Our Word

By Melissa Hernandez Rojas

Everyone dreads having an 8:30, no doubt about it. But I dreaded mine a little less when I was given five minutes to respond to this prompt: “What word best describes your generation in 2026?” 

Immediately my mind conjured words such as stressed, restless, fake, and even bittersweet. But that only gave me more questions to consider–why these words? What part of our generation am I labeling? How do I encapture all of our complexities in a single word? A simple question rooted such deep contemplation in my soul, and no matter how desperately I wished to exalt it, I could not. And yet, deep within me, a part of me refused to let go. 

The day quietly passed by, completely ignoring the constant clamor being produced in my head. One would think that the act of ignoring would put an end but it only fueled me more. The chatter shifts from timid questions to demands; “why are you ignoring me, What is our word, tell me now, I need to know.” Perhaps this should have been my sign to stop here but abandoning this question would have left a bruise impossible to remove. 

Eventually, I found a word, reminiscent. If we were to observe ourselves, we would hear high shrieks of laughter or witness the endless need to show physical affection or the never-ending tasting of our cultural foods. Alongside all these actions, you will find a camera; lens, click, and shutter. Our generation loves to create and capture memories whether it be with a digi cam or a film camera or, even, a cellphone camera. As we get wiser with time, we have come to realize that making memories are crucial aspects of our lives but we have also learned how important it is for us to remember. 

Our generation loves memories. Without them, we would not have the distractions we so desperately seek during difficult times in our lives. This generation is constantly reminiscing on the past because memories, and the capturing of these memories, act as a reminder of all the different phases of life we have gone through. Our reminiscent nature allows us to find echoes of our past in current experiences, prompting us to simply live and grow. 

“What word best describes your generation in 2026?” is a simple question with a complicated answer if you wish to make it. Reaching a response is time-consuming but it sets the perfect opportunity for reflection–reflection of the world, of others, or of yourself. Most importantly, it pushes you to remember. Remember all the things that caused you fear, happiness, sadness, and much more because reminiscing on these experiences is such a beautiful, complex journey that one should never avoid.