The Ecosystem of Early Adulthood

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The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

What is the right road? What happens if you choose the wrong career, person, or location? What if you regret both your indecision and choices? Do you even have to pick a path?

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Paths diverge during a person's early twenties (20-24). In this ecosystem of early adulthood, some take the leap and make the big move to the big city. Others jump into careers at large conglomerates. A few even believe they have the map to success (typically, those people are a part of a multi-level marketing scheme). But, there is a keystone species no one discusses—the people who are too overwhelmed to make a choice. Let's call this keystone species: the agogs.

(Image courtesy of Rachid Dahnoun/Aurora Open/Corbis. Image found on https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/forrest-gumps-america-180951933/)

The Agogs pay attention to everything. They notice how each tree has a unique shade of green, revel in the first sip of coffee, or smile at each passing dog. Most of the Agogs came from the cove (college), consciously understanding that their time in the cove is limited to around four years. When they enter the new ecosystem, it is no surprise that an Agog would be overstimulated.

(Image courtesy of DreamWorks. The image is found on https://www.insider.com/cool-facts-about-shes-the-man-2019-3)

Unlike their home for the past four years, time moves differently in the early adulthood ecosystem. The Early Adulthood ecosystem praises youthful antics and big decisions. In this world, Aesop's hare always wins. The hare fastly hops from one Instagram-worthy accomplishment to the next. The hare travels light years ahead of its peers as it continues to ascent. But once you leave the early adulthood ecosystem, Aesop's tortoise appears to be the ultimate winner as it finds long-term fulfillment, meaning, and passion. The Agogs are straddled between expected impulsivity and cautious investment. So, what do Agogs tell us about the early adulthood ecosystem?

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The agogs are neither the tortoise nor the hare. The Agogs are the canaries in the coal mine. The Agog notifies the rest of the ecosystem of the dangers of rushing through life and passively letting life happen to you. An Agog is not a tortoise as a tortoise constantly works towards the same ultimate goal. An Agog can fly above the rat race to soar to ever-evolving adventures.

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Me on my first day of graduate school

Rachel Huss


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