In my generation, CDs are vintage, GLEE is a TV show (not an emotion), and having 823 “friends” is normal.

My generation is obsessed with facts and has a constant need to be in the know. Hence we live our lives plugged in, with twitter, email, facebook, tumblr, and google never more than an iphone away. 

We use these sites to broadcast our emotions to cyberspace and to become the most creative procrastinators of any generation yet. 

My generation likes to simplify our lives - defining everything as “like” it material or not, and filing people into stereotypes of hipsters, greeks, or jocks. 

The girls of my generation grew up playing with barbies, and along the way to adulthood we never stopped thinking she was the model of a normal body.  We read magazines with stick-thin girls on every page and will take drastic measures, from eating disorders to plastic surgery, to conform our bodies to an unrealistic size, rarely becoming satisfied with our appearance. 

We live in a materialistic society, where we are told that our worth is defined by owning the latest pair of cheetah-print Tory Burch flats or a Coach handbag. 

My generation has grown up in a time of wars and recessions. We face the pressure of dealing with a broken and broke world, the pressure of being expected to succeed in the perfect career, marriage, and life, and the pressure from our peers of being told that hooking up will bring us status, and alcohol will bring us relief. 

One of the most watched TV shows of my generation is “Jersey Shore.” We are surrounded by an abundance of music and shows that objectify women, and then many adopt these stars and artists as role models.

My generation grew up with “Coexist” bumper stickers, and want to be accepting of everyone and their religion as long as it “works for them.” Christians are criticized if they try and share the gospel, because attempting to change a person’s beliefs is seen as robbing them of their personality and character. 

The constant slew of media we consume tells us to buy-this, wear-that, date-him, and then we will be cool. We will be accepted. We will be happy. My generation needs someone to stand up and say “STOP!” Someone to say that whose we are is more important than what we wear. That our beauty is not determined on our jean size but on weather we shine for our Creator.  That no matter how hot our date is, how many friends we have on facebook, or how high of a GPA we have, we will not experience true joy and freedom until we surrender our lives to God.