11 Things Gen Z Was Promised About Adulthood That Turned Out To Be Lies
Gen Z is learning the hard way that adulthood isn't all that they had hoped it would be.
TommyStockProject / Shutterstock Growing up, there were certain expectations that Gen Z were told they needed to meet in order to make their ideal adulthood happen. For example, they were taught that the needed to get good grades, succeed in school, and work hard once they entered the workforce. Much of what they believed life would be like hasn't panned out due to economic shifts, political instability, and rapid technological advancement, but some of what Gen Z was promised about adulthood turned out to simply be lies.
Now that they are teens and young adults, Gen Z is just beginning to reckon with the fact that many of the things they were told would happen in adulthood are never going to come true.
These are 11 things Gen Z were promised about adulthood that turned out to be lies
1. Getting a college degree will set you up for life
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One of the most important things Gen Z heard throughout their adolescence was the importance of a college degree. Many of us were told that without a bachelor's degree, we wouldn't amount to anything, we wouldn't be able to get good-paying jobs, and it would be hard to enter the workforce. However, Gen Z has realized just how false that really is.
Not only is Gen Z aware that a college degree doesn't quite matter anymore, nor is it a reflection of your intelligence or success, but those that did go to college are now struggling to find jobs. According to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the unemployment rate for recent college graduates between the ages of 22 and 27 has been higher than the overall unemployment rate in America every month since January 2021.
This means that recent college graduates are more likely to be unemployed than the general public, even though they have spent four years accruing student loan debt and working hard to get that degree.
2. If you save up, you'll be able to buy a house
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Once upon a time, older generations were able to successfully buy their first home by simply saving part of their income from their jobs. Growing up, not only was Gen Z told that the pinnacle of adulthood was becoming a homeowner, but we were also expecting it to be our reality.
Unfortunately, inflation and the cost of living have made it nearly impossible for Gen Z to even think about being able to purchase a home. In fact, a report by Intuit Credit Karma that polled 1,249 people age 18 and older found that nearly one-third (31%) of Gen Z adults were still living at home with their parents because they can't afford to buy or even rent their own spaces.
"The current housing market has many Americans making adjustments to their living situations, including relocating to less-expensive cities and even moving back in with their families,” explained Courtney Alev, Intuit Credit Karma’s consumer financial advocate.
3. Your 20s are the happiest time of your life
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Many Gen Zers, especially those with older siblings and cousins, noticed how exciting and fulfilling it was to someone in their 20s were during the late 2000s and 2010s. It seemed like adulthood would be nothing but freedom, fun times with friends, and financial stability.
Unfortunately, a pandemic, economic challenges, and political turmoil have made things far more difficult as Gen Z reaches the same age. A study from TransUnion, a credit reporting agency, found that those in their early 20s are earning less, accruing more debt and are seeing higher delinquency rates compared to millennials when they were in their early 20s.
Because of this, the report revealed that 14% of Gen Zers are "extremely stressed out," and struggling with their mental health, making it not quite the happiest years of their lives.
4. Learning how to budget will bring you financial independence
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While budgeting is a key factor in learning how to manage your finances and gauge exactly where you might be spending recklessly, it doesn't magically make money appear in your account. Despite how much Gen Z heard about the importance of budgeting, and no matter how frequently they do budget, the problem is that they're not making enough money to see a difference in their financial circumstances.
In a survey from ResumeTemplates, which polled 1,750 full-time employees aged 17 to 27, only 13% of Gen Z employees believed that they were being paid fairly at work. Nearly one-third of those feeling underpaid admitted they should be earning between $70,000 and $100,000 annually.
Considering the cost of living, it's not surprising that Gen Z feels they need to earn more just to be able to fulfill all of their expenses and necessities. Unfortunately, the power of budgeting doesn't make it any easier despite what we may have been told.
