Welcome to the present day, baby boomers.

I know, back in your day, you had to hike ten miles up a mountain (both ways) infested with deadly predators and plants to get to school. Life was much harder for you back then than what life is now.

I know not everyone from the baby boomer generation degrades us like this, but for those of you who do, it’s time to stop.

My mountains and predators may not be literal, but I do climb up a mountain with predators everyday—in fact, I climb multiple mountains.

I climb the homework mountain, the GPA mountain, the financial mountain (the increasingly higher rates of college mountain are the worst—but the rent and student loan mountains come close behind), and the career/work mountain.

My predators are professors and peers (not all of you, but some), landlords, loan collectors, my bosses, and—in some ways—you, the baby boomers.

A lot of other people in my generation are also climbing the same mountains with the same obstacles—and it’s hard for all of us.

Stop telling us that your life was so much harder—it doesn’t matter. And in fact, you may be right—your life may have been harder, but there’s no need to rub it in our faces and degrade us for also facing our own challenges.

We’re all going through different things in our life, and we are all facing different challenges, mountains and obstacles.

Your life was tough, but so is mine, and so are the lives of a lot of other people—people of all ages, in and out of school.

You are not the only ones who had to face challenges and hike up those mountains.

For some of us, just getting out of bed is climbing a mountain.

So rather than degrading us and constantly telling us that we have it so much easier than you did, start recognizing our hard work.

Sometimes it’s hard and we feel like giving up. Your negative reminders are no help.

Everyone deserves recognition for their hard work and their accomplishments.

To end with a toast and to recognize those who need it: Cheers to those of you who are single moms and working hard for your child/children and your own education.

Cheers to those of you who are first-generation college students. For that matter, cheers to those of you who are any-generation college students.

Cheers to those who are working part time or full time. And to those who are doing that while still attending school.

Cheers to those who are trying and working so hard to get A’s (even if you’re not there yet, don’t lose faith. You will get you those grades you want— just keep working hard).

Cheers to those of you who are working your butts off every single day and not getting any praise for it. You deserve to be applauded.

And even to you, baby boomers. Cheers to you guys for getting through your hard times.

But now it’s your turn to toast us, and it’s time to end the degrading and discouraging comments.

Natalee Reynolds is a sophomore English and creative writing major. She can be reached at 581-2812 or at nmreynolds@eiu.edu.