Our generation has been called a lot of things over the years, and not all of them have been particularly flattering. But I think we can all agree that we are the generation that thrives on technology. They call us the “thumb generation” because we’re always texting or typing, and that’s not really something we can argue with. We are the age of the internet, the cell phone, and the iPad. We are the age of all things digital.

Just think of all the technological developments that there have been since our parents were college seniors. For one thing, if you were a college girl when you mom was a college girl you wouldn’t be reading a blog. You wouldn’t even know what a blog is. You wouldn’t even have cordless phones, never mind a cell phone, AND you’d be using a typewriter to write your final papers. And none of it would have seemed the least bit weird to you. But it seems weird to us. But you know what, all the stuff that we do now may eventually seem outdated to our children some day.

Like what, you say? Why I’m so glad you asked…

I am the perfect product of a 20-something generation.  I am 23 years old, I’ve graduated college, I’m single and I live at home with my parentals (wow, typing it in a sentence just made me realize how pathetic it all sounds).   I’m doing a bit of freelance blogging and slowly looking for jobs (by slowly I mean sifting through jobs that don’t give me a heartbeat and leaving my energy for the ones I truly love).  Living the dream can be a slow and patient process, but I have the drive to let the dreams settle in.  I want to find that perfect job.  I want to do something I love and as long as it’s going to take me – I am willing to let it ride.

And according to a recent New York Times post, that makes me (and the rest of us) lazy and immature.

The article states (in a rather condescending way, I might add) that it is taking longer than every for 20-somethings nowadays to grow up.  They claim a confident march towards adulthood is rare these days and getting there is happening later then ever: “Kids don’t shuffle along in unison to the road of maturity, they slouch toward adulthood at an uneven, highly individual pace.” Woah. 20-somethings can still read, you know.

The article continued with support from sociologists saying this gap change in generations is called, “the changing timetable for adulthood.”  They claim the transformation to adulthood is: completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child.  Wait, does that mean I’m 23 and not an adult (assuming I’m living at home, financially dependent not married and with child)?  Besides making me feel like an ultimate failure, I think it is totally wrong (or maybe that’s just my 20-somethingness talking).  Although it might look like I’m living the same life I was at age 5, I have an education and a future. I have a plan. I am making my way towards the milestones that qulify me as an “adult.”

I am not lazy, immature or shirking my responsibilities.

Contrary to what sociologists might say, our generation is growing up. The world has changed since our parents hopped on the path to adulthood, especially the economy.  With a faltering job market, it’s increasingly difficult for 20-somethings nowadays to jump out of college and find a job.  Also, since it’s the norm to go to college now, the competition is more concentrated.  Back in the ’70s people that went to college really stuck out.  Now to stick out, we have to go to deeper extremes – like getting our masters. Which takes longer.

In addition, we have different goals than the generations before us. We grew up hearing we could be whatever we wanted to be and that we should never settle. Unlike the jobs our parents took – the ones that offered a good salary and benefits for their new families – we aren’t looking for just any job- we are looking for jobs that make us happy, fulfilled. And that takes a little longer.

Does that mean we’re less “grown up”?
Absolutely not.

The term growing up has changed.  Previous generations may have endured more difficulties in making money for their children or not being given the solid opportunity to dream big, but we 20-somethings have that opportunity now. My parents have always told me to, ‘follow my heart.’  Even if that means pursuing a job that is unconventional. And living at home with them does not mean I’m not growing up. Not getting married or having kids by the time I’m 25 does not mean I’m not growing up.

It means I’m taking the time to be pragmatic and figure out exactly how I want to spend the rest of my adult life.

And I don’t know about you, but that seems very grown up to me.

