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What Are the Biggest Challenges Young Adults Face Today?: Students Speak Up
By Diane Demee-Benoit
7/24/07
New America Media, a nationwide network of over 700 ethnic-media organizations, received funding in 2006 from several foundations, as well as from the University of California’s Office of the President, to conduct a survey of young people in California to better understand what young adults ages 16-22 feel are the primary issues impacting their lives.
The study -- one of the first ever to be entirely conducted by young adults’ favorite communication tool, the cell phone -- had professional interviewers speak with 601 young Californians. Of those people, 31 percent attended public high school, 21 percent were enrolled a four-year college or university, 19 percent went to a two-year college, 19 percent weren’t going to any school in California, 4 percent were students at private high schools, and 1 percent of students were in a General Equivalency Diploma program.
The results of the study paint an interesting picture of the upcoming generation. Among the major findings:
- One in eight of the nation's young people live in California. Three-fifths of those in the age group are people of color, and almost half are immigrants or the children of immigrants. As the report cites, "This poll paints a portrait of a generation coming of age in a society of unprecedented racial and ethnic diversity -- the first global society this country has seen."
- Twenty-four percent of the respondents consider the breakdown of the family to be the most pressing issue facing their generation today, followed by violence in neighborhoods and communities, and then poverty and global warming. However, several significant differences among racial and ethnic groups existed.
White young adults named family breakdown as number one, followed by poverty and global warming. African American and Latino youth, however, believed violence in their communities was the most pressing issue facing their generation, followed by family breakdown and poverty. Asian American young adults, meanwhile, named family breakdown as the number-one issue, but they felt neighborhood violence was almost equally important, while poverty and global warming tied for third.
- Personal finances and school ranked as high stressors. One-third of respondents said school causes the most stress, followed by money, personal relationships, and peer pressure. Asian Americans were significantly more likely than other groups to mention school as their biggest source of personal stress, while African Americans were more likely to mention money.
- Young Californians embraced the state's increasing diversity. Most said that the majority of their friends were of a different race. They were just as likely to identify themselves by personal tastes in fashion and music, for example, as by traditional identity markers such as race and ethnicity.
- Sixty-four percent of young Californians though they would be married or have a life partner at some point, and 63 percent believed they would have children.
- Young Californians understood that postsecondary education is important. Over two-thirds expected to earn at least a four-year college degree, and 96 percent of respondents believed that if they work hard, they could achieve their goals.
What do you feel are the most pressing issues facing young adults today? What do you think about the results of this study? Please feel free to share your thoughts!
What concerns me as recent high school graduate
Submitted by Krista Lee (not verified) on August 6, 2008 - 09:13.
My name is Krista of Brandon, Florida, I am 18 years of age, and a recent graduate. Walking across the stage to get your diploma was the best feeling of twelve years that I've felt. Walking out into the real world and learning about problems with future social security, health care, and all the fine lines, becomes today's stress of tommorow. I come from a very diverse background, but have always been the middle-class working family. I, as a young adult of 18, am scared. I watch the political ads, the campaign trails, the bashing, the "who is right" speech, and it doesnt help me sleep at night. I do work, go to school, and hopefully going to be on my own soon. Again, my biggest problem is do I want an, "American Hero" or an "American Celebrity" as "The Man"? The things they want to talk about and the things they want to do are two questions that come into play. Who is who and who is really going to do what. I have faith in this whole situation and I'm trying my hardest to get "Young America's Voice" out. School, yes that is an issue socially status wise, but what about my health, my money, my voice. I do encourage my friends to speak out. Most of them say, "Government doesn't care, they just want money." Well welcome to the vicious cycle of life... Money is greed and greed turns into abused power. I think that the unspoken voice's of young adults is the abused power because "they" aren't having to deal with it, we are. Everyone is. Period. I want this is be read, and thought about. I do eventually plan on speaking out more about this so called, "taken-care-of issue" because it's not taken care of. I shouldn't have to be in fear of my future, and I am.
That's Not The American Dream
Concerns of young people
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on April 17, 2008 - 14:00.
Family breakdown is a problem even in small towns in Nebraska. It is amazing to me that people are so wrapped up in their problems that they don't think about their children. Even divorced parents can find a way to support their children together if they care enough. What comes first in a family? The children--they are the defenseless ones. The adults can manage, but kids feel lost. Even in good marriages, one partner may take the responsibility more seriously. At least the kids know for sure who will always be there.
I am a librarian and I see a lot of kids who know no boundaries, no support, few real friends, and they float from school to library to the streets, looking for what they don't even know. Parents who are together but work all the time or "play" all the time are not any good either.
I pray for the children.
The biggest challenges kids face today
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on March 23, 2008 - 06:43.
I read this whole page and feel sad about all those young people feeling so alone in their early years of striking out into the world. It also makes me feel angry at parents for not being there 150% for their kids. If you can't afford to pay for your kid's school, fine. But at the very least BE THERE for them emotionally and mentally. It is truly survival of the fittest in the USA and I hope morality improves because our young should not have to struggle with low morale in their formative years. God bless every single one of them.
