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AznLover Asia & the PacificDiscussions about living, working, studying, visiting, or playing in Asia & the Pacific or Downunder.
Young adults are living with their parents longer to save money, and leaving it later to marry, buy a house and have children, according to research by the University of Melbourne’s Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research.
Compared with previous generations a higher proportion of today’s young adults are also not married and without children, says author of the study, Dr Gary Marks. The study shows, however, that by age 30 almost all young people have left home, only five per cent of 30 to 34 year olds live with their parents, and that parental occupation status is linked to whether a young person has moved out. Young people whose parents’ occupations were in the highest status quartile were more likely to be living at home, partly because they were more likely to be in full-time education. See the study, Transitions to adulthood: Leaving home and partnering, at HILDA Survey
HILDA Survey: Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia
I came here as an international student and I've been renting and living on my own for 7 years, since I was 18. I don't really know what it's like to be a young adult living at home (although I've had the opposite experience: my parents visiting and living with me as guests). Initially I thought that the norm here for young adults is that they'd all move out at 18, except for a few, but that seems to be a thing of the past. Working at a uni, I know a lot of students (of all backgrounds) in their early-mid 20s and the majority still live at home with their parents. The few who are renting usually have moved here from another state, regional area or from overseas.
I think generally until they get jobs forcing them to move out, most Asian-Aussies tend to live at home until their late 20's.
However, now there's more of an imperative for them to live longer at home: the high prices of property and rentals in main cities.
It's a bit of a cultural thing. My parents actually prefer me to stay at home for a few more years. Also an economic thing: if your uni (or even workplace) is close by, what's the point in paying for another place?
More and more white Aussies are also staying home longer nowadays. But in their case, their parents seem to be annoyed by this (from the papers). But I think these parents are just being unrealistic. Sure, they got to do their 'independent' stuff when they were young but the world was different then. They could afford to. So many things (education, healthcare, etc) were free for them. Housing prices and rentals were also much cheaper. Immature really, what I think their reactions are to their kids. Reason why I dislike the baby boomer generation.
I doubt living independently teaches one much 'independence'. Heck I know of plenty of friends staying on their own who are into drugs, and are immature as heck. I mean, what does living by yourself actually teaches you? To pay the rent on time? To do your own laundry? To clean up after you eat? Puh lez, I do all of that for my parents now anyway.
I mean, what does living by yourself actually teaches you? To pay the rent on time? To do your own laundry? To clean up after you eat? Puh lez, I do all of that for my parents now anyway.
What it's taught me:
- Dealing with the pressure of bills and rents. Your parents won't kick you out of the house for failing to pay the bills when they're due, but landlords and utility companies will do something about it.
- Keeping the whole place presentable. It's a lot more than just your room and common living areas.
- Dealing with situations where things go wrong, because your name is on the rent, so you're responsible (at home, your parents are). Things like: bad neighbours, tree falling on your roof, your tree falling on your neighbour's roof, party noise, neighbours stealing parking space from each other, people dumping stuff in your bins, annoying pets, toilet gone wrong, gas/electricity/water not working etc.
- Being a host - having people visit & stay at your place.
- Self-reliance for everything.
- Becoming emotionally and mentally stronger. You are your own support,
basically.
- Savings & knowing that you need to work your butt off if you want a certain lifestyle. Living by yourself is not cheap.
- Freedom! e.g no embarrassing situation with unwanted witnesses if I happen to bring a lady friend home and our clothes are flying in all directions from the door to the floor to the bedroom.
There are a hell lot more but that's enough to be a decent list for living by yourself.
When I moved out back in 1992, I shared a flat in Neutral Bay -- perfect location, perfect room, free marijuana (courtesy of my flatmate who grew it under lights in his room) -- and a view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 10 mins walk from Hayes Street Wharf from which I could catch a ferry to uni, all for $75.00 per week. Those were the days. That room would probably go for about $175.00 or more these days.
- Freedom! e.g no embarrassing situation with unwanted witnesses if I happen to bring a lady friend home and our clothes are flying in all directions from the door to the floor to the bedroom.
Out of all those reasons, this is the MAIN motivation for me to leave the nest
Seriously, living with your parents (esp if your parents are the conservative kind) = no sex life. I don't think I can live with my parents knowing about the intimate details of my love life.
But I'm with Hen on this. I will also move out once I get a proper job. Until then I just can't afford to. I don't understand the people (mostly some of my white friends) who just think of moving out straight away once they get into uni, irregardless of the fact that they only have minimum paying jobs for their source of income. I think that's just dumb. Of course the freedom factor is very enticing, but I think the economic burden far outweighs that atm.
Out of all those reasons, this is the MAIN motivation for me to leave the nest
Seriously, living with your parents (esp if your parents are the conservative kind) = no sex life. I don't think I can live with my parents knowing about the intimate details of my love life.
But I'm with Hen on this. I will also move out once I get a proper job. Until then I just can't afford to. I don't understand the people (mostly some of my white friends) who just think of moving out straight away once they get into uni, irregardless of the fact that they only have minimum paying jobs for their source of income. I think that's just dumb. Of course the freedom factor is very enticing, but I think the economic burden far outweighs that atm.
Go shag while their parents are not around
The reason that this can happen in Australia is that there is a STRONG youth culture there.
In many Asian countries, you arent worth SHIT until a man can pay for an entire house, two cars, and his extended family.
Take a good hard look at the cultural and financial nuances and see the differences.
The reason that this can happen in Australia is that there is a STRONG youth culture there.
In many Asian countries, you arent worth SHIT until a man can pay for an entire house, two cars, and his extended family.
Take a good hard look at the cultural and financial nuances and see the differences.
This is slowly changing in Vietnam, afaik. More young adults are moving out before they can afford all of those. Mainly because they can't afford such things until they're much older, and they want more freedom NOW. The attitude they get from the older generations hasn't caught up with that, but they don't seem to give a sh!t. More are moving out & living with their BFs/GFs now and their parents can't do anything about it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bubbletea
But I'm with Hen on this. I will also move out once I get a proper job. Until then I just can't afford to. I don't understand the people (mostly some of my white friends) who just think of moving out straight away once they get into uni, irregardless of the fact that they only have minimum paying jobs for their source of income. I think that's just dumb. Of course the freedom factor is very enticing, but I think the economic burden far outweighs that atm.
I do understand them. It's called taking a risk and forcing yourself out of your comfort zone. Risk taking isn't always smart, but being smart & calculating your every move so that you stroll along through life entirely within your comfort zone isn't all that, you know. I didn't have a choice in this matter. I was forced into it by circumstance. However, in hindsight, even if I had a choice, I'd do it again. Since I uprooted myself at 18 to move here, I've done this "forcefully removing myself from my own comfort zone" a few times and every single time, I've grown so much from the experience.
The economic burden was very tough at first, but it forced me to become smarter at applying for jobs & making money. Recently I hooked my friend up with one of my old part-time jobs (building & repairing computers). When I had to walk him (who's only done retail/fastfood jobs and he's never moved out of home) through how to make the most money from it, I realized how much I had to learn to survive - and I'm only 2 years older than him.
There are many paths in life though. That's just one I've chosen.