Do I sound bitter?  That’s because I am.  As a recent graduate, I’m experiencing a lot of what my elders are talking about.  Yes, I’m unemployed.  Yes, I’m an intern.  And yes, I will be paying off my student loans for the next thousand years.  But, unlike Mom and Dad, I’m not writing my generation off just yet.  Here’s why:

We’re pretty freakin’ smart. In numbers exponentially greater than previous generations, we’re earning college degrees and seeking even higher education.  Add the fact that we’re tech-savvy and hip to social networking and you might just say our generation revolutionized the way humans interact.  Next time you catch your mom getting her Facebook fix, tell her Mark Zuckerberg was just 20 when he launched the site from his dorm room in 2004.

We’re ballsy. I believe the term “disrespectful” has been tossed around quite a bit in regard to the spawn of the Baby Boomers.  Now, I’m not about to defend Kanye’s stage manners (and lack thereof) or the oft-terrifying rap stylings of Eminem, but I will say that young people today know what they want and aren’t afraid to be outspoken about it.  We engage politicians, confront campus officials, and know how to protest like it was Vietnam all over again.

We give back. In a move that was practically insisted upon by our parents, high schools the nation over require students to complete community service hours.  Thing is, even after we graduate from the minor leagues, we continue helping out in college and beyond.  Building houses, rescuing stray animals, cleaning up natural disasters- we’re there representing in huge numbers.

We’re hopeful. Don’t let anyone tell you this is a minor point.  The fact that we can be the target of so much scrutiny and stereotyping while still sticking it out in this terrible economy speaks volumes.  I don’t care if I sound like a motivational speaker; it’s important to stay positive and keep looking for a job/working hard at your job even when there’s someone telling you you’re lazy and over privileged.  I think we’re doing just fine.

Jobless and in debt, grads turn to stripping.

Just another reason Gen Y (that’s us!) is screwed.

Caroline Giuliani: Why do rich people shoplift?

Apparently 911 is not a cab service….

Uh, Brett Favre is a dirty old dude.

A sex ed video game – good or bad idea?

Snooze-fest.

Do you remember the good ol’ days freshman year? Sitting nervously in front of your laptop on a Sunday morning, awaiting the moment your friends would post the infamous pictures from the weekend? Then, it happens. At around noon, after a long breakfast spent reminiscing in the cafeteria Facebook explodes with album after album of weekend adventures. You spend hours laughing at your screen with your roommates: Who is that rando taking shots with us? You did a keg stand this weekend? Oh, so that’s where we got the blow-up doll!

Back in the day, Sunday mornings (or the entire day…) were dedicated to reflecting on the moments captured from the night before via Facebook. I know I used to love those days, when you found out you weren’t the only one running around campus having a good time….er….looking like a hot mess.

But fast forward three years when everyone and their your mother is watching what you decide to post on Facebook. You can’t just post everything you want anymore with reckless abandon; you’ve got your future to think about, and the judgment of your entire extended family (who are all now your FB friends), and the fact that Facebook is changing their privacy settings so often, you have no idea who can see your latest drunken exploits. So you start thinking before you post, de-tagging unflattering (from a professional perspective) photos, and deleting anything remotely inappropriate (“Let’s get crunk tonight!”)  from your Wall.

And everyone else is doing the same. A recent study at the University of California Berkeley found that young adults are becoming way more private than they were five years ago. A once tell-all generation is becoming more and more weary about what they’re posting, unsure of how publishing their personal lives in a public space will affect them and their futures. Which explains all of those recently hidden tagged pictures, absent funny drunken wall-posts, and lack o’ profile pictures of dudes wearing mesh green thongs…

Basically, all the good stuff. The reason I have a Facebook profile in the first place.
The stuff that I look forward to when I turn on my computer every Sunday morning.

While I understand it is way smarter to be a little hush-hush about your extracurricular drinking activities in public to land that perfect job and protect yourself from severe embarrassment, I’m a little disappointed.  Everyone’s new-found (super incognito) Facebook life is just not so great for the rest of us, bored in class with nothing to preoccupy us! I want the entertainment value! I want looking at new photo albums to be fun again! I want to point and laugh and snort!

Yes, we’re all going to grow up someday, but tell me – can’t grown ups still go to theme parties and post pictures for everyone to enjoy?

