Young Courage

article by MEREDITH MCKINNIE

I work with millennials and Gen-Z daily, and I love interacting with them. My students keep me young and in-the-know. The older I get, the more critical this exposure has become. When I started teaching at the college level, I was only six years older than my students. I spoke their language, watched their TV shows, listened to their music, and embraced popular culture because I, too, was interested. But as I’ve aged, each new student stays 18, fresh out of high school, on the brink of adulthood. Now at 37, most of them were born the year I graduated. I feel old in comparison, but young thanks to their willingness to invite me in. Teaching them to write, forcing them to expose their hard truths on paper allows me into their lives, into their young minds, and it’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.

The more I see young people mocked in the media, the more convinced I am that they are misunderstood. Where many see laziness, I see a willingness to try an easier way. Where many see disrespect, I see the courage to fight the status quo. Where many see odd fashion statements and rainbow-colored hair, I see individuality and more importantly, the bravery to express it. They’re the kind of kids I wish I had been at their age. They say we regret the things we didn’t do; and I agree wholeheartedly. While I love who I’ve become, I regret that it took me so long to get here, to find comfort with myself, flaws and all, and use them to better understand others. The young kids of today are empathetic, BIG-hearted, free-thinking, wise in ways their parents aren’t, and more likely to call out hypocrisy when they see it. They’re bold, refusing to settle for the way things have always been done, and willing to go out there and change it. It’s an audacity I rarely see in adults, but more and more am seeing in our young people. We should be proud of that, proud that we raised a generation of courage.

I hear adults say the youth are entitled, and maybe they are. And maybe that’s not so bad. Perhaps we should have demanded more. My dad once told me, “You give your kids better so they learn to expect better.” But often I see those same parents who insisted on giving their kids better berate them for having better, as if they stole something. Sure, we should teach our kids gratitude and humility, but a little gumption and confidence go a long way too. Perhaps we should encourage it all, and let the pieces fall where they may. I’ve found in my decade-long study with this age group that they are capable. They’re aware of who they are, of what they know and don’t know, and mostly, they’re aware of how short-sighted their superiors can be. We learn through experience, and the mistakes kids make are part of life. It’s how we all learn. And often we don’t give kids the same leverage as we do ourselves.

My students have no problem pointing out my faults, correcting my mistakes. My ego used to resist these rebuttals, as if my authority in the classroom should prohibit these honest exchanges. Now, when a student dares to disagree with me, I smile. I pause and acknowledge the bravery of speaking out. I recognize the positive in speaking the truth in the moment it’s true. Often when I would disagree with teachers, I kept my thoughts to myself. But college is all about finding ourselves in a world full of other selves, preparing for a future of uncertainty, and learning to adapt to new situations and people and expectations. If I can’t model that in my classroom, what kind of teacher am I? I can’t remember all my students; oftentimes their names escape me after one semester. But I do remember the ones others deem contrary, those who found the courage to call me out, regardless of the reasoning. I admire the young tenacity often reserved for elder experience. I know they can change the world because they’re already challenging the rule-makers.

Too often we reward the rule-followers. And essentially, their behavior just makes it easier for the rest of us. Those who ignore someone else’s idea of success, and instead cling to their own inclinations, create their own paths, they’re the trailblazers of tomorrow. The kids are the future, and the future is whatever they make it. I believe in the young people, and most importantly, they believe in themselves. May we better embrace that youthful courage and see it for the power force it is.