Trio

Hello, World

As a student here at the University of Southern California, it seems just plain stupid to discuss the importance of secondary education. After all, we are taught from a very young age—by our parents as well as society—to apply in our senior years of high school and jump straight into our plans for the future. Within a month of those vital acceptance letters we choose our destination and before we know it, we have chosen our majors as freshmen in college!

I was seventeen at this time, and younger than most of my friends who were at voting age. I had no idea what was ahead of me—jobs, relationships, and opportunities—let alone how to do my own laundry or cook my own meals. (And you know, if we’re being totally honest here, I still don’t! Take it from someone who has recently mistaken fabric softener for laundry detergent, and who has yet to cook anything outside of a Trader Joe’s frozen foods box.) But let’s get back to the point…

When I think back from two years ago, I wonder just how mature and prepared my friends and I really were. And to think that we’d be college graduates and out in the real world in just four years… crazy! Because in reality, what is the rush? Why is there such an emphasis on a social timeline in which we are college graduates in our early 20s, and married and with a steady job just a few years later?

Now a junior, I am really starting to feel the effects of these social expectations. And just the thought of my classmates already taking their MCATs and preparing for Med School applications is frightening. Not to mention, the push for internships and lab experience in the field.

Is it just me, or are we still so young??

There are so many expectations placed upon us, and at such a young age, that it has really made me think about the benefits of gap years and waiting periods—taking my time to do things at my own pace. And to learn more about the world and myself before I take that step for further education.

Of course, I am at school now and it would be impractical to think that I could just take some time off, strap on a backpack, and trek through Europe (how fun would that be!!!)  

But I mean…let’s get real. My parent’s would kill me!

I would be “wasting” their money, getting off track, and essentially making them very nervous.  But I’ve definitely realized that life plans must be self-constructed and not based on societal, or even familial expectations.

And so, over the next fifteen weeks, I plan to delve further into the theory of emerging adulthood—the transitory gap years between ages 18-25 (or however long it really takes us to become full-fledged “adults.”) This will include a debate on the importance of higher education—what is the value of a college degree in today’s economy? Do the benefits outweigh the costs, or is this higher education bubble—as PayPal cofounder Peter Thiel controversially claims—about to burst? And as we go further along the social timeline and with the pressure of marriage, children, and career, I will examine the alternative pathways to achieving these goals. Maybe the institution of marriage is outdated, or simply postponed for the newer generations. And with more advanced technology and fertility treatments, a female’s 20s shouldn’t be labeled as the baby-making years. Because our notion of a fulfilling life shouldn’t be so time-oriented, or based on the order and immediacy in which we accomplish our goals.

Profile

“Milk the pigeon” is a slang term from the 1800s, roughly translated to “to endeavor at impossibilities.” And it is a phrase our blogger Alexander Heyne views as especially symbolic for his readers: those that are stuck in a “crappy 9-5,” “major life path they’re forced to take,” or “motions in a life that has nothing inherently worthwhile about it.” And his advice for this lifestyle: CHANGE IT. With his frequent posts, he aims to inspire others.

He passionately seeks:

I hope as a community we can start a revolution of pigeon-milking, ass-kicking, boundary-surpassing tough sons of bitches who will truly change the way people view life and everything that comes with it. Here’s to saying piss off to the deferred life plan, and seizing every damn thing you’ve ever wanted from life.

Now according to the Alexa Blog Ranking, Milk the Pigeon’s traffic rank is 9,505,404 and unfortunately only has one site linking in (eek!). So, it would probably be safe to say that his site isn’t the most viewed, but you know what, I really like what he’s got to say.

One of his posts that particularly got my attention was “My Excuse for Drunken Debaucherous Affairs: Emerging Adulthood in a Nutshell.” And as I’m sure you can tell, the post name itself got me hooked!

C’mon now: drunken…debaucherous…affairs... What’s not to love?!  

He begins this post with a napkin-drawn diagram for his future, which shows the probable consequences of either moving back in with his parents, going to graduate school, getting a job, volunteering, or moving to China.  But none of the traditional routes are particularly stimulating, and there Heyne begins his take on emerging adulthood or as he calls it, “I’m a Big Boy Now,” the transitory years between 18-25. In this post, he speaks of ambition, endless possibilities, and finding your purpose in life. But instead of sounding overly preachy or self-righteous (as I know many people can), he relates to his readers through a very casual writing style—which includes a lot of swear words and bold emphases. Because after reading each post, I feel like I’ve had an “Ah-ha!” moment—a sort of clarity for the future—and one not from my parents, but from a guy my age looking to make a difference.

Now that’s cool.

Another of Heyne’s posts that really struck me was “Humanity’s Greatest Flaw: Quit Comparing Yourself to Others!” He begins this post with a quote by Chinese philosopher Lao-Tze, which delves into being oneself and not competing with others. He follows with a quote by author Nido Qubein that stems along those same lines.

And my first impression: Wow! This guy is worldly.

The frequent use of quotes throughout his blog show that although Heyne’s writing style is very informal (he once referred to having kids as “poppin’ out a couple lil’ shit machines”), he is very well read and knowledgeable. Because clearly, he knows how to turn it up a notch!

