Three Views of emerging adulthood
Latoya Venable
School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University
PSYC 210: Development Psychology
Professor Fluty
April 24, 2025
Describe the main idea presented in each video and reflect on these ideas in light of
your own life experiences. How do these ideas reflect (or not reflect) the reality
you lived during emerging adulthood?
In Meg Jay’s TED talk she points out why 30 is not the new 20 by educating emerging
adulthood is a time defined by decision making and discovery. People can be in between their
twenties and mid-thirties still making life changes (Jay, 2013). An example could be furthering
education after high school; a person can start off at one college but decide on a different
college or degree later that has to do with their job at that time. Others may take a break after
high school and decide to travel. Meg Jay discussed that years in your twenties should be
people’s adult development (Jay, 2013). One thing that stood out was when she said people
tend to push everything to their thirties and that can be overwhelming, it is seen so much today.
People may not be able to have a career or the number of children they would like because of
the time wasted in their twenties. Do something that will be an investment in your life and not a
burden.
My senior year in high school I thought about going away to college and even got offered
an opportunity to play softball there. My heart was not in it, and I could not force myself to do
it, I ended up going to school a year later. Meg Jay reminded me that after ten years of nursing
and in my early thirties changing career paths was something I needed. Being one of those
people who started their family in their early twenties and was finished with certifications from
trade schools by my mid-twenties. Allows me not to focus on more goals, my children are
teenagers, my friends are pushing forty trying to keep up with toddlers and infants. I feel like I
used my twenties well, getting to know my body, my career, and accomplishing life goals.
David Setran gave Wisdom for Emerging Adults, speaking insight on adult hood by
explaining American culture. He explained adulthood is like the game life we have choices after
high school, to continue our education, a career and from then on. What stood out for me in his
video was that he pointed out life can sometimes be like the game Life; except we choose which
path first. David Setran also pointed out people can emerge as adults while still living a life that
glorifies the Lord (Setran, 2013). I enjoyed his video. The explanation was very well detailed with
the game life for young students to understand better. Growing up for me, with adulthood I took
my own path but back then I could have had a more deepen commitment with Jesus because it
would have helped me so much with many life decisions.
Jeffery Arnett discusses the technology revolution and how over time it has gone from a
manufacturing economy to a knowledge economy making it a less people working
manufacturing (Arnett, 2015). He also talked about sexual revolution the increase in birth
control how it is separating sex from marriage. The women's movement with more participation
in the workforce and education is delaying marriages and family building. Hearing Arnett
discusses how so much has changed over time with emerging into adulthood can have pros and
cons towards it. Our ancestors stood up in the political world to get females in the positions
they are in
today career and education wise.
Which presentation do you believe provides the best advice? Why?
The presentation that I believe provides the best advice is Meg Jay’s because she explains
how that decade of our twenties is not just for us to pass by but for us to get to know ourselves.
Don’t push everything to the next decade because the best time to work on a marriage is before
you have one. Meg Jay gives a nice detail on how the brain caps off its second and last growth
spurt in your twenties, rewiring itself for adulthood. Meaning if a person would like to change
something about themselves that is the time to change it. I am glad I was able to have sense to
have already educated myself on my body by age 35, that was another educational fact she
pointed out because
t
as a female I understand what she is educating us on and how fertility peaks at age 28 and
things can get crazy after age 35 (Jay, 2013). One concept I wish I had heard was don’t put
everything off in your thirties, there are a few things I could have figured out in my twenties like
career and weigh loss goals.
Identify at least one concept presented that aligns with Biblical truth. Explain your
response
There were several concepts that aligned with Biblical truth but one that stood out for
was when David Setran said Hebrews 3:13 “to encourage one another not someday but today
so that you will not be harden by sin’s deceitfulness” (Hebrews 3:13 NIV—Bible Gateway, n.d.). I
like how he puts that in his speech because we need more encouragement from one another
because today we are either tearing each other down or competing for no reason. If I could
meet any of them it would be Meg Jay, I would ask her more about her role as a clinical
psychologist was it a career she always seen her self-doing or was it a career she leaned into in
her midtwenties.
References
Hebrews 3 NIV - - Bible Gateway. (n.d.). Www.biblegateway.com.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%203&version=NIV
Jay, M. (2013). Why 30 is not the new 20 | Meg Jay. In YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhhgI4tSMwc
Jeffrey Jensen Arnett. (2015). Why does it take so long to grow up today? | Jeffrey
Jensen Arnett | TEDxPSU [YouTube Video]. In YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fv8KpQY0m6o
Wheaton College. (2016). David Setran | Wisdom for Emerging Adults (4/13/2016). In
YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiYkjSAnTJc
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