By Sean Leviashvili

As ‘the real world’ approaches, college students question where they stand in life.

Responding to the issues raised in Jean Twenge’s book, “Generation Me: Why Today’s Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled – and More Miserable Than Ever Before,” students discuss co-op, competition and creative edge while tampering with the question “what’s next?’

Twenge, a professor at San Diego State University, writes the book to voice concerns she had with today’s teenagers and young adults, a group of people commonly labeled Generation Y. Twenge addresses this generation’s apathy, entitlement and spoon-fed self-esteem in the recently published book.

With sympathy and outrage, Twenge reveals statistics and anecdotes from members of the generation she refers to as “Generation Me.” Her studies reveal an increase in narcissism among people under age 30, with qualities becoming worse at the younger end of the generation’s spectrum.

Twenge writes about her fears that today’s generation of hipsters and hopefuls are straying away from intimate relationships, a sense of community and responsibility while declaring their independence and chasing “unrealistic” dreams.

“Our childhoods of constant praise, self-esteem boosting and unrealistic expectations did not prepare us for an increasingly competitive workplace and the economic squeeze created by sky-high housing prices and rapidly accelerating health care costs,” Twenge writes.

Opportunities are not as boundless as they once were when it comes to available jobs but ambitions are higher than ever, writes Twenge.

“There has to be a certain reality in recognizing limits. Opportunities are not unlimited,” said Jack Levin, a sociology professor. “There are fewer opportunities than there were 20 years ago. But look what’s happened in response, more and more young people are going to college and getting masters degrees. Middle and upper-middle class students are recognizing this competition.”

Twenge addresses the increasing level of motivation exhibited by today’s youth. Co-op is one way to take advantage of that motivation.

While some students said co-op is an opportunity to build a resume and land a job right out of college, others are skeptical.

“Some people don’t even plan on going to graduate school because they think the co-op program will get them a great job automatically,” said Gabby Gabriel, a sophomore international affairs major.

Twenge said distinguishing yourself, not simply believing in yourself, is a more realistic way of pursuing dreams.

Matt Devine, a sophomore biology major who plans to attend medical school after college, said he knows it will be difficult to find a job, since there are so many others who share his goal.

“Most biology majors are biology majors because they plan on going to medical schools but I can tell that many aren’t pushing themselves academically,” Devine said. “They feel it’s a simple process, and a lot of people think it’s a chain reaction starting with college, then medical school, then becoming a doctor and getting rich. But it doesn’t always work like that.”

Wealth continues to be a common goal for today’s youth. After all, ‘generation me’ finds it is the wealthy who attract the most attention, and with a generation that Twenge finds more narcissistic than ever before, attention would be the greatest achievement.

“It seems like there are so many rich people in the world, but not everyone can be the rich guy,” said Erica McNally, a sophomore business major.

While competition in the workplace is rising, Jessica Gitlitz, a Northeastern aluma, and Sandra Kern, a junior business major, who have taken advantage of the co-op program said there are pros and cons of co-op.

When asked if co-op can guarantee a job after college, Kern said, not necessarily Her experience with the co-op program, however, has been beneficial, she said. Kern worked with Bicon Dental Implants, a company with strong connections to the co-op program, and has strengthened her ability to speak professionally to others and present herself in the most appropriate attire, she said.

After aggressive evaluation, Kern was asked to work for Bicon after she graduates in May.

“If you take advantage of the program, you can end up with a really good job. People who take it really seriously will get ahead because they may get hired by their co-op employers,” Gitlitz said. “One friend, for example, had a really bad experience with her first co-op and then the school reassigned her to someone else and she made great connections.”

Co-op may not guarantee students employment after college, which may rest uneasy with ‘generation me’ but it does seem to provide a certain edge.

“I have so much experience to speak about on interviews. You can speak about class projects, which are interesting, but real life experience is much more impressive,” Kern said.

Although nothing can be guarenteed, co-op may provide a gateway or be a type of orientation into the working world.

“It’s often difficult for young people to make the transition from the more certain world of college to the working world-or even graduate school – where “doing your best” isn’t always enough and choices aren’t always clear,” Twenge writes.