Millennials: Insubordinate & Lazy?

ThinDifference.com

Sure, we may question authority, appear lazy, and lack a consistent paycheck each month. However, I can assure you that we - the Millennial generation - possess next to limitless potential and raw ability, regardless of what previous generations have to say on the matter.

Over Educated and Under Valued

It goes without saying that Millennials are the rookies in the workforce today. At the other end of the spectrum are the Gen X'ers and Baby Boomers, who currently control the workplace and carry the most say in the new hire process. Now I'm in no way pointing fingers here, but why are 16.3% of Millennials unemployed (Generation Opportunity) when we are by far the most educated generation in recorded history?

The following figures don't make a whole lot of sense and are rather disheartening...

Source: http://shirt.woot.com

Millennials
Average Salary: $44k
63% have a Bachelors Degree

Generation X
Average Salary: $64k
48% have a Bachelors Degree

Baby Boomers
Average Salary: $70k
44% have a Bachelors Degree
(PayScale)

We have the Best Intentions

Contrary to popular belief, Millennials are among the most caring and responsible people in society today. 

• 81% of Millennials have donated money, goods, or services (Walden University and Harris Interactive)
• 45% believe a decent paying job is a “privilege” (Telefonica) 

Closing Thoughts

My generation - the Millennials - defines our existence through our desire to learn, our sense of accountability as global citizens, and our overall gritty personalities. Yet, it seems that we have become stuck and unable to advance in the world. Regardless of your generation affiliation, what do you think Millennials need to do in order to "make it" in the world today?

Discovering and understanding your lifelong passion(s)

First and foremost, Matthew McConaughey is a fellow brother of Delta Tau Delta, so it goes without saying that he's a pretty awesome guy. However, his overall awesomeness goes well beyond his status as a Delt and his roles in Dazed and Confused (1993) and The Wolf on Wall Street (2013).

In his conversation with the University of Texas football team, which turned into a quasi-preach part way through, McConaughey brings up a stellar question about our purpose in life, as well as how we perceive and understand what we value in both the short-term and long-term. The question that McConaughey asks the Longhorns football team is this:

Why we do what we do?

In his conversation with the University of Texas football team, which turned into a quasi-preach part way through, McConaughey brings up a stellar question about our purpose in life, as well as how we perceive and understand what we value in both the short-term and long-term. The question that McConaughey asks the Longhorns football team is this:

Why we do what we do?

I frequently ask myself this very question. Sometimes I ask it without even knowing that I'm asking it. Yes, it's become the opposite of metacognition...chew on that one for a bit! Regardless, this is a superb question to keep in mind because no matter what you do, or how you spend your time, it is vital that you not only do so with a purpose, but that you enjoy what you do with your life.

McConaughey makes 2 clear points during his chat with the Longhorns that really stuck with me:

1. In order to achieve your best work, you must push yourself beyond your comfort zone.
2. No matter what you find yourself doing in life, you have to go about your business simply because you want to, not because you want to please someone else.

I've come to understand through my brief post-graduate life that the last thing I want to find myself doing is something that I do not enjoy. More importantly, I strive to always do things that I genuinely enjoy and avoid tasks that are only appealing because my involvement may influence how others perceive me as a human being and young professional.

Like all good things, there is no magic pill that will help you find your passion in life. These sort of things take quite a bit of time, so do not fret or freak out if you stumble a few times. In fact, I'm in the midst of a soft stumble in life right now. Marc Hanna, McConaughey's character in "The Wolf on Wall Street", sums up my approach to discovering my passion in life: "It's his first day on Wall Street. Give him time." 

Lastly, don't forget to have a good time and make sure to hum before you go into any potentially nerve wracking situation!

Lifelong Lessons & the 4-C's

A few weeks back I wrote about my experience at Camp Daggett and how the day-to-day happenings are right with opportunities to engage with the 4-C’s. Upon further reflection about my experience and the overall theme, I found that there are numerous moments and experiences from my childhood where I developed, refined, and progressed towards achieving mastery in the art of the 4-C’s. Due to the vast number of instances and memories I had in a short period, I thought that this might serve as an interesting theme that I could return to on a semi-regular basis.

Now while I have a large number of memories and experiences stashed away that I plan to write about in the future, it would be awesome to have a bit of reader input and commentary. So please, comment at will!

Summer Camp & the 4-C's (Part 4)

Meals

Every meal at camp is not only filling, but each also presents a wealth of opportunities for the campers to refine their understanding and practice of the 4-C’s. Just about every camper is constantly hungry while at camp since they constantly on the move. However, it is necessary for the campers to communicate with each other so that the serving plates make their way to both ends of the table.

On the chance that there is a less than desirable main dish, campers have the choice to visit the salad bar. While this may seem simple to some degree, campers need to think critically to determine when to make their way to the salad bar and they need to get creative if they find limited options. Once everyone has had their fill, the entire table must work together and collaborate in order to clear and clean the table.

Campfire Games

The small amount of time set aside for the campers to get away from the everyday hustle and bustle of the real-world climaxes when each cabin parts way with the main camp and ventures out into the woods for their overnight. I could easily spend an exorbitant amount of time rambling on about the benefits of simply existing as one with the wilderness.

However, I will focus on one part of the campout experience that really struck a chord with me. The seemingly mindless games that the campers play around the campfire, whether before, during, or after dinner, are overflowing with opportunities to refine their understanding of the 4-C’s. 

These games are rather simple, but they are more than capable of capturing and retaining the camper’s attention for hours on end, or until the majority of the group figures out the key to each game.

