After pondering the meaning of being an adult, we wonder if students are and want to be treated as adults at university. No one here is an expert, defining what it means to be treated as an adult is work in progress, but we do have a few comments and ideas that may resonate with faculty and students alike. What do you think? As a student, do feel like you are treated as an adult? As a faculty, are you treating your students as adults? What would not being treated as an adult look like?

Shownotes:

Why does it take so long to grow up today? Jeffrey Jensen Arnett, Ted talk, 2015: https://youtu.be/fv8KpQY0m6o?si=YRL76bGm0zrMUlFi

Arnett, J. (1994). Are college students adults? Their conceptions of the transition to adulthood. Journal of Adult Development, 1(4), pp. 213-224.

Nelson, L., Padilla-Walker, L., Carroll, J., Madsen, S., Barry, C., & Badger, S. (2007). “If you want me to treat you like an adult, start acting like one!” Comparing the criteria that emerging adults and their parents hold for adulthood. Journal of Family Psychology, 21(4), pp. 665-674.

At what age do you start to really feel like an adult? (If ever!), The Student Room: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5037720

Reddit blog on students being treated as adult at university/college: https://www.reddit.com/r/college/comments/m6vkss/do_you_get_treated_like_an_adult_in_college/?rdt=47899

To contact the co-host for comments or suggestions, write to us at Podcasttheuniverse@gmail.com.