The so called stages of life

Our generation aspires achieving the highest levels of education possible in hopes of acquiring the career role desired. Unfortunately, what could have been done with a Bachelor degree now requires a masters or even a PhD. In addition, graduates face the challenges of finding a job on their field because they are required to have previous experience. Others are categorized as overqualified. To overcome the economical challenges recent graduates have no choice but to skip or experience in an unorganized matter the so called stages of life-work, marriage, children, and retirement. 

I believe life stages should not be the norm as society portrays them. It is up to the individual to decide its own path based on personal experiences, goals, and life circumstances. Our generation focuses more on what is best for oneself rather than what is best for others. For instance, postponing marriage, childbearing, or graduate school for backpacking and climbing Mount Everest sounds like a great adventure for new college graduate, no? These are great dreams and can be achieved in the long run. But from the moment you graduate and find yourself hopeless to even survive, your dreams of being young, wild and free become something like “My house! My rules! My money!” Fully or partially economically dependent its no fun when you are controlled by the same rules as when you were a teenager.

Overall, the inability to become adults as mentioned in the article is not because of the lack of maturity but because of the life circumstances and the choices we are whiling to make for ourselves. A mature individual is one that has grown mentally. For me maturity defines adulthood instead of reaching the so called life stages to satisfy society’s past believes.