the boomerang generation.

Yes, unfortunately the boomerang generation sounds exactly like what you think it would be. It is the label that has been given to my generation; the current 20-somethings in America who go off to college and get their degree only to return home soon after for a plethora of reasons. Most of the time it is for obvious reasons, such as the economy, financial woes and the simple fact that a Bachelor's degree no longer packs the same punch as it did with our parent's generation; all of these reasons prove to make a bad mix.

I have to admit that even my plan upon graduation is to move back home and depending on how quickly I can land a job, live at home for a maximum of 2 years and hopefully have saved up enough money by then to move out and really get started on a new phase of life. Unfortunately, that plan rides on a lot of "what-ifs." What if I don't find a job with a salary within 6 months of living at home? What if I have to go work at the mall again so I can pay my phone bill? What if I have to end up living at home for more than 2 years? It makes my head spin thinking of all the ways this could potentially end up.

Numerous articles have cropped up on this topic or it has simply been illustrated such as The New Yorker cover from May 2010 above. The term even has its own Wikipedia page, awesome! (Please note the sarcasm.) There is even a harsh article from the New York Times which instead of looking at this as an unfortunate product of the downturn of the economy chooses to take this angle: "What is it about 20 somethings...Why are so many people in their 20s taking so long to grow up?" Now, I take that a bit offensively. Even though time and time again I find myself saying how "weird" it is when I see high school friends  getting married and having kids already, I know that technically we are at that age where it is ok for that to happen. I mean my own mother got married at 22 to my Dad and she had me by age 24. Personally, I could not fathom getting married at age 22 (I'm a bit more career driven at this stage in my life) but I guess when you meet the right person you just know and you're ready right? But anyways, back to this New York Times article, I find it offensive because moving back in with my parents is not me trying to fend off "growing up." It is actually me facing up to reality and seeing that I do not have anywhere near the amount of money to move out on my own and be financially stable  to pay for rent, utilities, my phone bill and food among other things. I know that I need to live at home and once finding a job I know that I will save a lot of money by living at home and only paying for essentially my phone bill and other random odds and ends.

I ask of you New York Times author, Robin Marantz Henig, how is that refusing to grow up? If facing reality, attempting to make a plan and sticking to it based on all of your options, and making a loose plan for the future isn't growing up then please tell me what is. For now I plan on embracing my boomerang-ness and doing the best with what has been given to me.