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Latwell Nyangu Youth Interactive Writer
Our only fault as humankind is that we are prone to repeating our mistakes. Our history impacts us, and understanding it can benefit us.
An understanding of the successes and failures of the past is important if we are to grow and make progress from now on.
If we do not learn from our past mistakes, we are bound to repeat them. When you have knowledge of history, you will be able to make more sense of the current world.
But our generation needs to change the negative narrative upon us. We have been found wanting almost every time fellow students.
A lot of mistakes have been recorded in our names, we have fallen in the same traps previously done. We have become uncontrollable to the extent they have labeled ‘us’ Ama2000.
Note, I am not part of the Ama2000 crop.
Many writers and researchers have written something about names, what is in a name, they ask?
But almost every name has a meaning although some don’t have a secret behind every name.
And the name Ama2000 seems to carry a lot of meanings which some of them have tainted our generation. The generation has been cursed, mocked and discussed.
They call us a lazy generation, they call us a fast generation, they call us an unfocused crop. They say, you don’t know how to dress. They say, child marriages are coming from this generation. We want fast money, we are involved in many criminal activities.
A whole lot of negative issues are put on us. For how long shall we keep this negative tag on us. We can change this narrative.
Anything without respect, they say, it’s our generation, even the number of deaths is related to our generation. While the tag name Ama2000 is associated with many negative connotations, allow me to exonerate some who have been on the right side. Is it the food we are eating, is it the 20th century era? Why is it that the generation has been regarded as the worst?
Why is the comparison that too much? I know no one will answer my questions and some will even say, mind your own business.
Ama2000 tag has open and bubbly personalities, always looking to make new friends in real life and on their social media platforms. They are trendsetters and always say and do things that strike interest. Some of the things the generation do can even shock the world.
I know some are denying their ages even if they were born in the year 2000. My prayer this week, let’s change the negative narrative against our generation of fellow young people.
We have been compared but what exactly have we done to get such a negative discussion.
The Ama2000 tag doesn’t sound nice. The girls now drink like their fathers, it has become so fashionable. Bear with me, I have no problems with drinkers, but the end result has some dire consequences.
We have become drug addicts. Drug lords have targeted school and college going students as the best clients.
Recently, I facilitated a workshop on drug abuse and Sexual Reproductive Health Research (SRHR). The saddest part was that students were found wanting. Cases of drug abuse, child marriages and sexually transmitted diseases have hit our generation and are coming through activities such as drug abuse.
As we mark the end of semesters, many of us are planning parting shots. The wild and Vuzu parties have been set. The interesting part, these parties are attended by students.
Yes, what happens there, stays there but the results will always come out.
But rinamanyanga hariputirwe.
Fellow generation, when we get drunk, we tend to be vulnerable that some of the decisions we make won’t be genuine.
We are hoodwinked into doing some things we can’t control.
An Ama2000 is generally someone who was born just before or just after the year 2000. There are various definitions though.
So someone was saying, if you want marriage material, visit the rural areas, not the college students.
This left me with a lot of questions.
Everything about our generation has a lot of questions.
The Ama2000 generation has become trend setters of the new decade into 2020. This is the generation born after the year 2000 and are growing to be more and more influential with the power of social media backing them up.
Today’s youth has become closer and engage with each other more than ever before given the connectivity being at the palm of our hands.
To say the least, there is nothing new on this earth, anything happening now is just a replica of what happened previously.
But our generation seems to be spinning too much.
Anyone who thinks of going out today opt to visit a college to get some female students to hook up with. We are a different crop that has gone wild and uncontrollable.
To say we lack information, I will be lying, we actually have more information but we are using it the wrong way. Should we pour some beers on the ground to cast this negative wave upon us?
So the other day I was in a banking hall waiting for my turn to be served when out of respect I offered my seat to a man who looked my father’s age. He refused politely and presumably mocked me in a joking manner. The man told me to enjoy the comfort, “You can sit because vafana vemazuvano hamuna kana simba. You can even collapse if you stand for long. I feel sorry for you, my heart burns because we are busy burying your age while we remain.
“Reaching 40 years has become a challenge for you vafana,” he laughed. We engaged in a conversation that also opened my mind, but left me with so many questions.
What is wrong with our generation, fellow students.
We have become a laughingstock through our characters.
The access to information has made the generation more screwed, meaning we are the modern day curators who can make our own decisions based on vast amounts of information sources easily and readily available. It’s high time we change the narrative of our generation.
Anything negative, they always refer to this generation.
Some of us have been nicknamed in line with universities we go. Some of the universities are known for drugs, some for wild parties, some for promiscuous.
Why are we associated with all the negatives, why can’t we prove them? The greatest fear that I have today is losing someone below the age of 25.
All the best as you finalise your exams.
Online Reporter