The Sheltered Generation

Generation Y. Generation Next. Millenials.  These are the terms applied to the generation born between the ‘70s and the late ‘90s – the generation most GBHS students fall into.
   There have been multiple studies done and they’ve drawn many conclusions about the generation. One such conclusion is that the generation is the most sheltered generation in history.
   I strongly disagree.

   Growing up my mother told me all sorts of stories about her childhood. Every one of her stories seemed to revolve around her having some adventure.
   She’d wake up early in the morning, grab her little brother, and the two of them would head out, not to be seen again until late into the evening.
   In one story, she hopped on a train and headed to San Francisco, where she spent the whole day without anyone by her side.
   The story seemed unbelievable to me. At that age, I couldn’t even fathom going to the mall without a gaggle of girls with me, much less run off to the big, unknown city.
   Similarly, I couldn’t imagine disappearing all day with my friends, playing in open fields or riding my bike around town by myself.
   I couldn’t even walk to my friend’s house around the corner without calling my parents as soon as I got there.
   The truth is, I was sheltered from those kinds of things. And so was most of my generation, if the studies are to be believed.
   But does that mean my generation is truly sheltered?
   Sure I don’t disappear on the weekends. But that doesn’t mean I’m entirely sheltered or that the rest of my generation is sheltered.
   Every Sunday night I attend a youth group at my church for high school students. At the end of the night when we go to do our closing prayers, we all offer up intentions.
   While I was standing there, I watched teens step forward with their intentions. They offered prayers for family friends with cancer, rape victims, friends who’d committed or attempted to commit suicide, teens killed in car crashes and a whole host of other tragic stories.
   As I watched I couldn’t help but ask myself, this is really the most sheltered generation in history?
   These teens are no older than I and yet the problems they are dealing with are massive.  They are the kind of issues you see in movies, not in real life. And yet they’re actually happening to people so young.
   Maybe the generation has had stricter rules, curfews and safety measures implemented on them, but that doesn’t mean they are more sheltered than the generations before them.
   They’re growing up in a world where going for a run in the evening can lead to being raped and murdered. A world where gang wars are a reality. A world where you have to be on guard at all times.
   Does that really sound like the most sheltered generation?
    I think not.

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Jessica Reese, a sophomore, is a Gazette sports editor.