By: Bernadette Negron-Taylor
OwlFeed Journalist

When the word teen comes to someone’s mind, the first thought is social media or drama. 

Young adults are undermined. Teenagers’ and young adults’ actions should be taken seriously because they are the future and what happens now affects them later.

“The fast pace of life today and the internet’s influence on how fast we believe everyone else’s lives are moving can bring on a similar sense of urgency far earlier,” said Anna Medaris Miller, US News reporter.

The way social media has affected the younger generation is big. It gives different views and changes the way we think of things and how other people’s lives can affect each other.

As children, we are given this great outlook on life by adults. As people grow, they come to realize that is not how life really is and it is a lot harder.

How does your outlook change from when you’re younger to now? “I would say it has changed because I underestimated the amount of responsibility… and things that come along with it, but I think also you change about many things, future plans, but overall it’s pretty great to have autonomy over my own stuff,” said Maia Hill, a senior college student at ASU.

When given false hope about the future, it can cause too much confusion and trouble for younger people in their lives early on.

Are younger generations undermined? “Yes, I would say, not just what our options are, but are capabilities, work ethic, intelligence and our drive for change,” Maia Hill said.

As young adults, many believe they are put to the test when they have what it takes to do great things. If given more changes younger people most likely would not fight as much as they do for a place at the table, because many of them know what they want and are willing to fight for what they believe.

If given the chance what would/could the younger generations do? “I think for the environment overall if everyone decided to do one thing that would help, like taking public transportation more often, carpooling, recycling, getting a hybrid. Anything that everyone can do within their budget. I would say if I could get every person on this planet to do that, then I would,” Maia Hill said. 

If the older generations did not look down on the younger generations so much it would be much easier for a bigger chance of change in their future.