Were you born in the ’80s? How about the ’90s? If so, welcome. You are one of the many members of an enormous group known as Generation Y, or the Millennials. We are a bright-eyed wave of young people on the brink of taking over this country and all of its problems. Recently, I began to pick up on the generational stereotypes thrown around by older folks that are aimed at the young people of today. As pleased as our families seem about the outstanding educations we receive at school, I have been sensing some skepticism about our competence and work ethic.’ ‘ We are frequently pegged unfairly by older generations as a bunch of lazy technology rats, too swept up in our own lives. I, for one, am sick of these unfair labels. It’s about time that our youthful contributions to this country be recognized. By contributions, I mean the great work a large number of Generation Y members are doing in organizations, communities and campuses across the country ‘- especially here in Burlington. Generation Y has a huge population of volunteers, bursting with leadership and ambition that deserves to have questions like ‘What’s wrong with kids these days?’ dropped. At UVM, a great deal of students are involved in volunteering for some type of on-campus club or organization. Many choose Alternative Spring Break, where students can tackle current issues such as homelessness or poverty through community service projects, or create a delicious concoction through FeelGood to contribute money to The Hunger Project. Through these groups and more, UVM students don’t ignore the issues. Furthermore, of the many organizations and clubs that specialize in community service, a number of them advertise and operate through websites and social networks like Facebook and Twitter in order to get people involved. As a generation notorious for our investment in the Internet and the latest technology, young Millenials should be recognized for the many ways we use technology to better our communities.’ ‘ Sure, it’s easy for your grandma to mistake your habits and possessions as signs of gluttony and laziness, but our lifestyles are much different from those with which our parents and grandparents were ever familiar. That aside, it is time for a misconception overhaul. Generation Y is more than just a bunch of text-addicted Facebookers ‘- we are a generation of volunteers and forward thinkers.