emerging adulthood
Young adult phase
Emerging adulthood is a developmental stage between adolescence and full adulthood, roughly ages 18 to 25.
The term captures a period of identity exploration, instability, and gradual assumption of adult responsibilities—finishing education, establishing careers, forming lasting relationships.
Many people in emerging adulthood still rely partly on their parents.
The concept reflects how traditional markers of adulthood have shifted later in industrialized societies.
- twentiesThird decade of life
- transitionChange from one state
- independenceFreedom from external control
- collegeHigher education institution
- identityWho someone is
self-discovery · quarterlife · uncertainty · exploration · trial and error · freedom · career · dating · roommates · real world · entry-level job · millennial · limbo · late bloomer · potential · instability · finding yourself · figuring it out
- developmentgrowth, progress, advancement, expansion, improvement
- twentiestwenties, college grad, self-discovery, first apartment, roommates
emerging adulthoodlate adulthood
Final life stage
old age · childhood · senescence · early childhood · infancy
emerging adulthoodself-sufficiency
Independence from outside aid
infancy · financial independence · homeownership · parenthood
emerging, adulthood, emerge, adult, emerges, emerged, emergence, emergent, adults