Limit our limitless opportunities? No way!
How our generation can't let the recession mess up our plans in life.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Some of my answers used to include singer, actress, solicitor, doctor, detective, professor and writer to name just a few. Nothing stood in my way but a bit of determination and obviously some talent, but this could be bought in the form of a class on a Saturday afternoon. The options were endless and like most people my age the thought that someday this wouldn’t be a reality was ridiculous.
When the time to fill in the CAO form came, the only factors to consider were location and interest. Nothing was thought of entering a four-year degree in Theology. I’d figure out what I wanted to be somewhere in the middle I was advised.
That was before the big R landed itself on Irish shores. Young people in my position; 16 in 6th year sitting with a prospectus and form, have a greater challenge than my aimless friends or I. Choices now have to be made in relation to real results and a profitable future. Even my own dreams of a few years travelling, maybe some volunteering and “seeing where things go” seems irresponsible.
As recently as three months ago, I would never have considered teaching English in South Korea as a dream job, but now it’s at the top of the possibilities list because there is money to be made. So how did I turn from a prospective volunteer, not particularly interested in material things into a money-conscious planning machine? Panic is the obvious answer.
Ireland has fallen into the kind of hysteria that is putting pressure on us young people. At 21, I feel that I already should be in a stable job and have saved enough money so that I don’t need a mortgage, just like in the old days. Well I’m not, far from it in fact.
So what is there to do for people who are limited by the R? I have an idea. All of us under the age of 25 should just decide to pretend like it’s not happening. Make our decisions and live our lives the way we would have before the R invasion. Of course, we won’t be irresponsible and run around throwing away our money on second homes in rural France and lawn makeovers. We can learn from those who did things like this. However we are our own generation and shouldn’t be blamed for their mistakes.
For all of us whose plans are being limited we just need to get creative and work around them. We might not be able to have exactly what we want, but we can be known as the generation that learned about compromise and innovation. We can start by being more optimistic.
Me first: what do I want to be when I grow up? A travel writer who teaches business and English in South America, helps in volunteer organisations, and maybe fights crime on the side. I’ll figure out the details when I get there. What about you?
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