A Necessary Journey

Emerging Adulthood and The Great Wildebeest Migration

Less than 100 feet in front of me stood a wildebeest examining the dangerous waters ahead of him. “Look!” My brother shouted excitedly, pointing towards the animal. “Get out your camera.” The wildebeests’ large, box-like heads with curving horns were powerful and intimidating when I had seen them earlier on our safari, but at this moment, standing at the edge of the river bed, all I could feel was the terror in its eyes. It reminded me of the first time I went to a skate park when I was 11 years old. I stood on my board, poking the nose of the board over the ledge of the bowl. I was sure that the second I pressed forward and dropped in, I would crash and die. I recognized the fear in the wildebeest’s eyes – convinced of devastation. The difference is, I had knee pads, elbow guards, and a helmet on, while the wildebeest needed to gallop through a crocodile-infested river motivated by his instinctive desire for survival. There would be food and water on the other side. Thousands of other wildebeests herded behind him looking helplessly the same.

This was in the summer of 2016 when I went to see the great wildebeest migration in Africa – one of the seven wonders of the natural world. Roughly two million wildebeests, zebras, and other species migrate across Tanzania’s Serengeti in search of good grazing and water. During the migration about 250,000 wildebeests and 30,000 zebras die every year as a result of predation by carnivores, drowning, thirst, hunger, and exhaustion. The journey is treacherous and demanding but critical for their survival. At no point is the migration more dangerous than at the Mara River crossing. The fast-moving river flows through the Maasai Mara into the Serengeti and is responsible for the highest death toll en route, killing thousands of wildebeests. The Mara River crossing represents an in-between phase for these animals – a separation between life and death. The wildebeests stand on a literal edge, preparing to take the uncertain leap forward. I got to see the crossing with my own eyes; along with the fear, determination, and brutality that comes with it.  

The reason I bring up this experience is because I find myself at an in-between stage of life. I am twenty-four years old, studying in graduate school, going on dates, and trying to find my place in this world. In other words, I am at my own crossing, standing on the edge, preparing to take my leap forward. This period in life is referred to as emerging adulthood and it is more prevalent in American society now than ever before. The term, emerging adulthood, was coined by psychologist Dr. Jeffrey Arnett in 2001 and is used to describe the distinct phase between adolescence and young adulthood, occurring from the ages of 18 to 25. Emerging adulthood has the potential to be a very positive developmental stage in a person’s life if they embrace the challenges that come with it, but it is not straightforward. The increased agency in the context of less structure, forces an individual to step up both emotionally and intellectually. While I am trying to navigate and make sense of this terrain, I find myself looking to the wildebeests for guidance. 

The concept of emerging adulthood is a fairly recent discovery. In 1995, while investigating what 18-25 year olds were searching for in life, Dr. Arnett heard a lot about feeling “in between.” The experience they shared while leaving adolescence, entering adulthood, establishing identity, and trying to retain a connection to family was notable. Dr. Arnett uses five characteristics to define this period: the age of identity exploration, the age of instability, the age of self-focus, the age of feeling in between, and the age of possibilities. 

One issue noted by Dr. Arnett is that emerging adults may be overly ambitious and have unrealistic expectations. How could we not? So much of life before 18 revolves around gold-star achievements, unwarranted trophies, and parents telling us we can do and be anything; and in all things media, everything and everyone is idealized, flawless, and aspirational. If a 25 year old college dropout could become a billionaire, a cocktail waitress can turn out multiple platinum records, a first-generation American is accepted to every Ivy League university, aren’t we all just one Shark Tank episode away from financial success, and a rose away from true love? Arnett worries that failure may not disrupt the emerging adult psyche, but perhaps it should. 

The first feature that Arnett describes as what defines emerging adulthood is identity exploration. While I have struggled to establish a definitive identity for myself career-wise, the piece of advice I have received most is to stay resilient. The wildebeest embodies resilience. Along their migration, the wildebeests face trials, triumphs, and tribulations, moments of uncertainty, defeat, and helplessness, but to survive they persevere. Not migrating is not an option. Career success, and other aspects of identity exploration, require a similar commitment. The kind of devotion that says there is no other alternative. 

The second feature of emerging adulthood is defined as the age of instability. This is the idea of learning how to navigate an unfamiliar and less constant environment. You are forced to get out of your comfort zone and make smart decisions independently. Independence can be liberating for some and taken advantage of, but many flail without the structure that living with parents and school affords them. This is one of the reasons that substance abuse is more prevalent in emerging adults than ever before, reports of loneliness are drastically on the rise, and depression within this demographic is at an all-time high. While many emerging adults crave independence when they don’t have it, the reality of what that entails can be debilitating once it arrives. While the wildebeests travel in herds for strength in unity, every beast is forced to fend for themselves when it comes to survival, and the weakest of the bunch rarely makes it. Seeing the environments that the wildebeests are forced to conquer along their journey – lions and leopards on land, vultures in the sky, and crocodiles in the sea – puts my own circumstances into perspective. The most profound parallel, however, is evident during the chaos of crossing the river. Even after the wildebeests have made it past unfamiliar terrain and foreign predators, they are left to protect themselves from one another. The wildebeests trample each other while crossing the river and are crushed and many drown because of the disorienting panic. This hectic competitiveness mirrors the sharp realization that emerging adults experience, and speaks to the individual tenacity necessary to emerge alive.

