Emerging Adulthood: Identity and Transition in College Life

Introduction

The interviewee is a 23-year-old senior pursuing a BA in business. It is argued that the transition to adulthood — the movement into adult status — is socially constructed. According to Arnett (2000), emerging adulthood is a period that brings the possibility of many options in life. He adds that at this stage, not much about the future has been decided for certain; it is the period of life in which the scope of independent exploration of life's possibilities is greater than at any other time in the lives of many.

In line with this, the interviewee regards adulthood as the first opportunity to make decisions and learn how to take responsibility for one's life — it is learning to deal with the consequences of one's choices. Arnett further reveals that at this stage, many emerging adults do not consider themselves adolescents, yet neither do they consider themselves fully adults. The interviewee reflects this ambivalence: he is not sure whether he is an adult, saying that there are moments when he considers himself one and believes that the ability to make one's own decisions is part of being an adult. He also thinks that maturity and experience are major components of adulthood that are acquired over time. In this regard, he falls short of fully considering himself an adult. He says he is not 100% an adult and consults his parents and other family members from time to time for guidance, rather than taking a full leap of independence.

Challenges of College Transition

The interviewee encountered challenges and changes brought about by the transition to college. However, he says that he was prepared for — and even looked forward to confronting — some of these challenges. The curriculum was harder, demanding longer study hours, and teachers expected more responsibility and accountability. Things he had gotten away with in high school were no longer possible in college; here, one had to be their own parent. The interviewee adds that the newfound freedom in college also proved challenging, as it ushered him into a more complex social life. He identified academics as the most difficult aspect of college life to adapt to, given the increased pressure from his scholarship, his part-time work, and the burden of maintaining a good GPA. He noted that these challenges were not unique to him — some of his peers chose to drop out. In college, life meant taking care of his own responsibilities, a shift that made him begin to see himself as an adult.

College life also changed the interviewee's view of relationships. During his first two years, he was in a long-distance relationship and never saw romantic partnerships as requiring physical closeness. In his junior year, he began dating people who were geographically closer to him. He viewed both himself and his partners as adults because they were no longer teenagers crushing on one another; the relationships felt more serious, and they were making their own decisions independently. He now realizes that relationships are more challenging than he had previously thought, no matter how much effort is invested.

The interviewee also did not mind attending parties with drinking and smoking, as long as he was with friends — to him, it was simply a good time and a way of exploring his newfound freedom. He says he grew out of that lifestyle quickly and has since learned a great deal about himself, now viewing himself as the more responsible one among his peers.

He also changed his major from criminal justice to business. As noted, the interviewee typically makes decisions in consultation with his parents; this major change is a clear example, as his family and girlfriend both intervened and encouraged the switch to business. He adds that his interests — not merely his tastes — have changed. His girlfriend, in particular, did not want him to pursue a career in law enforcement out of concern for his safety.

Emergent Adulthood

Arnett argues that young adulthood means individuals have technically reached adulthood but do not yet believe they are fully adults. He outlines that individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 are slowly progressing into adulthood, and that this age group is most likely to fall under the category of emerging adulthood (Arnett, 2004). Additionally, Arnett notes that 18-to-20-year-olds in the United States tend to see themselves as non-adults; most are still in college, unmarried, and childless — in contrast to young adults who are employed and married.

In this case, the interviewee holds a part-time job and claims to handle his responsibilities, suggesting he possesses some characteristics of an adult. He further believes that looking after his friends while socializing makes him more of an adult than they are. Yet he is uncertain whether he truly qualifies as an adult — a feeling reinforced by the fact that he still consults his parents and other family members periodically. According to him, he tries to behave as an adult but fears he does not yet fully fit the description. Since he does not entirely depend on his parents, he also does not consider himself an adolescent.

Conclusion

Emerging adulthood is a new and contentiously evolving concept. Most scholars and observers believe it is a period in which individuals in their late teens and early twenties struggle with identity exploration, instability, self-focus, and a sense of being in-between life stages. According to Jeffrey Arnett, emerging adulthood spans the ages of 18 to 25, during which individuals become more independent and explore various life possibilities. The interviewee's experiences — his ambivalence about adult status, his evolving relationships, his shifting worldview, and his growing sense of responsibility — align closely with Arnett's theoretical framework and illustrate the nuanced, gradual nature of the transition into adulthood.

References

Arnett, J. J. (1994). Are college students adults? Their conceptions of the transition to adulthood. Journal of Adult Development, 1, 154–168.

Arnett, J. J. (2000). Emerging adulthood: A theory of development from the late teens through the twenties. College Park: University of Maryland.

Robin, M. H. (2010, August 18). What is it about 20-somethings? The New York Times.