Talking about my generation

Google “Generation Y”, you’ll soon find reams of content on characteristics, stereotypes and statistics of some variety.

Generation Y equates to more than 70 million in the US. This post, however is not as much about statistics as it is about painting the picture of Generation Y.

Born in ’87, I am today, a proud member of Generation Y.

For nearly as long as I can remember we’ve had a PC in the house, it was our neighbours who had the Macintosh. In those days CD-ROM was king and Microsoft Encarta was the source for my history homework. IT lessons were about macros and mail merges but as soon as school was over it was learning email etiquette and internet security. It was also the days of MSN Messenger; I can attribute my advanced touch typing skills to the pubescent desire to communicate to members of the opposite sex.

I was very lucky to get the Nokia 3210 for Christmas 2000 and friends formed a queue to play snake during lunch break. Since then I have formed a very close bond with every mobile I have ever owned and reflect back on them fondly (Nokia 3210, 7210, 6111, 7333, 5300, HTC Desire z). I have been contactable 24/7 for 11 years. And now more than ever, I am reliant on my phone, it is my map, my music player, my morning newspaper, my watch and even my torch.

Dappling in early social media, I joined Facebook in 2007, as it spread from US colleges to UK universities. Armed with digital cameras, suddenly how one’s life appeared online became paramount.

Leave to simmer for a few more years, stir in a degree, sprinkle with some gap year experiences and hey presto, Generation Y is ready to work!