There is probably a plethora of name variations for the games that I led around the campfire with my campers, but that does not alter the overall value of each game, nor does it influence the skills necessary to achieve victory. First, every campfire game that we played is extremely creative in nature, whereas most of the games today that students occupy themselves with today are bland and to the point. These games genuinely force the campers to think beyond the standard limitations in order to decipher the key to each game. In addition to the high value placed on creativity, these games have few limitations regarding how to play and the only concrete rule is that you cannot verbally convey the trick to your peers once you figure it out. This aspect of the games require the campers to approach the task at hand from multiple vantage points and think critically in order to unravel the often simple code. Once a few of the campers have deciphered the mysteries of the task at hand, it is vital that they work together to help their peers follow in their footsteps, yet also steer clear of verbally conveying the logic of the game to those still working to figure it out.

Closing Thoughts

The presence of the 4-C’s at summer camp may still come as a shock, or maybe even appear as a desperate reach. Regardless of any preconceived notions that you may have, I can assure you that setting aside one week each summer to attend a well-run summer camp is well within reason due to the vast number of opportunities available for campers to hone and refine their mastery of the 4-C’s each day. 

Furthermore, unlike traditional academic settings, such as the likes of an average classroom, the summer camp atmosphere, and its ethos, provides a much more welcoming and comfortable environment for students. Although there is nothing wrong with having a teacher present the benefits of the 4-C’s and discuss different ways to develop these skills in a static setting, I prefer to think that the more hands-on, albeit casual approach under the guidance of a counselor is far more effective and meaningful. 

All in all, I feel that educators who spend their summer months amidst the hustle and bustle of a summer camp are a valuable resource when it comes to developing ways to implement the 4-C’s into today’s curriculum. Lastly, there is a lot to take away from witnessing the simple beauty surrounding young minds as they run rampant in a carefree environment, which only a few have the pleasure of experiencing—this small slice of bliss is a little something called Camp.

Summer Camp & the 4-C's (Part 3)

Everyday Examples

The following is an assortment of activities that campers (and counselors!) take part in on a regular basis. Although these activities may first appear as purely recreational—or possibly even monotonous to an extent—each possesses a wealth of potential in regards to the development and mastery of the 4-C’s.

Cabin Clean Up

Every morning following breakfast, the campers return to their respective cabins and tidy up their quarters. In order to clean the cabin properly, the campers need to engage in two of the 4-C’s—communication and collaboration. It is vital that the campers communicate with one another in order to determine who is responsible for the various tasks that the group needs to complete. Once everyone knows what their specific task is for the morning clean up, the entire cabin needs to work as one unit, or collaborate, so as to complete a task with a partner or possibly avoid impeding the progress of another task. The shift from engaging in effective communication to seamless collaboration that is present in the daily cabin clean up routine is similar in many ways to other group tasks such as group projects, competitions, or performances. Regardless of the location or setting, the shift from communication to collaboration is most always present, whether it is in a classroom, on a sports field, or on a stage.

Upon cleaning the cabin, the campers typically create a “kiss up.” which is a brief skit that is meant to curry favor with the cabin inspector. Kiss up’s can vary from transforming the cabin into a haunted house, a zoo, throw a dance party, or just about anything else that will impress the inspector. However, in order to have a successful kiss up the campers need to engage in critical thinking and be creative. It is important to take into account the likes and dislikes of whoever is going to inspect their cabin that day, so that the inspector not only enjoys the gesture of kindness, but also leaves the cabin with a positive impression that outlasts the impact made by the other cabins.

Cabin Kiss Up

Upon cleaning the cabin, the campers typically create a “kiss up.” which is a brief skit that is meant to curry favor with the cabin inspector. Kiss up’s can vary from transforming the cabin into a haunted house, a zoo, throw a dance party, or just about anything else that will impress the inspector. However, in order to have a successful kiss up the campers need to engage in critical thinking and be creative. It is important to take into account the likes and dislikes of whoever is going to inspect their cabin that day, so that the inspector not only enjoys the gesture of kindness, but also leaves the cabin with a positive impression that outlasts the impact made by the other cabins.

Read the final installment of

"Summer Camp & the 4-C's"

Summer Camp & the 4-C's (Part 2)

Why Camp is a Worthwhile Experience

This may come as surprise to some degree, but summer camp is not all about fun and games. No matter how much you may want to disagree, the events that take place on a daily basis at a summer camp are rich with opportunities for children to engage with the 4-C’s in a casual manner. This summer, I enjoyed the beauty of Walloon Lake in northern Michigan where I worked as a counselor at Camp Daggett—a small non-profit, co-ed overnight camp. Towards the end of the season, I experienced a small epiphany when I realized that the campers spend an exorbitant amount of time each day engaging with the 4-C’s in nearly every facet of their summer camp experience. The presence of the 4-C’s throughout the summer camp experience is quite impressive on its own. However, the real treasure lies in the fact that the campers are essentially unaware of the fact that they are frequently interacting with the 4-C’s.

Read about the specific examples in 

Part 3 of "Summer Camp & the 4-C's"

Going Beyond the X's & O's

During the twelve years that I have duked it out on the lacrosse field, I had the pleasure of learning from a variety of coaches, some were utterly amazing and others were well...let's just say that there was room for improvement. Some of my most memorable coaches epitomize the image of "the blind leading the blind", such that our final record was well under .500, but the overall season was a positive experience and the vast majority of the team grew tremendously. These two traits are hallmarks of successful coaching, because in the end it doesn't matter what the scoreboard reads, but rather how each player compares to where they were at the start of the game, season, or even their entire career.

Penn State's head coach, Coach Jeff Tambroni, reiterates this concept when he explains the philosophy at Penn State. One of the major goals is to ensure that the group of individuals at the start of the season come together as a family by the time the final horn sounds. Further more, the essence of Tambroni's chat peaks when he highlights that it's more than just "X's and O's coaching" since the experience on the field is only temporary, yet the impact and effect of the lessons learned while on the field will last a lifetime.