To ask the average college senior what his or her plans are post-graduation is to be met with an uncomfortable silence or, at best, a nervous shrug. For this generation — the younger members of Generation Y — a newly acquired college degree does not necessarily mean the beginning of adulthood and its antiquated definition as a steady job, spouse and children but rather another period of exploration and potential for self-growth.
According to an Aug. 22 article in the New York Times Magazine titled "What Is It About 20-Somethings?," Gen Y's lax attitude toward post-collegiate life and anxiety about adulthood marks an important generational shift. This generation's cold feet are colder than any other generation's, and today's youth are taking longer and longer to "grow up."
"The traditional cycle seems to have gone off course, as young people remain untethered to romantic partners or to permanent homes, going back to school for lack of better options, traveling, avoiding commitments, competing ferociously for unpaid internships or temporary (and often grueling) Teach for America jobs, forestalling the beginning of adult life," the article's author, Robin Marantz Henig, wrote.
According to Henig, the timetable for adulthood is changing as college graduates and other 20-somethings meander from experience to experience until they find an appropriate place in society. The old markers of adulthood were important milestones — including completing school, leaving home, becoming financially independent, marrying and having a child — but the majority of today's 20-somethings seem to be nowhere near that point.
Senior Sarah Kowitt is one 20-something who views the period after graduation as a time to explore her options. Following senior year, Kowitt plans either to attend graduate school and receive a master's degree in public health or to take some time off to teach English in France. Still not completely sure about where she wants her life to go, she also thinks a year of travel as an attractive way to expose herself to other options and career paths.
"It's a chance to figure out what I really want to pursue in life," Kowitt said. "It's also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore a different area and challenge yourself. When else in your life will you have the chance to completely uproot yourself, move to a foreign country and just appreciate the lifestyle?"
Kowitt, unlike members of previous generations, does not feel an immense pressure to settle into a career immediately upon graduation and instead thinks that taking her time is the way to go.
"I guess I've always thought of the period after undergraduate university as the time to really figure out what's important to me and what I want to fulfill in life," she said. "I think the best piece of advice that I ever received is that you're not going to make a wrong decision. Everything you pursue will tell you something more about yourself and more about how you want your life to be structured — be it a job or a volunteer experience. I know I'll find the right path eventually and I think I'll appreciate it more when I do."
Kowitt admitted, however, that she is only able to take her time to explore her options thanks to her parents' support — another common theme among the 20-somethings of this generation. According to Henig, 20-somethings have become more and more dependent on their parents, financially as well as emotionally.
Henig cited in his article a study administered by the Network on Transitions to Adulthood, which found that American parents today give an average of 10 percent of their incomes to their 18-to-21-year-old children — one possible explanation for graduates' slow transition into financially independent adulthood.
Senior David Cohen agreed that not having support from his parents after graduation would definitely compel him to make a transition to complete independence but remains thankful for the bit of parental support he knows is in store him.
"I don't think because you graduate from college, you have to be completely independent," he said.
While nationally, the trend is in agreement with Cohen, there are also many 20-somethings who feel they have reached independence just like their parents and grandparents had when they graduated from college.
In two weeks' time, Ari Kobren (E '10) will use his first paycheck to finish paying off the money his parents loaned him. At that point, he will be financially independent. Kobren observes other 20-somethings around him putting off important decisions after graduation, but those in his immediate surroundings exhibit the same sense of responsibility typical of Generation X and baby boomers.
"I still depend on some people, but I'm most of the way to real adulthood," Kobren said. "In a few weeks I should be, anyway, and I'm not the only one. I live in a house of eight recent grads, who all either have jobs or are in law school already. I guess we're an over-achieving bunch."
So when does adulthood begin? According to Cohen, that period will begin once he is living on his own and earning a steady paycheck. For Kobren and Kowitt, the definition of adulthood is slightly more intricate.
"There are a lot of stereotypes associated with adulthood, but I think it comes down to being responsible for yourself and being able to get along in any situation and look for help when you need it," Kobren said. "Paying bills, being able to move yourself in, paying rent — these are all part of adulthood. In general, it's taking more responsibility for your life."
Kowitt, on the other hand, defined adulthood as the murkier, more abstract idea it seems to be evolving into.
"I consider myself an adult, but there are aspects that are still being formed," she said. "I think experience is a huge part of how people grow and develop. I've never had to live by myself, pay the bills, structure my finances or do other ‘adult' activities. In that way, I know I'm not as ‘adult' as my parents. On the other hand, I consider myself a responsible individual ready to enter the ‘real world' and hopefully grow in the process."
Romy Oltuski contributed reporting to this article.
