Dear Editor,
As I was out for an evening walk, I stumbled upon a poor donkey tied to a tree, holding a burden of many sacks labeled differently, such as “Student loans with a never-ending roll of bills,” a stack of medical or law books marked “Be a doctor or lawyer,” a bundle labeled “Get married, have kids” with a wedding cake and a baby carrier, a carton of dial-ups labeled “Explaining Instagram to grandma,” a vanity box labeled “Keeping up with trends,” and a sack of gadgets labeled “Notifications overload with never-ending beeps and buzzes”. The donkey was also holding a sack of prayer rugs with a caption “Trying to squeeze into heaven.”
As I approached the donkey, I saw that it was actually a millennial buckling under the ‘rise and grind’ situation, whose back was laden with an assortment of peculiar burdens. The donkey alone was carrying too many burdens, which made its movements sluggish and drained its energy. The donkey looked up at me with a pleading expression, as if to say, “Can’t someone lighten my load?” I innocently walked away, chuckling at the absurdity of it all. Who knew donkeys would become the ultimate symbol of ‘The Millennial’?
My dear readers, if you’re a millennial too, I bet you’re stuck between “Do what you love” and “Love what you do” because you need the paycheck to pay the never-ending roll of bills. Your student loans are older than your friends, and your social life consists of scrolling through memes or funny reels at 2 AM.
Trust me, millennials, labeled as lazy, aren’t lazy, they’re just carrying a heavy load. They’re on energy-saving mode to save some energy to bear the heavy loads of educational debts, such as tuition fees and student loans. Financial stress due to low-paying jobs, high living costs, and uncertain futures. Social expectations, pressure to conform, marry, have kids, and succeed. Generation gap, bridging the divide between traditional values and modern aspirations.
Despite these challenges, millennials are resilient, adaptable, and innovative. They’re redefining success, prioritizing experiences, and driving social change. Let’s acknowledge their struggles and celebrate their strengths!
Millennials, also known as Generation Y, born between 1981 and 1996, are tech-savvy, socially image-conscious, empathetic, and value-driven. They’re often progressive and more liberal than older generations.
As a millennial myself, I’m writing to shed light on the absurdity of our situation. We’re often referred to as the “Sandwich Generation,” but I propose a different analogy – we are the donkeys. Yes, you read that right! We’re carrying the weight of multiple generations, expectations, and it’s time someone brayed about it. Let’s give ourselves a break, turn off the Wi-Fi, and take responsibility for our own burdens. After all, we wouldn’t want future generations to think we’re just a bunch of donkeys.
Sincerely,
Sadaf Dilawar
Sialkot
[email protected]