This week I was perusing USA Today (trying to find the crossword puzzle) and stumbled upon an article that struck me as, frankly, a bit terrifying. The article screamed HUGE DEBT, NO SAVINGS in my face, warning all of us in “Gen-Y” (that group of seventeen – twenty-somethings) that we’re the only generation unlikely to out-succeed our parents financially. Harrowing stuff, especially since we seem to be in a generation of “buy now, pay later.” And when we do buy,  we want the newest and shiniest and don’t settle for less than designer brands…. Not exactly recession-friendly behavior.

The article had me thinking about my own spending habits and the habits of my peers. I certainly have gotten my act together over the past year but still struggle with the little things. I write checks and forget about them until they hit my account. I have days where I spend ten dollars on Starbucks. And then other days when I spend $20. I went through a period where I didn’t pay off my credit card balance every month (never. again.). We all struggle with the economy and our own personal finances. Here are the top 10 ways to be a savvy spender and super recessionista.

10. Keep track of your spending.
Do you know how much you spent all day yesterday, to the dime? Well, you should. Keeping on top of every little expense can save you cash in the future and keep you mindful of where your cashflow is going.

9. If you can’t indulge, don’t indulge.
I’m not saying to give up every indulgence, but if you’re about to spend $200 on a dress that you don’t have, then either wait for it to go on sale or just walk away. The dress will always be there, so wait til the cash is.

8. PAY IT OFF.
If my dad is reading this right now, he’s falling out of his office chair laughing hysterically. It took me a year to pay off my credit card balance and you know what? The only way I could do it was to mail my credit card home and never, ever have it on hand. I’m sure there are people out there who can manage their money and understand that when you receive a credit card bill, you must pay it off every month. I was not one of those people. Fees, charges and overdrafts all affect your credit score and your finances. If you can’t handle it, don’t have it. If you can, pay it off every. single. month.

7. Write down your debt in a place you’ll see it
Paint it on your wall. Write it on your fridge. If you owe 50k in student loans, THINK ABOUT IT every time you spend money. Sure, buying shots for all your friends might seem like a great idea at the time, but that seventy dollars could be going to your loan payments. Do you really want to worry about student loans when you’re ready to take out a mortgage on a house?

6. Cut back on the frills
I love caramel frappucinos, fancy make-up and high-end jeans. But, if I skip the Starbucks and hit the office coffee machine, ditch Sephora for CVS and pass up Saks for the Gap, even just for a month, I’ll save over $400 a month. Trust me, no frapp is yummier than that.

5. Plan, plan, plan
Okay, so you want to go on vacation in two months? Plan all your expenses ahead of time. Flight, hotel, bathing suit, meals, drinks, etc. Once you lay out a budget and know how much you need to set aside, it will keep you saving.

4. Get by with a little help from your friends
Plan free or cheap activities with your girl friends. Spa day at home, baking and picnicking are huge budget boosters over salon mani/pedis, high end cupcakes or fancy dinners.

3. Take advantage of your Tech-savvy
Right, Gen-Y is terrible at saving money. We’re the generation that live in a recession and have more debt than any other generations. Blah. Blah. Blah. We get it. But, what’s that one perk that we have? We’re so tech-savvy. From twitter to iPhones, we know how to work the techy angles. So embrace it. Download finance managing apps for your phone or sign up for Mint.com to see where your money’s going. Be smart and savvy and use the tools available to help!

2. Think of the big picture
If you’re still in school you don’t feel the weight of your loans right now. Even if you don’t have loans, great, but you’re about to have a whole mess of new expenses coming your way. If you plan on ever buying a house, leasing an apartment or buying a car, save now and save often. You never know when life’s going to throw you a curveball and if you don’t have that financial cushion, things can get pretty ugly, fast.

1. Don’t stress.
Yes, thinking about finances sucks. I can’t think of anything that gives me more anxiety (not even the thought of putting on a bikini in less than a month). But don’t let all the statistics terrify you. Just take a deep breath, evaluate your spending (past and present), then plan for your future. Pretty soon you’ll be ballin with a big house and five cars before you know it. Just don’t put it on a credit card!

