12 things Gen Z misunderstands about ‘adulting’

You’re not crazy for feeling like adulting is a scam—it’s just that the rules of the game have completely changed.

Let’s be real. It can feel like you’re struggling to keep your head above water. The world you’re navigating is a whole different beast than the one your parents grew up in, with soaring home prices, AI creeping into the job market, and a constant pressure to succeed that’s taking a serious toll.

In fact, a whopping 42% of young adults say that being an adult is way harder than they thought it would be, according to a study from Life Happens. Prairie Care states that Gen Z reports higher rates of anxiety and depression than any other generation, and more than half point to financial worries and achievement pressure as the main culprits.

So, what gives? The biggest misunderstanding isn’t about your effort or your abilities; it’s about the outdated playbook you’ve been handed for a game that no longer exists. It’s time to toss out the old rules and write some new ones.

You think adulting is an age, not a stage

That magical moment when you turn 18 and suddenly feel like a “real” adult? Yeah, it doesn’t exist anymore.

The modern definition of adulting has way more to do with your bank account than your birthday. A majority of Americans—56% to be exact—now say that adulthood starts when you can pay your own bills.

Research shows that the feeling of being a grown-up doesn’t really kick in until around age 27. It’s no wonder that 11% of Gen Z still don’t feel like an adult at all, as Life Happens found. Psychologists refer to this period as “emerging adulthood”—a time characterized by instability, self-discovery, and a sense of being caught between childhood and adulthood.

So, if you feel like you’re in limbo, that’s because you are. It’s a new, normal part of growing up today.

You believe you’re falling behind in life

That nagging feeling that everyone else has it figured out is one of the biggest lies of our generation.

The pressure is intense. Life Happens found that an overwhelming 81% of Gen Z feel like they should be more financially ahead than they are. This anxiety is poured on thick by social media, where it feels like everyone is hitting major life goals while you’re just trying to make it to Friday.

As social psychologist Jonathan Haidt puts it, Gen Z is the first generation to go through puberty with a “portal in their pockets” that forces them to constantly manage an online brand.

However, it’s important to understand this: You’re not falling behind your peers; you’re just comparing your real life to an outdated, imaginary timeline.

You assume your career path is a straight line

The whole concept of “climb the corporate ladder” is dead. Gen Z isn’t job-hopping because they’re lazy; they’re job-hopping because they’re ambitious.

This isn’t about a lack of loyalty. It’s a smart response to a new reality. Randstad reports that the number one reason Gen Z leaves a job, right after pay, is a lack of career progression. With entry-level opportunities shrinking—junior tech roles are down 35% since January 2024—staying put can mean staying stagnant.

Even “quiet quitting” is misunderstood. It’s not about slacking off; it’s a defense mechanism against burnout.

You think financial stress is a personal failure

If you’re stressed about money, it’s not a character flaw. It’s a rational reaction to a brutal economic landscape.

Catholic United Financial reports that more than half of Gen Z (56%) report struggling with the financial responsibilities they have. Data from Bank of America shows that a third are actively stressed about their finances, and 52% of them point directly to economic instability as the cause.

Newsweek reports that Gen Z is paying an average of $526 a month in student loans—way more than the $284 average for everyone else.

As financial planner Michael Raimondi explains, “There seems to be an underlying stigma that Gen Z was handed an already crippling economy. They feel betrayed and neglected.”

You believe ‘work-life balance’ is about working less

Work-life balance isn’t about avoiding work. It’s about refusing to let work become your entire identity.

Gen Z is championing flexibility and well-being, and for good reason. It’s a direct response to seeing older generations burn out from a toxic “hustle culture.” The trend of “quiet quitting” is a perfect example—it’s about setting boundaries to protect your mental health when a job becomes overwhelming.

This generation values purpose over a huge paycheck. A Deloitte survey found that more than a third of Gen Z workers say job satisfaction is more important than the size of their salary. They want to work for companies that are making a positive impact in the world.

You think you’re the only one who feels lonely

In a world where we’re more connected than ever, it’s a strange paradox that so many of us feel deeply alone.

Loneliness is a huge issue for Gen Z, and experts say it stems from the superficial connections we build on social media. Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki points out that while young people crave closeness, they’re often hesitant to actually connect with each other.

In a Stanford study, when asked about their favorite way to communicate, “nearly every single person said… ‘in person'”.

You assume you don’t need ‘old-fashioned’ skills

In an age of convenience, knowing how to do things yourself isn’t just old-fashioned—it’s a financial superpower.

It’s become so common that “adulting” classes are popping up to teach basic life skills like budgeting, changing a tire, or even doing laundry. And the data backs it up: one study found that 42% of young adults couldn’t make a simple stir-fry, and another found that Gen Z was the “least knowledgeable” about basic car maintenance.

