Specifically, many young adults start college around 18-20 years old, meaning that they are just entering the dating pool while also trying to finish their degree. The following chart shows marriage rates by age:
For people who get married before 27, there is a good chance that it will end in divorce [ 3 ], sometimes known as "educational hazing" [ 4 ]. This practice has been linked to other social ills such as higher unemployment [ 5 ] and depression [ 6 ]. According to an article from The Atlantic , "One-third of college students say they're depressed—and half of those are severely depressed." In addition to stress resulting from school, other emotional trauma can result from breakups with significant others; although Millennials may be less likely than earlier generations to stay in bad relationships, these experiences still happen and can lead to feelings of sadness and anxiety.
The data backs up these claims; according to a March 2013 poll conducted by Reason-Rupe , only 30% of 18-29 year olds are married, compared with 48% in 1980. This number is low despite the fact that young adults expressed interest in getting married (only 6% did not want to marry). However, Millennials work hard to be rational about their actions [ 7 ], which leads them to pursue short flings instead of committed relationships. They can easily find casual sexual partners through internet apps like Tinder or Grindr. A representative from Craigslist explains that the site provides "a different type of adult service" for people who do not feel comfortable meeting potential dates on dating sites like Match or OkCupid .