Advertisement

Adulting: it is the daily struggle we all face

Growing up has become so challenging for millennials that there’s now a nifty word to describe the act of behaving responsibly: ‘adulting’.

The term first appeared on Twitter in 2010 and firmly entered the lexicon in 2011 when American blogger Kelly Williams Brown published the bestselling Adulting: How to Become a Grown-up in 468 Easy(ish) Steps.

• What happens when parents have a favourite child
It’s not insomnia if you stay up voluntarily
How to avoid looking old beyond your years

“You wake up when your alarm goes off; you don’t push snooze,” says Williams Brown. “Then you turn around and make your bed. Being an adult is not one big complicated thing – it’s just little steps you take throughout the day over your life.

“If you take them you’ll find that all of a sudden things are in control and you’re not overdrawing your bank account or showing up to work with a giant coffee stain on your shirt.”

Every generation has struggled with the transition to adulthood, but the millennials’ battle to act their age is perhaps the most maligned – and celebrated. Memes abound on social media: “I can’t adult today. Please don’t make me adult”, “Adulting? It’s a trap” and “Adulting like a boss”.

So why don’t millennials want to adult? Turns out there’s more to it than the memes suggest.

Millennials vs baby boomers

Social researcher Claire Madden says because millennials have had most of their basic needs provided throughout their lifetime – in contrast to baby boomers for whom this wasn’t always a guarantee – they value experiences over traditional life markers like home ownership and a steady job.

that-horrifying-moment-where-youre-looking-for-an-adult-but-then-realize-you-are-an-adult-so-you-look-for-an-older-adult-someone-successfully-adulting-an-adultier-adult-b7059“It’s about making the most of life, experiencing it and enjoying the journey – not just working hard,” Madden says. “They’re empowered, mobile and value self-actualisation over security.”

Unsurprisingly, Madden says linear-loving baby boomers can struggle to understand why millennials don’t want to adult.

“Baby boomers who focused on working their way up in a job to provide for their family and make sure their housing needs were met can struggle to understand millennials and believe they can’t commit or they’re not responsible,” she says. 

Modern challenges 

According to research by the Youth Research Centre at The University of Melbourne, adulting is harder now than it was in the past.

il_570xN.846703278_5g7uHouse prices are now 12 times the average annual salary versus four times in 1975. And unlike previous generations who planned to work for the same company for decades, millennials expect an unstable path through the job market and are wary of planning their work or family lives too far into the future.

“Millennials are talked about as if they’re some sort of strange offshoot of humanity, but every generation is shaped by forces that were set in place long before they were born,” says Williams Brown.

“In the past there were some structures in place that aren’t there anymore. When my parents graduated from [university] there were certain expectations that they would find a job within their career field and probably work for that company for many years before retiring. That’s not how the economy or careers work anymore.” 

Marketing manipulation

When marketers noticed the turn away from adulting, they began catering to millennials’ anxiety about growing up, which exacerbated the trend.

In Australia, this is reflected in the popularity of youthful, stress-free activities like scribbling in colouring books – ironically dubbed ‘adult’ colouring books – health and silence retreats, music festivals and the ubiquitous digital detox that encourages disconnection from the adult world.

“These sorts of experiences and products tap into millennials’ highly mobile lifestyle and preference for experiences,” says Madden.

Now, forget your chores, put your feet up and book a spontaneous holiday.

SEVEN ELEVEN STOCK

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.