The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter--And How to Make the Most of Them Now

The Defining Decade argues that the twentysomething years are far more significant than contemporary culture suggests. While popular messaging frames this period as extended adolescence or emerging adulthood, Meg Jay contends that twentysomethings have been misled by hype and misinformation that trivializes what is actually the most transformative decade of adult life. Drawing on over two decades of clinical work with thousands of clients and students, Jay combines current scientific research on the twentysomething years with firsthand accounts from twentysomethings themselves. The book demonstrates how work, relationships, personality, identity, and brain development can change more substantially during this decade than at any other time in adulthood—provided the time is used intentionally. This revised edition includes updated research on work, love, the brain, friendship, technology, and fertility; analysis of how a decade of device use has shaped how people view friends and seek romantic partners online; 29 conversations to have with a partner or consider while searching for one; a social experiment featuring digital natives without their phones; and a reader's guide for book clubs, classrooms, and personal reflection.