Jeffrey Arnett's Transition To Adulthood

Change is inevitable in our world. Things and people are constantly evolving whether we like it or not. In this paper, I will be discussing how the transition from adolescents to adulthood has and is changing. According to research done by Dr. Jeffrey Arnett, a sociologist in the field of Human Development and Family Studies, there is a critical period of time now known as “emerging adulthood” that bridges the gap between late adolescents and early adulthood. Dr. Arnett’s theory suggests that more and more people are postponing the transition to adulthood by taking those early years to explore different possibilities for their education, careers, and love lives instead of jumping into marriages, creating families, and careers right away (as

With the rise in technology more jobs require a higher education, even at an entry level. The down side to this is what used to be considered a four-year degree now takes 6+ years to complete because people have to work to make a living wage while in school or wallow in student debt. School costs are also rising thus making it less affordable for many youths who put it off for years or never attend due to the price. This is contributing to the instability in this age group because they have to work harder and longer to obtain stable jobs and careers. According to Dr. Arnett, this is happening across the board in emerging adults of all different backgrounds and cultures. This shows that it’s not just young adults choosing to take a longer time to start families and finish degree’s, but it’s due to a shift in society as well that is almost forcing their hand. It’s very difficult, unless you come from a wealthy family, to go to school and not

I think young adults in this stage of life want nothing more than to stand on their own two feet, but most of the time it’s very difficult and they do turn to their families to help support them. Whether it be financial or emotionally, youth are still vulnerable in this stage of life and are in need of familial support. I know that without my mom and dad there to support me and check in on how my school progress is and the occasional tuition check, my life would be a lot more different. I would probably have to get a part-time job on top of my full-time job and cut back on school so I could work in order to go to school…It’s cringe worthy to write let alone actually live out. So one aspect of emerging adulthood that is still traditional in theory is family