postadolescent
No longer teenage
Postadolescent describes someone who has moved beyond adolescence but hasn't fully settled into adulthood—typically the late teens through mid-twenties.
The term captures that transitional phase when teenage concerns have faded but adult stability remains elusive: postadolescent anxieties about career and identity.
As a noun, it refers to a person in this stage.
Doing mundane grownup tasks
- collegeHigher education institution
- universityHigher education institution
- entry-levelRequiring minimal prior experience
- internshipSupervised professional trial period
renting · relocation · cohabitation · roommates · budgeting
Learning one's true character
- independenceFreedom from external control
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- individualityUnique personal character
- self-expressionConveying one's inner world
exploration · experimentation · open-mindedness · curiosity · quarter-life · coming-of-age · self-definition · worldview
Developing new competencies
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- ambitionDesire for achievement
- aspirationStrong desire for achievement
potential · education · experience · adaptability · resilience · drive · motivation · goal-setting
Aged 20-29
- millennialConcerning thousand-year cycles
- college-ageAround eighteen to twenty-two
- undergraduateDegree-seeking college student
- youthState of being immature
State of being answerable
- wisdomGood judgment from experience
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
- self-awarenessInsight into one's psyche
judgment · reliability · professionalism · commitment · accountability · decision-making · perspective · priorities
adulting
Doing mundane grownup tasks
- collegeHigher education institution
- universityHigher education institution
- entry-levelRequiring minimal prior experience
internship · renting · relocation · cohabitation · roommates · budgeting
self-discovery
Learning one's true character
- independenceFreedom from external control
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- individualityUnique personal character
self-expression · exploration · experimentation · open-mindedness · curiosity · quarter-life · coming-of-age · self-definition · worldview · authenticity
skill-building
Developing new competencies
- networkingBuilding professional relationships
- mentorshipGuidance from experienced person
- ambitionDesire for achievement
aspiration · potential · education · experience · adaptability · resilience · drive · motivation · goal-setting · certification
twenty-something
Aged 20-29
- millennialConcerning thousand-year cycles
- college-ageAround eighteen to twenty-two
- undergraduateDegree-seeking college student
responsibility
State of being answerable
- wisdomGood judgment from experience
- stabilityResistance to displacement
- pragmatismPractical problem-solving philosophy
self-awareness · judgment · reliability · professionalism · commitment · accountability · decision-making · perspective · priorities
postadolescentpreadolescent
Child nearing puberty
prepubescent · child · childhood · juvenile · preteen