As a generation of Facebookers, Twitterers, bloggers, BBMers, iPhone-ers, GPS users, and so on and so on, we are often viewed by the older I-went-to-the-library-to-do-research generation as lazy and dependent.  We have the world at our fingertips and we don’t have to use our brains for virtually anything, or so they claim.

Yes, we can access Google at any moment, and no we do not need White Out to correct our papers, but to the contrary, it is our 24/7 connection that makes us anything but lazy when it comes to fighting for what we believe in.

Take for example, the heated debate of gay marriage.  While an older generation calls the shots in Congress, in most states, it is still illegal.  According to a study by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, 65 percent of college freshman surveyed were in favor of gay marriage.  The findings revealed that even a large majority of students classified as far-right were also supporters.

With such a large percentage of college students in favor of gay marriage, there is an obvious disconnect between this generation and the older generation who make decisions on our country’s behalf.  Many influential people of the older generation are still taking action to deter gay rights.  Even some school system officials can be categorized this way.  Just last week, a lesbian high school senior was denied permission to bring her girlfriend to her prom.  Because of our networking capabilities, through Facebook, YouTube, blogs (including this one) etc, the news spread like wildfire.  The incident stirred uproar amongst our generation and discussion of outrage was consumed through every outlet.  Although an unfortunate event, perhaps it is appalling decisions like these that motivate our generation to stay open-minded and fight to make a change.  If it weren’t for our Internet dependency that may classify us as “lazy,” we would also be blind to incidents such as this one and consequently just as closed minded as those who dictate the fate of our country today.

It is refreshing to observe the findings of this study and to know that change is on its way.  With so much hate still circulating in the World, news like this gives us hope that our generation has potential to make massive strides towards the good of mankind.  Researchers found the results so highly in favor of gay marriage, they deemed the future legality of it practically inevitable.  Yes, we have officially re-written the question from “if” to “when.”

So what do you think? Is gay marriage inevitable?

81% said: to get rich.

51% said: to be famous.

I don’t know about you guys, but this makes me squirm in my seat just a tad.

Sure, it’s understandable that a large number of people want to have a fat wallet and their face plastered all over newspapers. Actually it’s a little too obvious. Our generation certainly boasts an embarrassingly high number of public figures with absolutely zero talent or reason for being there. Just think about it, some of the most famous celebrities are reality stars who got famous for being normal people on national TV and occasionally throwing in a fist fight, indulging a cocktail binge or going through an incredibly messy divorce to spice things up.

With these figures being glorified by our society, of course there are going to be those who want to follow in their footsteps and get their 15 minutes. But aren’t these numbers a tad bit high? The main goal of 81% of college students is to be rich?! What about being happy? Having a family? Improving the world in some way?

Are we just lazy? Is that why the life of the rich and famous looks so appealing? Or do people actually consider “famous” an appropriate fill in for the blank next to “occupation”?

I’d like to hope (it’s actually more like I’m praying for the sake of humanity) that there are people out there who want to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers and journalists, not because of the money and recognition that comes with it, but because of the impact you can have on society.

We can all honestly admit that fame would be nice for a couple of days (being chauffeured around, cutting the lines at clubs and events, having people scream your name…), but the thought of our generation becoming a bunch of Paris’ and Lindsay’s is ridiculously frightening.

What do you guys think? Is being rich your top priority in life? Would you choose fame over a career you enjoy?

On top of all of that, she’s only 21 and still a student at Northeastern, studying Spanish, Management Information Systems and Finance, currently on internship in NYC doing data analysis for a mega media company. Not to mention, she’s sassy, hilarious and can we say: Coolest. Hair. Ever. When I discovered this girl, I knew I had to bag an interview, so I contacted her via YouTube to grab her attention (don’t laugh). It worked and we quickly began collaborating on this interview, on top of a few other projects in the works. Sarah Merion is an inspiration for college girls who want to be entrepreneurs while still in school and proof that maybe, just maybe, the finance world isn’t as screwed as we thought.

