainly the same people I found it hard to express my individuality. I was often with a group of friends and we were all so similar - our clothes, behaviour and the things we spoke about.

I later began to realise that our values and beliefs were not the same and I wanted to break free because the people I hang out with and my own personal aspirations were no longer aligned and we were just so different.

Often in life, we find that, if we are not careful our identity can be defined by our relationships - family, friends or romantic. This is only a part of who we are and cannot define our whole character. It is important to look around you and carefully evaluate your circle of influence because all too often we allow our relationships to take over our lives and we lose our identity.

Every day I am learning and improving in this area, as I grow and develop into the woman I want to become I realise there are some necessary decisions and boundaries I have to create about the people I let into my life.

Feminism - the advocacy of political, economic, and social equality between men and women.

Social Media - being able to communicate with others and share my story online has become an everyday part of my life. As a young black woman, I can narrate to the world who I am and what I represent: Christian woman, Female Engineer, Aspiring Entrepreneur and a Bride-to-be. I strive to have the flexibility and financial freedom that so many successful and inspirational women have so that I can live the life of my dreams.

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My Memories from the late 90s to the early 2000s

Calling friends on the landline - yes I would rush back from school to get on the phone and call my friends. We would chat for just under an hour before hanging up so that the call was free. 

Image Source: eBay

My First mobile - the Nokia 3310 was my very first mobile phone. I can still remember the excitement I felt on the day we bought it. Now I could call and text my friends anytime I wanted (apart from during school time) and best of all I got to play snake - what a classic. (if you don’t know what that is you missed out!) 

Dial-up internet - oh that noise only 90s kids will understand! What can I say it was the strangest thing but the best thing as it brought the world right into our living room. Although I can only remember using for homework and to play games mostly and maybe email… but as a kid who would, I send an email to…? The worst part, however, was that you couldn’t use your landline while using the internet.. seriously!

Facebook - now this is when everything changed! The fact that there are over a billion people on Facebook now tells you something. According to statistics, the largest percentage of Facebook users are millennials.

Check this QUIZ out: How millennial are you? (American) 

Some Survival Tips:

Getting through the struggle is definitely possible, with a few tweaks and some work on our personal development we can get through this. 

• Have a personal brand - who you are and what you present is very important because everyone has the ability to Google you. Today you can be judged on what and how you present yourself online. It sets the tone for how people will perceive you in a variety of situations: social, professional, online or offline. 

• Use social media to your advantage - connect with the right people, learn from influencers and become a catalyst for change in the world. Learn to leverage the power of social media not only to gain from but to share your story with others. You can improve yourself - through personal growth, advance your career and inspire others to be their best self. 

Connect with me:

Twitter: @NCLengineer

Instagram: @NCLengineer

• Declutter your life - we have so many things to do and so much coming at us in our lives that we lose focus on ourselves. Decluttering your life is a way to bring clarity, focus, and joy back into your life again. 
• Declutter your Mind - figure out what you want and write it down, then prioritise what is most important for you to do. 
• Clear your environment - clearing out your space and things will bring you the energy to do the things you really want to do. 
• Evaluate your Inner Circle (people) - do these people bring you joy, encourage and support you in being the best you? Can you share your goals and ambitions as you grow as a person? These are some of the questions we should ask ourselves as we look at the people who we spend the most time with. 

Cut out the bad and keep only the good, that goes for people and the things in your life that are not bringing you value or joy.

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By working on improving yourself, your habits and choosing your company wisely you can not only survive but thrive!

Natalie-Claire x