Issues facing young adults
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 24, 2008 - 12:13.
I am a 22 year old Hispanic male from Miami, Fl. we face a lot of similar issues here in Miami. I feel that while in the earlier years of a young adult the biggest issue they face is trying to fit in. popularity is one of the most important things to a high school student, young adults stress about not having the newest clothing, the latest electronics, the trendiest look, and most important not being able to attract members of the opposite sex or in some cases the same sex.
After high school i believe the next issue young adults encounter is financial problems. finding and maintaining a good job becomes an issue, also as one gets older more responsibility's arrive such as car payments, insurance, cell phone bills, internet bills, gas, food, and rent. These payments become extremely overwhelming for a young adult.
Challenges facing college students
Submitted by Cheri Casey (not verified) on February 20, 2008 - 21:32.
I am a returning college student due to a disability and also a parent of two beautiful teenagers. In researching some of the challenges college students face today, I have come across this interesting survey. It is really sad to read these statistics and to realize the impact on our future children due to the breakdown in marriages today. Many women shoulder all of the responsibilties and the children in the end suffer the most trauma. I think it is due time that the men out there stand up and be responsible. Children should be taught in high school more about healthy relationships, parenting, responsible living. Indeed , we can not keep going on this path. It is time to wake up a society living in denial, abuse and irresponsibilty to what it is doing to our society and children. Some traditions and morals need to have a fashionable comeback to reverse what is an almost anything goes, at whatever cost destructive way of life. Men should be more responsible and accountable. Those statistics do not mention how many men are considered criminal in their neglect of their children with the results being many young people living in poverty and facing these struggles mentioned. Unfortunately, very few children recieve the support they are entitled to with little consequence to men. However, truly we all are seeing the consequence that can only become worse without planned measures for change.
personal relationship
Submitted by alex (not verified) on January 23, 2008 - 18:06.
I was an engineering student at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I found personal relationships, the lack of love and support, fitting in as some of my toughest problems while I was in school. I consistently had these unresolved issues with my girlfriend and that was taking up a big chunk of my daily thoughts. The more I tried to ignore and concentrate on my school work, the worst it got. I didn't know what to do. It definitely crippled my study habits and I'm sure it has drastically effected my overall academic performance. Though I stayed away and never talked to her again in the last two years of my college life, the damage was already done to me and I literally had to struggle through college in order to graduate with a decent grade.
Therefore, to summarize, the personal relations and the lack of support at UIUC has made my classes 10 times harder for me. Thank god I got out alive!
Sincerely,
Alex
changed values
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on January 5, 2008 - 08:34.
The biggest challenge facing many teenagers in Massachusetts is to fit in. Almost everyone wears the same clothes, talks the same, and has the same goal of having a boyfriend. School and sucess is not in their plans any longer, so an F on a test is no big deal to them-it is only school!
Challenges for Young Adults
Submitted by Deborah Miner (not verified) on November 28, 2007 - 21:55.
It amazes me that young adults share similar concerns across the nation. I teach Family & Consumer Science classes in Connecticut and I spend several weeks discussing these same concerns with my juniors and seniors. If not within their own family, all of the students have experienced family breakdowns in some way. They have developed a support group among their friend families to fill the voids in their lives.
Most everyone has been touched by some financial crisis and this is across all racial lines. The students worry about their material wants and as a class we try to identify their needs. The refocusing of priorities helps them to simulate what they may have to work on in the real world of life after high school.
Fortunately most of my students live without major violence in their lives. They are exposed to it through our inclusion of intercity students who attend our school during the school year. These students live with deep concerns for their own safety as well as their friends and family.
As a class we view and discuss the movie, Homeless to Harvard. There is always a compassionate silence as my students view this film. My students then write an essay on what they would do if they were a mentor of Liz if she were to attend our high school for a year. It is refreshing that they reflect on their blessings and are willing to help someone else.
I believe that our teens do face challenges as have teens in past generations have faced. I think that we have made some of these issues more difficult for the students to handle by romancing divorces and violence on the media. They do not see a lot of positive role modeling where you have to work on positive relationships and responsibility.
Challenges
Submitted by Shawna Carosello (not verified) on October 3, 2007 - 19:27.
Those are interesting Statistics. I live in rural Southwest Colorado, and many of our students face similar issues. Our district has most of our students on free or reduced lunch. We have a high number of English as a second language and teen pregnancy is out of control. As an educator, I hope to have a positive influence and encourage a positive path. What steps do your schools take to motivate and encourage students, especially when their home stressors are so over powering?
Family Breakdown
Submitted by Colleen Warner (not verified) on October 2, 2007 - 18:55.
Although these statistics would look a bit different for young adults in Michigan, I would imagine that breakdown of the family is the most pressing concern of young adults throughout our country. As an educator in Michigan, it saddens me. Aside from all that I can try to do as an educator, ultimately I know that family issues have a much great impact on students than I ever will. Is there such a thing as "family values" anymore? Has our society become so ego-centric and materialistic that selfless love has gone out the window?
Colleen Warner, MS Education, Teacher Leadership, Walden University
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