Ages 18-25: Perhaps the most difficult time in life - top-tier cryptocurrency exchange platform.

18-25 years old: Perhaps the most challenging time of your life

Preface:

In a previous survey of our readers, we found that the age group with the most concentrated distribution of KY readers is 18-25, followed by 25-30. The age range of 18-30, especially 18-25, has been a focus of academic attention since 2000. It is called “Emerging adulthood,” which vividly translates as “the emerging adult stage.” It is a developmental phase from the late teens to the twenties, particularly referring to 18-25.

For most young people, this period is a time of many significant changes. It is neither adolescence nor fully adulthood, and individuals in this age group face many unique situations and challenges. Many of you may have already experienced this.

Today, we will analyze the particularity of this age stage for KY’s young friends, hoping to help everyone better navigate the year 2016 that has already arrived.

Emerging adulthood:

A path full of uncertainties

“When my mom was my age, she was already engaged. For their generation, at this age, they already had some ideas about what to do with their lives. And me? I’m still studying, majoring in two fields that don’t have much practical work (Political Science and Chinese). I don’t have a ring on my finger, I don’t even know who I am, and I have no idea what I want to do in the future… But, although the pressure is huge, I must admit that this is an exciting age. Sometimes, when I think about my distant future, I can feel something else from that emptiness. I realize that there’s nothing ahead I can rely on, so I have to rely on myself from now on; I also realize that the lack of a clear direction means I must forge my own path.” (Kristen, 22)

The previous generation, during the ages of 18-25, had usually completed marriage/family and career choices. For them, this stage was simply a transitional period into a stable adult role. They rarely (or delayed many years) experienced the struggles and pains that our generation faces during this period.

Our situation is completely different—in the last half-century, in highly urbanized areas, marriage and childbirth ages have generally been postponed until after 25. The increase in time spent in school is also a social change in recent decades, and pursuing higher education after college graduation has become more common. Many commitments and responsibilities associated with adulthood are delayed, while exploration and experimentation with personal roles from adolescence continue. In fact, for this generation, the exploration of self-identity during emerging adulthood is even more intense than in adolescence. The 18-30 age range, especially 18-25, has become a unique life stage with significant differences from others. Frequent changes and exploration of life possibilities are the most prominent features of this stage. By the end of this period, approaching age 30, most people have made life choices with lasting consequences. Studies show that when adults look back on the most important events of their lives, they often trace them back to this period.

18-25 is neither adolescence nor early adulthood, but a special period. During this stage, people begin to detach from complete dependence but have not yet fully assumed the responsibilities of adulthood. Many unknowns still exist in life, almost nothing is certain, and the degree of independent exploration is broader than in any other stage.

Psychologist Keniston describes this period as: “Young people in this stage always experience a tension between the self and society,” as well as “a rejection of complete socialization.”

The most chaotic stage of life

According to the U.S. Census Bureau data from 1997, over 95% of 12-17-year-olds live with their parents, over 98% are unmarried, fewer than 10% have children, and over 95% are in school—standardized life norms before age 18. By age 30, another set of norms appears: over 75% are married, about 75% are parents, and fewer than 10% are still in school (these figures are somewhat outdated; current situations may have changed).

However, between these two life stages—especially 18-25—it’s difficult to estimate a person’s status in other demographic dimensions based solely on age. They may be married or not, in school or not. This unpredictability clearly reflects the experimental nature of this stage. Jeffrey Jensen Arnett cites the concept of “the roleless role” proposed by scholar Talcott Parsons in 1942 to describe the state of individuals in emerging adulthood. During this stage, they are less constrained by roles such as husband/wife or parent/child. This unrestrained state makes their life circumstances unpredictable.

In this stage, individuals’ life status and role identities are unstable and chaotic. U.S. data shows that about one-third of emerging adults enter college after high school, and during these college years, they live a mixed life of “independent living” and “continued dependence on parents.” For example, they may sometimes live in dorms or rented apartments, and sometimes return home. Sociologists call this “semi-autonomy,” because they bear some responsibilities of independent living while leaving others to parents and other adults.

In emerging adulthood, the main reasons for leaving parents’ home are full-time work and cohabitation with a partner. Less than 10% of males and 30% of females live at home until marriage (U.S. 1994 data). This is the life stage with the highest frequency of moving. These changes are related to the exploratory nature of this stage, often occurring at the end of one exploration phase and before another begins (e.g., finishing school and starting a new job).

As they approach age 30, transitioning from emerging adulthood to early adulthood, this chaos and instability tend to subside. People usually make some lifelong decisions between ages 25-30, such as choosing a partner or clarifying career paths.

What factors make people feel they are finally adults?

A series of studies show that people in emerging adulthood often feel they have not fully become adults subjectively. Even at ages 28, 29, and 31, about one-third feel they haven’t “completely entered adulthood.” Most feel they have entered adulthood in some aspects but not others. They feel neither like adolescents nor fully like adults—they are in between.

We might think that their feeling of not being fully adult is influenced by the instability we mentioned earlier. We believe that, perhaps for young people, it’s difficult to feel fully adult until they have stable housing, completed education, found a career path, and married (or at least established a long-term romantic relationship). But in fact, these factors are less related to self-perception.

So, what truly makes us feel we are genuinely adults?

Research shows that traits related to individualism, especially the following three, are most influential in “our perception of whether we are adults”:

1. Accepting responsibility for oneself
2. Making independent decisions
3. Achieving financial independence

The importance of these traits reflects that, during emerging adulthood, personal development focuses on becoming a “self-sufficient person.” Only after achieving this will there be a subjective sense of maturity.

