By Naomi Viesca/Staff Writer, Copy Editor
Turning the age 18 is a big deal when you are a teenager. It means you are responsible for yourself and don’t need your parents’ permission anymore.
Although you are now able to do what you would like with no authorization, it doesn’t mean you are an “adult.” An adult is a person who is fully grown or developed.
There are lots of opinions of when one becomes an adult. Some are based on science, while others are personal opinions. While currently the age is 18, science supports 25 as a more logical age for adulthood, and I agree.
According to The Atlantic, humans are sexually mature after puberty, but can start anywhere from ages 8 to 13 years old for girls and ages 9 to 14 years old for boys. When one starts puberty, it is a sign of becoming an adult but that does not mean you are one yet.
In studying scans of the adolescent brain, neurologists have learned that when kids are around 18, their prefrontal cortex is only halfway developed. The prefrontal cortex helps people set and achieve goals. It receives input from multiple regions of the brain to process information and adapts accordingly.
If your brain is only half way developed at 18, that means that you still have things to learn and your brain still has time to develop until you are the age of 25 years old. Until then, the brain is developing who you are and how you will mature from then on.
Some people think going off to college and living on your own qualifies as becoming an adult, while others may believe being financially stable and being able to afford living on your own are what make you an adult. Not everyone has a fortunate life where they have family who they can ask for support. Although there are situations where you are forced to become an “adult” whether you like it or not.
According to the Mother Nature Network, in the foster care system, once a child turns 18, he or she is considered an adult and can no longer receive state-sponsored support. These children are forced into a life where they have no family or anyone to support them other than those who were there for them in the system.
According to the MNN, some foster care advocates think it makes more sense for 25 to be the legal age of adulthood. They want the age of maturity to be based on science, not arbitrary numbers.
Having a quality job where there is good pay will allow you to supply yourself with necessary things to survive. For example, buying food, and having a house for shelter. These things will help someone become a more mature and responsible person. Also, going through tough times where there were decisions or events making you realize life isn’t as easy as it seems, should qualify someone as an adult.