When watching the river crossing, what struck me most was that the wildebeests did not immediately charge into the water. For a long moment, the animals seemed paralyzed by their impending transition. Contemplating the significance of existence, yet driven by instinctual survival. They appeared afraid, shaky, and negotiating amongst themselves as to what would transpire next. Perhaps, like me, they were trying to decide who they were, what they believed in, and why. This is consistent with the third stage of emerging adulthood, the age of self-focus, and well symbolized by the prevalence of protest culture that we see in the emerging adult demographic today. According to Pew Research Center data, over 40% of United States protesters are emerging adults. If you live on the Lower East Side or have a TikTok account, this is unsurprising. Emerging adults are impressionable, opinionated, and figuring out who they want to be – a perfect recipe for loud activism. This feature of emerging adulthood focuses on establishing your values, evaluating your priorities, and realizing what kind of person you are. Will you be a leader or a follower? Aggressive or shy? Spontaneous or calculated? Careless or careful? This is a period of uncertainty and discovery within the self and working to develop a distinct voice is a part of that process. After a few minutes of chilling deliberation, one of the wildebeests trudged forward and plunged himself into the murky depths of the river. He had made a decision – taken a stand! – leaped to his destiny! – decided who he wanted to be! – it was time to fight for survival. The herd followed. 

The next feature of emerging adulthood is defined as the age of feeling in-between. Not quite a boy, but not yet a man. Too mature for school, but not ready for a career. Too young for marriage, but tired of Tinder. I can take care of myself, but not fully independent. One foot in and one foot out. Emerging adults feel ignored and out of place, just like the wildebeest. Ninety percent of the year, the wildebeest is overlooked by tourists visiting Serengeti, despite being by far the most abundant species on the continent. The lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard, and rhinoceros are the big five everyone comes to see. If you’ve seen the Madagascar movies, the wildebeest is one of the few animals that never gets the Chris Rock or David Schwimmer treatment. The Lion King is the same. The wildebeest is overlooked and underutilized the same way emerging adults are. However, come the great migration, the wildebeests moment to shine, there is no spectacle more sought in the world. Let this be a lesson for the emerging adults who feel out of place and that they don’t belong. Our time will come, eventually. And when it does, it will be all the more magnificent. 

Watching a herd of wildebeests run wild is a sight to behold. They carry themselves with an enviable air of freedom that feels like at any moment they may just take off and fly. The final feature of emerging adulthood is defined as the age of possibilities. This is a stage of confidence, hope, and looking excitedly towards the future. For this feature, the wildebeest’s trek is a metaphor for what shouldn’t be emulated. As much as I adore the wildebeest, their existence is a monotonous one, a repetitive one, even a tragic one, built on survival, not growth. The saddest thing I learned about wildebeests is that their treacherous migration is taken year after year. Literally and metaphorically, they are going in circles – motivated solely by the search for good graze and water. Emerging adults often find themselves accomplishing fewer things, because we are so committed to accomplishing everything. Our imaginations run wild with dreams and possibilities. This is a quality the world needs and should hold dear, even if it comes at the cost of discomfort, indecision, or insecurity. Humanity is dependent on youthful optimism not only to survive but to flourish. 

While I was sitting in the Jeep, our guide equipped with a rifle, my siblings pointing out zebras, and my mom perpetually reminding us to not lean out of the vehicle no matter how many times we assured her we had no desire to do so, all I could think about was the incredible juxtaposition of life. Here we were, a world away from the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts, a lion feasting on freshly mauled antelope, a vulture picking at the bloodied remains of a carcass, hundreds of other tourists from all around the world on nearby Jeeps snapping pictures of their own, thousands of wildebeests sprinting across the dirt plains hell-bent on survival, yet all the while, there was a strange sense of harmony. It wasn’t just or fair. The scene wasn’t even pretty. But I realized that is really what planet Earth is. One big, ugly, stunning clusterfuck of depravity, destruction, and desire, all jumbled together to teach us something. That we are blessed? That we are evil? Resilient? Important? Just another animal in pursuit? I don’t know. The one thing that seems definitive is that life is unpredictable. That may mean life is simple, purposeful, a mistake, or a complete paradox. I think it is irrelevant. Life is just life. And everyone will have to decide for themselves what that means. 

Sad and beautiful, the great wildebeest migration is a wonder of the world. It has inspired art, culture, poetry, and science, and is the greatest representation of the circle of life. As the wildebeest suffers and struggles along its journey, it serves as a harrowing reminder, that is precisely what existence is. A journey. And like all journeys, there are periods of pain and glory and hurt and love. What’s important is to take that journey, and leap off the ledge, regardless of the consequences, because without it, you will never know what awaits on the other side of the river.