Of the many Gen Y nicknames one that really fascinates me is "trophy kids," referring to the fact that when Gen Y members participated in activities as kids, where everyone was guaranteed a trophy. By receiving prizes even when their performance levels were poor, these kids avoided feeling like losers. 

Some argue that as a result of this system, Gen Y has had a tough time handling rejection and criticism as adults. Some say Gen Y members believe they deserve rewards regardless of how hard they work, and that they lack the motivation to work harder. Thus, some view Gen Y members as slackers. 

Is Gen Y really a generation of slackers? Do we care less if we lose our jobs and know that Mom and Dad will be there to bail us out? Are we capable of reaching top-level positions, and do we even want them?

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Natasha Chilingerian

Natasha Chilingerian has been immersed in the credit union industry for over a decade. She first joined CU Times in 2011 as a freelance writer, and following a two-year hiatus from 2013-2015, during which time she served as a communications specialist for Xceed Financial Credit Union (now Kinecta Federal Credit Union), she re-joined the CU Times team full-time as managing editor. She was promoted to executive editor in 2019. In the earlier days of her career, Chilingerian focused on news and lifestyle journalism, serving as a writer and editor for numerous regional publications in Oregon, Louisiana, South Carolina and the San Francisco Bay Area. In addition, she holds experience in marketing copywriting for companies in the finance and technology space. At CU Times, she covers People and Community news, cybersecurity, fintech partnerships, marketing, workplace culture, leadership, DEI, branch strategies, digital banking and more. She currently works remotely and splits her time between Southern California and Portland, Ore.