5 Questions We Ask Everyone:

1. What is your most ridiculous college memory/most trouble you’ve ever gotten into?
Haha, no comment. Definitely did not involve me dancing on a bar. Hoo boy.

2. What are five things you can’t live without?
1. MAC foundation.
2. iPhone! Hello Tweetdeck, I love you.
3. Pink and black Herve bag. I seriously carry it EVERY. WHERE.
4. Hanky Panky underwear
5. Classic cherry chapstick. Wait, no! Friends! The TV show. Oh also, vanilla Yoplait light yogurt. And Kashi GoLean. Kashi GoLean Crunch. Grande non fat cappuccino with one Splenda. Shoot, that’s more than five, isn’t it?

3. What’s your motto/advice you live by?
Break the rules.

4. What is your favorite song to belt out at the bar/in the car/for karaoke?
“Take Me Home Tonight” by Eddie Money in the bar, but I’m not gonna lie, once, I rolled the windows up to my car I sang every word to the entire Celine Dion CD. Yes. I know every. Single. Word.

5. Ten years from now you will be….
Skinny. Rich. Married. Kidding! No, I’ll be really fit, not skinny. Kidding aside, I’ll own my own business. Either be a solopreneur or some sort of entrepreneur starting many different companies. I’ll be active in many different philanthropies and I’ll continue spreading my message about social media and inspiring Gen Y.

5 Questions just for Sarah Merion

1. Your motto is “Break the rules.” Now, does that mean break the social norms and go out on a Monday night when you have a final tomorrow or…?
My motto is “Break the rules” because when you break the rules or step outside the mediocre, then you create your own game. No one can beat you when you create your own path. Do something that scares you, make yourself totally uncomfortable. Life doesn’t have to be about the “norms” and staying on path. You will always succeed when you push yourself to go against the grain.

Now, I’m not saying go out and break the law, skip class and be a bum. What I’m saying is, challenge yourself, push boundaries and do something that people might look unfavorably upon. No one ever got noticed by doing what everyone else did. Even though blood and needles terrify me, one day I stopped and thought “Hey, I could be a surgeon” and I seriously thought about it. I realized it wasn’t my calling, but I wanted to because I COULD.

2. You talk about Gen-Y a bunch.What the heck is Gen-Y and what’s their deal?
Gen-Y is our generation, that age range from about 10-25. We are the internet babies in a way. Our biggest problem is that we have big goals and aspirations, but we don’t act nearly enough on it. We’ve been spoiled by the internet and technology and instead of harnessing it for our good, we’ve been expecting instant gratification. They talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.

Gen-Y needs to step it up, break the rules and work hard. We’re in a rough time right now and people have been saying that we won’t be as successful as our parents. That’s a really scary thought. But, we can fix it! Gen-Y can take full advantage of all our opportunities and create their own lifestyle, instead of simply expecting it.

3. How did you get into all of this? What were the obstacles? Did all those super serial Finance major peers think you were nuts?
Honestly, I was just bored one day. I was in school, not working and I just got the itch to do something. I found this guy @LewisHowes on Twitter and he really turned me onto Social Media, we connected and before I knew it I was his assistant. I wasn’t getting paid, but I was getting a ton out of it. He was mentoring me and I began building a network on Twitter. My parents, peers and classmates were appalled. They couldn’t believe I would just work for free.

I started living by “break the rules.” I’d always been very organized and planned everything and all of a sudden I found myself just jumping into the social media world, going against the grain and standards of the “typical” finance student.

At the time, I was in a very competitive program at Northeastern for International Business. This program requires you to both go abroad and study in a foreign language for a semester on top of a six month internship in that company. It’s widely renowned and I was mere months away from going when I started getting into this social media world. I started doing workshops at Northeastern and MIT and eventually wrote the grant to go to SOBCon. After the conference, it was settled. I knew I had to drop out of the IB program and focus my energy on what I was succeeding in. I never regretted my decision to completely switch paths and my successes have proved that it was the right choice.