It’s worth noting that “becoming a parent” is not common during emerging adulthood, but once young people become parents, it greatly impacts their subjective experience. The various explorations typical of emerging adulthood are immediately constrained by the role of parent. After becoming a parent, their focus shifts from self-responsibility to responsibility for their children. This factor can significantly shorten the exploration and experimentation period, quickly leading to a sense of “full adulthood.”

What self-exploration should you complete during emerging adulthood?

During this stage, the main areas of self-identity exploration are love, work, and worldview. Forming self-identity involves trying various possibilities in these three areas and gradually making decisions that will have long-lasting effects (such as choosing a career path or a long-term partner).

In terms of love, American teenagers usually start dating around ages 12-14, but at that time, they are far from serious considerations of marriage. They date in groups, often attending parties and dances. Dating provides companionship and initial romantic and sexual experiences. Few couples from adolescence stay together long-term. During emerging adulthood, exploration of love becomes more intimate and serious. Dating is more often one-on-one, and the focus shifts from entertainment to emotional and physical intimacy.

Most romantic relationships at this stage tend to last longer than in adolescence, and sexual activity and cohabitation are more likely. Therefore, love exploration in adolescence is more experimental and short-lived, with questions like: “Who do I enjoy being with now?” In emerging adulthood, love exploration involves deeper intimacy, and individuals ask themselves: “Considering what kind of person I am, what kind of partner do I want for life?”

Career is also a key focus. Young people in emerging adulthood have received some education and training, laying the foundation for future income and career development. Their work experience at this stage is preparation for future roles and identities. They begin to consider how these experiences will support their future work in adulthood. They ask themselves: “What am I good at? What kind of work will satisfy me long-term? What opportunities do I have to find suitable jobs in my field?”

In emerging adulthood, consciously exploring various courses and majors is common. In the U.S., changing majors multiple times is frequent. This allows them to experience different career possibilities, abandon some, and pursue others. Additionally, higher education beyond a bachelor’s degree is increasingly common. Master’s and doctoral studies offer further opportunities to change career directions. When designing their educational paths, young people should think carefully about what future they want to achieve through these choices, rather than blindly following trends.

However, whether in love or work, exploration during emerging adulthood is not just about preparing for the future; more often, it’s about gaining broader life experiences before being bound by “adult responsibilities.” At this stage, fixed role identities and commitments have not yet appeared, and young people still have opportunities to experiment with things they might not otherwise have. For those craving romantic and sexual experiences, emerging adulthood is an excellent time for exploration—parents’ supervision diminishes, and marriage is not yet socially expected. It’s also a good time to try unconventional jobs and education, with gap years, volunteering, and other experiences occurring most frequently at this age, far more than in any other life stage.

Compared to directly preparing for long-term future choices, gaining diverse and colorful experiences is very important. It helps you better understand what you like and dislike before making long-term, unchangeable decisions. Emerging adulthood is a golden period for these experiences; missing it can be very regrettable.

In terms of values, psychologist William Perry found that during emerging adulthood, changes in worldview are the most central part of cognitive development. He pointed out that young people entering college often carry their childhood and adolescence learned worldviews, but college education exposes them to multiple perspectives. During this process, they begin to question their previous beliefs. Most young people find that by college graduation, they have acquired a worldview different from before, and this worldview continues to be refined over time. Higher education levels tend to lead to more exploration and reconsideration of worldview.

It’s important to note that self-exploration during emerging adulthood is not always pleasant. Love exploration may end in disappointment, shattered ideals, or rejection. Work exploration may result in difficulty finding ideal jobs. Worldview exploration may overturn childhood beliefs, sometimes destroying everything they believed in, with no new beliefs yet established.

Moreover, this is also the loneliest period of life. During emerging adulthood, young people’s exploration of identity is often carried out alone. They are no longer with their original family daily, but have not yet formed a new family. Americans aged 19-29 are, aside from the elderly, the most likely to be alone in their leisure time among all age groups. They are also the most likely under 40 to complete studies or work alone. In short, being single at this age is common and unavoidable.

This age group is also prone to high-risk behaviors, such as drunk driving and dangerous activities. They are less supervised than teenagers and are not constrained by adult roles. Data shows that after marriage and having children, risky behaviors significantly decrease.

Age is not a fixed standard

Survey results show that most young people aged 18-25 do not consider themselves fully adult, while most over 30 do.

Nevertheless, we must emphasize that age is only a rough predictor. Turning 18 is a clear dividing line because most people finish high school, leave their parents’ home, and gain legal adult rights at this age. But the transition from emerging adulthood to early adulthood is no longer marked by a specific age. Some people reach full adulthood at 19, while others at 29. Most complete this process around age 30.

Through today’s article, I believe you can see that emerging adulthood is a stage with little certainty. Everything is on the verge of unfolding, and many questions remain unresolved. It’s important to note that each person’s exploration during this stage varies greatly. There’s no need to panic about missing out after reading this article. One of the best aspects of emerging adulthood is that it has no restrictions or standard models. Everyone can pursue what they want and are capable of, based on their own wishes and conditions.

In 2015, one of my most important realizations was: I once felt panicked, thinking I might not be able to stand firmly on my own feet. But gradually, I realized I could, and I would find my own path. The most crucial step in this process is to start trying with a heart full of fear.

Finally, a message to all KY fans in emerging adulthood:

“Take your time and be patient. Life itself will eventually answer all those questions it once raised for you.”

The above.