Abby has been debating what she should do throughout her entire highschool career. Unlike how in the past, adolescents her age were expected to work she was planning what school she should go to. During the Industrialization and Urbanization time period fathers would take their kids to work with them, and got their wages until they were 17. But now children are expected to go to school and earn a degree to be able to get a well paying job. Abby had been debating many different career path throughout her life. Since she was little she had always wanted to be a teacher, probably going to into teaching art, but after seeing how the students at her school behaved she longer wanted to pursue that career path. After thinking long and hard, she decided on becoming an accountant. Going into business would provide her with many different opportunities and she could make a lot of money if she were to become a CPA.
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She started to work hard on her grades as she wanted to go to a good university to achieve her goals. She researched different schools and worked hard to meet their grade range. She talked with her parents about what she wanted to do and got their approval and support for her aspirations. Abby's parents had always told her to do what she wanted and supported every choice she made, and if it was a bad choice they would advise her and tell her how to make the idea a better one. Abby surrounded herself with different people so she could become a more open and social person, as people in business should, and long the way she made many great friends. They made her more comfortable and confident around others. She became more open with her thoughts and ideas. Her friends were also high achievers, aiming to do something amazing, which inspired her to do the same.
Abby had decided that she would go to a school away from home, so she would move out and stay on residential at her school, however the cost of doing this would be a lot for her to handle alone. 87% of parents expect their children to go to school, and her father is part of that 87%. He had been saving up money to help pay for her education. Abby was very thankful that her father did this and didn't know what to say. She thought that she would have to work and go to school, but thanks to her father she wouldn't have to do that. However, she decided to get a job anyways so that she could help her father by also paying for some of her tuition.
Thanks to her father, she went to university and studied hard everyday. She worked so she could be the best she could be and some day help her father in return. After 4 years she had her undergraduate in accounting and she decided that she would go for her CPA. This program would take another 2 years for her to complete, but she was excited to get it and help support her family. Abby had also decided that she would move back in with her parents while she worked for her CPA. She concluded that she would not be able to pay for a place to live while paying her school bills. However, while working on her CPA certification, she was able to get a job at an accounting firm. She worked there when she didn't have school and was happy to know that she would have a job after graduation. After she graduated from the CPA program, she goes to work for the firm she was already working at, but now she's full time.
Her story is a good example of Jeffrey Arnett's Theory of Emerging Adulthood. Jeffrey had said that individuals between ages 18-25 were not yet adults but emerging adults who are focused on exploring their identities in various possible life directions in love, work and worldviews, and this is what happened with Abby. She had decided on career and figured out ways to achieve this goal. She saw the world from the view of her parents and her new friends. She was able to open up to others and create meaningful relationships. Abby is also living on her own but she was still being supported by her parents. She had also moved out of her house, to later move back in, as Jeffrey stated as part of his theory. Furthermore, she had also not achieved financial independence, as she was only working part time and was not making enough money to support herself and pay for her schooling.