5. You'll be able to retire comfortably with money saved up
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Most of Gen Z once thought that retirement would not only be a possibility, but that they'd be able to comfortably live off of the money they saved throughout their years working. Unfortunately, low income and high debt have made it impossible for Gen Z to envision a future where they'll be able to ever stop working.
A report from the TIAA Institute and UTA's NextGen Practice found that a large percentage of adults 27 and younger don't think they'll be able to retire. The report also found that only 20% of Gen Z adults say they are actively saving for retirement.
6. Health insurance is guaranteed from a good-paying job
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Gen Z was led to believe that getting a good-paying job at a respectable company meant that everything would be included, especially health insurance. Unfortunately, the reality is a lot harsher considering not only do some companies not include packages, but they can be quite expensive.
A report commissioned by the insurance firm Assurance IQ and conducted by Wakefield Research found that over a quarter of Gen Z adults admitted that they don't have sufficient coverage to meet their needs. In addition, most young adults are working lower-paying jobs and are unable to pay their insurance-related costs.
7. Getting married and having kids is part of life
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The cookie-cutter American lifestyle that includes getting married and having children is something that Gen Z heard a lot during their adolescence. Older generations prioritized settling down and starting families, but Gen Z adults could care less about getting married and having kids.
For them, many of the ideas surrounding marriage seem quite outdated and considering everything going on in the world, they're not really thinking about that next step. When it comes to having kids, the cost of childcare is quite high and extensive. Gen Zers are battling student loan debt and other expenses, as well as mental health struggles, and are aware that their circumstances might not be the best to raise children in.
If anything, they seem to be a lot more thoughtful about their futures, and if it doesn't involve marriage and children, they seem to be ok with that.
8. Internships are the best way to secure a future
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In some cases, internships can be the stepping stone to securing a career and getting your foot in the door for the industry that you want to work for. But many internships are unpaid or underpaid, and young adults are sometimes overworked and treated as if they are full-time employees despite not being able to get any of the benefits that come with being a full-time employee.
For the most part, internships can bring good experience and allow for that to be added to a resume, but because Gen Z adults are often seen as people that employers shouldn't hire because we've been branded as lazy, entitled, and hard to work with, the belief of internships might not be as concrete as we were once led to believe.
9. Being loyal to one company leads to success
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Older generations often lived by the code that the longer you stay with a company, the more they'll value and appreciate your hard work and dedication. For some companies, that might be the case, but the majority of the corporate world doesn't quite think that way.
Gen Z has had to learn the hard way that dedication and loyalty often don't get you far with a company. They'll still lay workers off, refuse to pay them an adequate salary, and will have a problem with employees trying to prioritize their work-life balance.
This is why Gen Z has become the generation known for job hopping, because they refuse to stay somewhere that doesn't value the work they put in day in and day out.
10. You should be grateful for any job that you get
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This mentality that was pushed upon Gen Z growing up is not only proven to be a lie but is also used as an excuse to get them to put up with a toxic, negative working environment. Older generations seem to be under the impression that a job is a job, and it doesn't matter if you're being treated unfairly, being underpaid, or being exploited because at least you have a job.
However, Gen Z has quickly realized that they would rather be unemployed than employed somewhere that is consistently depleting their mental health. Even if it means having to live at home with their parents or rent an apartment with 10,000 roommates, they would rather struggle than work for a company that is taking advantage of them.
11. Becoming an adult means stability and independence
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Gen Z was fed a fantasy about adulthood during their adolescent years. They were told that becoming an adult meant they would finally grow into themselves and achieve that stability and independence as the generations that came before them. Unfortunately, due to a number of unforeseen circumstances, Gen Z adults are quickly realizing that adulthood is nothing but stress and financial uncertainty.
It doesn't mean that the future may not hold some good fortunes, but as of right now, especially for young adults in their 20s, things seem quite bleak. And many Gen Z adults are quite disappointed that this has become the reality of their adulthood, and as much as they're trying to stay optimistic, it's not easy.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.