“The Long Road to Adulthood is Growing Even Longer”
By: Patricia Cohen
The New York Times
Quotes from the Article:
“We have not developed and strengthened institutions to serve young adults, because we are still living with the archaic idea that people enter adulthood in their late teens or early 20’s.”
“A new period of life is emerging in which young people are no longer adolescents but not yet adults.”
“More people in their 20’s are also living with their parents.”
What defines an adult? Who defines what it means to be an adult? The author states that adolescents are taking longer to become adults; but then calls the stage between the two, “young adulthood.” Are young adults not adults? People are making conscience decisions such as living with their parents while going to school, or building a foundation, financial, physical, and mental, before they move out, get married and have kids. Do these actions make these people less of an adult?
There are deeper meanings and questions to the statistics, and topics, that the author has brought up in this article. It is good for the country that more and more people go to college every year. It means that our education system will breed more educated citizens. More educated citizens will lead to a more productive, and progressive nation. “What does it take to become an adult?”
I have made a conscience decision to live with my mother while I take my time to finish up with my academics. It is difficult for full time college students to live on their own. There is more stress to deal with outside of academics when a person lives on their own. Since I am living at my mother’s home, does that make me less of an adult? I still make my own decisions. I still take care of myself. I am independent. I face the consequences to my own actions. Am I not an adult? Does it even matter? As long as I follow my dreams and become successful; I don’t think it matters whether someone considers me an adult or not. Social constructs do not define us as people. We define ourselves as whatever or whoever we would like to be.
We also can’t forget the people who struggle from a young age. Enough adversities can force a young person to grow faster mentally, physically, and emotionally. Can these people be considered an “adult,?” after going through what others would never imagine going through at any point in their life.
Markets are more competitive, and require people to go to school longer. More people are choosing to go to four year colleges, universities, and technical schools. People are making decisions that they hope will improve their lives. As researchers, and educators, we have to focus on what it takes to survive as a citizen, in our country, and as a person in society. One day we’ll think that we have figured it out; but the next day everything will change.
Nathaniel Jimenez
Hi Nathaniel,
I definitely agree with what you said, “it does not matter whether someone considers me an adult or not. We define ourselves as whatever or whoever we would like to be.” Our society is changing. In these days, it is hard to define “adulthood”. I think being adult is based on our feelings. Some people feel like an adult because maybe their lives have some dramatically change, they start living by themselves, or they start to have own career. Sometimes, some people do not feel like an adult even they get married or get a new job because it is just a routine that they have to follow in their lives. As for me, I feel like an adult when I learn something new, or when I find out I make a progress compare to my past. Learning is a pathway of our lives. As long as we are learning, we are growing up. Maybe, this is what mean to be adult today.
Reading your post and Kay’s response made me think of this central tenet in sociological theory “things perceived as real will be real in their consequences.” How you perceive yourself will lead your actions and decisions.