Why? Because apps can do it all for us. Learning to cook or make a simple repair isn’t about nostalgia; it’s about taking back control of your budget.

You believe your mental health is something to self-diagnose online

While it’s amazing that we’re talking more openly about mental health, TikTok is not a therapist.

The trend of self-diagnosing online is exploding. A shocking 50% of Gen Z admit to self-diagnosing a mental health condition based on content they saw online.

The problem is that these platforms are flooded with misinformation. Dr. Ujjwal Ramtekkar, a medical expert at LifeStance Health, calls social media a “double-edged sword.” While it helps reduce stigma, it also spreads misinformation that can lead to “harmful self-diagnosis and delayed professional intervention.”

Your mental health is too important to trust to an algorithm.

You think saving for retirement is a problem for ‘future you’

You might be a rockstar at saving for the short term, but you could be missing out on the single most powerful wealth-building tool you’ll ever have: time.

Here’s the disconnect: Life Happens states that Gen Z is actually great at day-to-day money management, starting to budget and save around age 22—earlier than previous generations. But when it comes to retirement, there’s a huge blind spot. Over half (53%) have never contributed to a 401(k).

This is a massive missed opportunity because of something called compound interest. It sounds boring, but it’s basically magic. If you start investing just $500 a month at age 25, you could have over $500,000 by age 55, assuming a 6% return. The longer you wait, the harder it is to catch up.

As financial planner Ryan Greiser advises, “The goal isn’t to look rich at 25—it’s to retire a decade or two before your peers. Live below your means, invest the difference… and let compound interest work.”

You think avoiding credit is the smartest way to avoid debt

Staying away from credit cards seems like a responsible move, but it can accidentally sabotage your biggest financial goals.

Gen Z is understandably terrified of debt. They watched Millennials get crushed by $1.7 trillion in student loans.

But here’s the catch: no credit is almost as bad as bad credit. Without a credit history, you can’t build a credit score. And without a good score, you can get locked out of major life moments, like getting a mortgage for a house or even a decent rate on a car loan.

Think of credit not as a trap, but as a tool. Learning to use it wisely is a critical adulting skill.

You believe asking for help means you’ve failed

In this economy, living with your parents isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a strategic financial move.

Let’s kill the stigma. Many young adults are living at home or getting financial help from family, and it’s a smart adaptation to a tough economic reality. 46% of Gen Zers rely on financial assistance from their family, according to a new report from Bank of America.

This isn’t a choice for most; it’s a necessity. With low average incomes and high monthly expenses, making it on your own right away is incredibly difficult. The whole “failure to launch” narrative is often driven by overwhelming anxiety and economic pressures, rather than a lack of effort.

Leaning on family for a bit isn’t a step back; it’s building a stronger foundation to launch from.

You think adulting is a destination you finally reach

The biggest misunderstanding of all is that “adulting” is a finish line. It’s not. It’s a messy, ongoing, and totally personal process.

The world is constantly changing, and the idea that you’ll one day have everything figured out is a fantasy. The phase of “emerging adulthood” is all about feeling “in-between” because that’s what modern life is—a state of constant adaptation.

Sociologist Roberta Katz says Gen Z is often misunderstood as “coddled” when they are actually incredibly entrepreneurial and adaptive. Your ability to navigate change isn’t a weakness; it’s your greatest strength.

Adulting isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being present, learning as you go, and defining success on your own terms.

Key Takeaway

Feeling overwhelmed by “adulting” is a normal response to an abnormal set of challenges. The key is to stop measuring yourself against an outdated rulebook. Redefine success on your own terms by understanding that the timeline for life’s biggest milestones has shifted for everyone.

Your career will be a winding path of skill-building, not a straight ladder. Financial stress and mental health struggles are often systemic issues, not personal failures. And most importantly, adulting is not a destination you arrive at, but a continuous journey of learning and adapting to a world that’s changing faster than ever before.

Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life

Science Tells Us What To Expect As We Age: Strategies for Thriving in Later Life

How does aging affect our bodies and minds, and how can we adapt to those differences? These are questions that pertain to us all. Aging gradually alters people over decades, a long period shaped by individuals’ economic and social circumstances, their behaviors, their neighborhoods, and other factors. Also, while people experience common physiological issues in later life, they don’t follow a well-charted, developmentally predetermined path. Let’s take a look at what science has told us to expect.

Why Supersonic Flights Vanished From Our Skies

Why Supersonic Flights Vanished From Our Skies

Every year on August 19th, National Aviation Day celebrates the marvels of flight and the pioneers who made it possible. But as we look to the skies, one question lingers. If we could fly from New York to London in under three and a half hours back in the 1970s, why are we still taking nearly seven today? Supersonic travel was once a thrilling reality. So, what grounded it?