Further on in this post, he talks about how society is getting more and more skilled with every year and how as a result, there is this enormous pressure to succeed—to accomplish goals and get ahead of others or what he calls “societal sickness of comparison.” Like Heyne blogs, “most of us are stuck in a time-sensitive period where we are focused on ‘achievement’ and obtaining things that ‘prove’ we have succeeded in life” when we should really be doing what makes up happy. And after this little bit of advice, Heyne asks us to “Milk that. Chew on it. Ponder it,” which really made me do just that.

I plan on incorporating many of Heyne’s views into my own blog with similar posts relating to our social timelines and pressure to follow a major life pathway. But in contrast, mine will focus less on traveling and advice for avoiding this lifestyle and more on the emerging adulthood theory itself. In all, expect to see Heyne’s writing featured throughout my blog posts! 

Voice Critique

You know, it was very strange… having turned 20 this past week. I know that as a junior, most of my peers have reached this milestone months ago, or possibly don’t even care about this birthday in comparison to the next. But for me, I felt very weird. Maybe it was the thought of shedding that “teenager” label that has been at my side for the past 7 years, or possibly just nostalgia for the past—the embarrassingly funny moments in middle school, high school, and even in college. But mainly, I attribute this feeling to the responsibilities and time-sensitive decisions that are quickly approaching in regards to my future. What does adulthood entail? And more importantly, am I ready for it???

You might just say I experienced my quarter-life crisis.

Ms. Morgan’s blog “Surviving 20-Something” also shares this apprehension. In a post reviewing a New York Times article on emerging adulthood, Ms. Morgan shows her readers a sarcastic, yet sincere approach towards understanding our construct of time and emphasis on accomplishments.

She begins by defining the five milestones—as considered in the article—that are required before she can “consider herself fully ‘adult.’”

And what exactly are these standards? She lists the following:

1.     Completing school

2.     Leaving home

3.     Becoming financially independent of parents

4.     Getting married

5.     Having kids

But that’s not all. For each standard, she adds her own interjections as to what the criteria means and to what extend can she cross off each item on the checklist.

For instance, her response for leaving home: “(now I’ve done this a few times, have come back and now am trying to leave again. Hm? Maybe I’ll give myself ½ a mark.) Half a CHECK!” And in response to the benchmark for children, she jokingly asks if her “cats count?”

But overall, only two and a half “CHECKS!” For Ms. Morgan.

After realizing this, she declares “I am not an adult, can I go back to bed now?” This cheeky attitude proves that she clearly doesn’t view herself as adolescent (I mean.. obviously! She is 28. And she knows it). But this simultaneously allows her to critique society’s standards for adulthood. Why do we view these accomplishments as the only measure of success (and adulthood), rather than—as Ms. Morgan describes—just “being happy” and “confident and comfortable in her own skin?”

She asks her readers “did I miss that day in school somewhere? Was I too busy coloring outside the lines in Kindergarten (haha who are we kidding you know I stayed inside the lines)?” Again, she is cheeky! She questions when everyone decided on the criteria for adulthood, and why she seems to be the only rebellious one. After all, she used to color inside the lines..

Later in the post, she throws in tidbits of pop culture—she mentions celebrity couples rushing to the alter and America’s newer take on casual sex: “maybe we’ll start a trend of not mimicking Hollywood and marrying every wo/man that comes into our bed and then…heaven forbid…decrease the divorce rate?” Similarly, she argues why she should sprint towards establishing a career, when it only leads to “dying of a cardiac arrest in her 50s.” Here, the use of sarcasm adds to her main point—why should we rush towards careers, marriage, and other social milestones in life?

And although she is very witty in her writing, she reminds us that she is serious about changing the standards. Throughout the article, she addresses the ultimate significance of waiting, arguing that by learning more about ourselves and the different cultures around the world, we can pursue careers that really matter to us and raise a new generation of individuals—ones that are not “xenophobic and prejudice” to the unknown.

Finally, she highlights a response from the original article, in which the author acknowledges the 20s as a time for travel, experiments, and adventures. Now, Ms. Morgan makes sure we are aware that this concession only comes after 10 pages of lecturing. And her response: “Hm? Didn’t I just say that?” (Touche, Ms. Morgan!)

In another blog post, “Dumb in Your 20s,” Ms. Morgan displays a more casual, but still very humorous attitude towards the meaning of adulthood. Again, this is in response to an article, but unlike in the previous post, she adds, interjects, and italicizes her personal thoughts to the original article itself—an accumulation of lifestyle habits and realizations about life as a 20-year old. And in an intro to this referenced article, Ms. Morgan shares her hope that others will also confess as she did, “Oh crap? That’s TOTALLY me!” By doing so, she enables her readers to relate, and feel comfortable reading the post.  

For instance, when responding to the notion that during our 20s we go through an average of eight jobs, she types her answer with several ellipses, showing stream-of-consciousness and a casual tone to her writing: “okay let’s count…since I graduated college (because work study jobs don’t count) I’ve had ….five….six jobs….Guess I’m right on track. lol.”

And humorously, she admits, “I plead the fifth,” in response to the belief that 20-somethings spend money on frivolous things. She is funny! And this allows us—as readers—to connect with her writing.

Finally, her common use of exclamation marks adds to her excitement about the topic and her routine OMGs and LOLs, as shown earlier, adds to the colloquial feel of her response.

           

Although Ms. Morgan’s tone changes somewhat between the different blog posts, she has an overall humor to her writing, critiquing our emphasis on time and transition to adulthood.

But either way, I am hooked on Ms. Morgan!