4. We recently wrote an article about “Facebook bullying.” Since you are such a prominent figure in social media, and also a college girl, what advice would you have for girls about getting attacked through social media (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, AIM, etc…)?
Not to be a mom, but just ignore it. Don’t engage in the behavior. The other person looks like they’re just talking to themselves. Or, just write an article about it that a ton of people read. Look who’ll be laughing then!

5. You’ve made your professional name through Twitter, LinkedIn and your site. We like to tweet and blog about boys, booze and bathing suits. Are we totally screwed down the line in our professional careers?
Honestly, I started out writing a really racy “Sex & The City”esque blog before I realized how I wanted to make my name. I took it down because I really believe if you don’t want something you write to be on the front page of the paper, then don’t write it at all. I decided to focus on a different area and leave the racy stuff offline.

But no, if you do it the right way, you won’t be screwed. You just need to step back and assess your goals. If you want to be a corporate lawyer, maybe you shouldn’t write about your sexcapades. However, you can be a professional woman and if you’re creative and savvy about it, you can create your own niche and write about whatever you want. Just OWN it.

Thanks Sarah! We’ll keep on blogging about lip gloss then… in a fierce and professional way, of course! Sarah will be attending CollegeCandy’s Cocktail Hour in NYC! Come stop by and say hello!

Melanie currently interning in NYC, taking full advantage of all margarita specials and those blonde summer boys. Stalk her on Twitter: @tinkermellie

Sometimes you see/read the craziest things on the internet (two girls, one cup…) that can make you laugh hysterically or get really angry (or – in the case of two girls, one cup – make you hurl).  Today I read something that made me do both.  A blogger on thedailybeast.com scribbled a little article about our generation and the increase in narcissism.  Not only did the article indicate that most of us are narcissistic sluts, but it also said that our “I can do and have anything I want” attitude is preventing us from focusing on close, emotional relationships.

Wait, what?

I don’t know about you… wait, yes I do. We’ve all been force-fed the idea our entire lives that we need to focus on ourselves and build a strong character so we can be independent enough to survive. We’ve been taught since birth that if we want something we need to do whatever we can to get it for ourselves.  How is going after what we want and expecting the best lives for ourselves suddenly narcissistic?!

Is it wrong to like myself and want to do things just for me before I settle down to have one of those close, emotional relationships? Or to, I don’t know, look for my perfect mate? No, I think not.

I’ll admit that some of the examples of narcissism in our generation cited in the article are genuinely crazy: you’d have to be clinically insane to hire paparazzi to follow you around for the weekend (and besides, aren’t they busy with Brangelina?) or get a professional photographer to take your Facebook photo (if you do this, you are lame).  But that’s not the norm.

And, sure, Twittering what you had for lunch or thinking that you could be the next Chelsea Handler may be a little more narcissistic than people of the past, but so what! If you can’t love yourself, who will?  The consensus is that you have to love yourself before you can love someone else (thank you, Dr. Phil, Oprah, Tyra, etc.) and I guess we’re just better at that than previous generations.  The ability to love and focus on oneself should not be a scapegoat for our apparent lack of traditional relationships, as the article has made it out to be:

…a few unreturned booty texts and some one-night stands might be the least of the collateral damage wrought by the narcissism epidemic. Narcissists are myopically focused on how they appear to the world. Translated into the realm of romantic relationships, the message comes across as: I’m great, and you’d better be, too.

I’d rather be a narcissist with a good job and a great sex life than a pushover in a dead-end relationship who can’t stand on her own two feet (not like those are the only choices – I’m just saying).

I say screw this article!  I AM awesome and whoever I date better be just as awesome.  No, I’m not completely obsessed with myself and no, my life isn’t perfect.  I just want to be an independent, strong single lady with a positive attitude.  We have the world at our feet, why not try to grab up as much of it as we can?