It's a NewGeneration, Get Over it...

This morning I got out of my best friend’s Altima, blasting “I’m Me” by Lil Wayne, in front of 7eleven so I could get my morning coffee. Standing in front of me, waiting to get into his truck, was an older man probably about 60 years old. Trying to be polite, I quickly got out of his way, smiled sweetly and said, “Good morning.” He showed no emotion which would have had no effect on me had he not rolled his eyes as he passed. Now normally, I’d think that this man was just having a bad day, or maybe didn’t particularly appreciate the fact that was in his way, however incidents like this seem to happen several times a month, and more often when I step out of a car with more than one friend.
Is it the nose ring or the multiple piercings up and down my ears? The music? My dirty converse? Even the fact that I should probably be on my merry way to my educational calling? Whatever it is, when that man rolled his eyes, he was probably thinking “Back in my day, even teenagers showed respect,” because I get a daily dose of those words from the adults in my family.
Now I know that most people whether they know it or not, make judgments on what they see, but can they really expect me to hop out of an old Cadillac, wearing a poodle skirt and shinny new saddle shoes, listening to Perry Como? I’ve noticed that the people who do tend to judge are usually older adults and I’m probably not the only one who gets the roll of the eyes, the frown, or the stink eye. Many adults tend to generalize teenagers and they think we are all delinquents. I do understand that there are some that seem to ruin it for the rest of us, but really, that doesn’t mean that we all wait till midnight to spread the walls with graffiti, or go hang out with friends just to drink, make noise and smoke out.
And c’mon, they were our age at one time, maybe it was over a million years ago, but it was at one time. They should understand the pressures of being a teenager and that we are not all the same, in fact most of us are only looking for understanding and a path to follow. To all the adults who generalize us teenagers, all I can say is that I am not trying to rebel, I am not trying to spite you, and I surely am not trying to trying to disrespect you. We aren’t “back in YOUR day”; it’s a new generation, get over it.