Week 6 - Phil Kleven

Early adulthood is a time of excitement, growth, and change. For some, it is a wonderful time, and for other, it can’t end soon enough. This weeks readings were both informative and frustrating, as they brought up memories from my own life that I had hoped to forget! 

First, what is early adulthood? Lisa Fiore, author of Lifesmart, identifies it as a time between ages 18 and 25. Early adulthood, or Emerging Adulthood is a term used to identify the transition into adulthood. During this time, young adults engage in exploration and experimentation as they attempt to navigate their life path. Thinking back to college, the time of early adulthood was very exciting, but there were some dangers and negative situations. Hazing is one of these dangers. She notes on page 208, “Most people have heard about accidents and even deaths of young men and women who have been put through having, the initiation its that precedes full acceptance uno fraternity and sorority membership.” Even though colleges take hazing very seriously, it continues to be a problem that affects young people during a vulnerable time in their lives. 

Next, early adulthood can be marked by changes in physical development. On page 210 of Lifesmart, she mentions, “Early adulthood is the life period during which physical changes slow down after the dramatic changes that occur in adolescence” (Fiore 210). As the body makes these physical changes, something else become crystal clear - the effects of lifestyle on our health. Diet and nutrition continue to be increasingly important during adulthood. At this time, some people may begin to notice the link between heart disease and cholesterol. “Experts argue that our current society has become “obesogenic,” meaning that we live in an environment that promotes increased food intake, unhealthy foods, and a sedentary lifestyle” (Fiore 211). I see this in my own circle of friends, and it frustrates me. Most of my friends gave up sports they played in the past. When I started playing hockey in 2011, I struggled to find other people my age who were willing to play. In their defense, Fiore notes that one challenge is finding time for physical fitness. 

As we mature and enter early adulthood, there are also cognitive changes and developments. Piaget argued that young adults generally possess more knowledge than adolescents, especially in specific areas of interest” (Fiore 215). This may explain why students enter college during early adulthood. As interests flourish, young adults have the ability to understand and retain knowledge at higher levels. 

Though present at all levels of development, there are changes to gender, sexuality, and social development during early adulthood. Fiore notes, “As men and women enter early adulthood, confusion about gender roles may compound confusion about their identity. Images in the media and among celebrities present ideas about what is desirable for each sex and their behavior in society” (Fiore 216). Images on television can be confusion for someone undergoing physical or mental changes. 

Are there social developments during early adulthood? Of course! Individuation refers to how we develop a separate and special personality, derived less and less from our parents and teachers and more from our own behavior” (218). I enjoy noticing this when I meet with my violin students and their parents on a weekly basis. As the students grow, they tend to reflect many of their parent’s qualities by nature. When they approach adulthood, I see them wrestle with conflicting views and decisions. 

All of this information culminates with the point in life where I fit in. Fiore describes this as “Marriage and the family”. She notes, “Increasing numbers of people are choosing to live together without getting married, a practice called cohabitation” (Fiore 221). Even though I am married, I see a large majority of my friends living with their boyfriend or girlfriend without any plans to get married. There are many opinions on this, and I don’t want to start a battle over it! I believe that we can view the younger generation’s cohabitation as a way of expressing concern over commitment. I see many people who live together taking things slowly, trying to grasp the many challenges of being in a relationship. As I said in the opening, Early adulthood is a time of excitement, growth, and change. There is no one formula we can follow to live the perfect life!