Un’stralian

There are many times, ok most of the time that I hate being categorised as Gen Y. But by being born in 1983, I don’t really have a say in it. Being Australian on the other hand is something I am quite proud of. A Gen Y-er in the lucky Country, well I really am lucky.

But after driving past King Edward Park (big park in Newcastle) yesterday on our way home from an Australia Day BBQ, I was ashamed to be in the ‘category’ of a Gen Y Australian.

The park was beyond dirty. There were masses of young people, and masses of rubbish. Australian flag cape wearing, beer drinking young Aussie’s who have no respect for the surrounds that they were inhabiting for the day, and no doubt thought that someone else would clean up after them.

It is these people that end up spoiling things for the rest of us. The Newcastle foreshore yesterday was an alcohol free zone “from sunset today, Monday 25 January until sunrise on Thursday 27 January” according to the council website: www.ncc.nsw.gov.au. Furthermore activities were to finish at 6pm and there were NO fireworks.

Why? Because there are people who decide that Australia Day is a great day to get, like, totally pissed, and be a public nuisance, therefore ruining it for well behaved other people to, say, have a BBQ in town on the foreshore, have a few beers, and play a bit of cricket. Aussie? Too right.

But no, you weren’t allowed to. Yep that’s right unless you were in the comfort of your own home having a BBQ, you couldn’t have a beer or an alcoholic drink of any description for that matter if you had a BBQ on the Newcastle foreshore.

I’m the first to bang on about the minority spoiling it for the majority, but after seeing the disgrace that was King Edward Park yesterday, is this getting pissed in public and carrying on business the majority? All I can say is, I really hope not.

It really pains me to ask what the hell this Gen Y thing is that they think they shouldn’t have to clean up after themselves. And if the alcohol ban was all along the Newcastle foreshore then why wasn’t it extended to the park as well? Yes it would have prevented other non flag cape wearers from being able to enjoy a beer, but it sure would have prevented that disgusting disrespectful mess that SOMEONE ELSE had to clean up.

Because at the end of the day despite what some Gen Y-er’s think, getting trashed, wearing a flag as a cape, causing trouble in public and expecting other people to clean up their shit, is totally UNAUSTRALIAN.

Coz we are living in an online world, and I am online girl.

Sorry just channeling a bit of Madonna and material girl there.

So, I’ve written a few times about Generation Y and people’s perceptions, opinions, and generalisations, most of which I have disagreed with. But today, low and behold I’m going to babble on for a bit on a Gen Y ‘trait’ that I actually agree with and can totally relate to.

No, it’s not walking around saying ‘fully sick’, but living my life online. I have no trouble in putting my hand up and saying I don’t think I would survive without my computer, or my iPhone now for that matter.

I email clients instead of calling them, I text my friends and family instead of calling them, and when my mobile rings, I barley recognise my own ringtone. Why? Because I tend to use my iPhone more as a computer than a phone!

I sit at my computer for 8 hours a day at work, I have my email open, client documents open, and the Internet open with about, oh you know 13 different tabs. I’m on Twitter, Facebook, here of course is my blog. I comment on other blogs, I read the news online. A newspaper? What is that?! Yes, I am without a doubt an online Gen Y kinda girl.

I wouldn’t go as far to say that I’m tech-savvy and up on all the widget and wiki jargon, but I can find my way around most things digital and like most of our generation it’s all about trial and error. You try something and if it doesn’t work you hit undo and try something else. Something I think older generations tend not to do. Or oops was that too much of a generalisation!

Anyway, so for all the bagging that Gen Y cops, you know those great phrases like “Oh I don’t know the youth of today and all their fancy gadgets”, I’m proud to be part of the Gen Y online kids and wonder what life is like without constant communication?

Maybe it’s boring? Or maybe we’ve all got the wrong idea and it’s quite peaceful!

Anyway, I’m off to tweet, facebook, google and whatever else it is that we Gen Y’s do all day!

The Gen debate: Is all fair in LOL and war?

I’m fascinated with Generation Y, but of course I would be, because that’s such a selfish thing to do and as I a member of Gen Y, why wouldn’t I be fascinated with myself.

Don’t worry this is going somewhere.

What I am actually genuinely fascinated with is other people’s perceptions of my generation. I’ve written about it before, you know those lovely things called generalisations, like we’re all selfish, lazy, obsessed with technology, don’t work hard, don’t work at all, all those things.

So when I read an article on SMH.com.au titled “When is an employee too old to work” all my Gen Y defending mechanisms kicked into gear again.