The Hardest Part of Being 30s

When your wallet is empty, but it feels heavy 

“You’re nothing yet”

Kaleidoscope, — is the word we often hear or read lately. As spread over and over, it says as described that we have no time anymore. There’s no chance anymore. Or already in the stage almost entered into ‘maturity’. In Indonesia mostly, entering the age of 30 is a strawn ‘scary’ by some of the youth in whoever was born in mid-90s. In 2025, everyone who was born in 1995 had to be ready to face the ‘three-headed’. Well — it doesn’t mean in your neck grows two other heads.

Turning 30 can be a significant milestone, often associated with a shift in perspective and priorities. While some may feel pressure to have achieved certain milestones, it’s a time for reflection, self-discovery, and embracing new possibilities.

Entering the age of 21st, the load given by the social environment is certainly different from when we are still at the age of 18. There is no definite responsibility charged to us. Unlike the Western countries most obligating 18-years-old children should live alone, meanwhile in Indonesian culture is still committed to live with their parents at 18. Teenagers in this country will at least be judged to live independently until they graduated from college.

The average young man has been given the demand to ‘stand on his own feet’ at the age of 23-24 years old. Where at the age in general teen has graduated from college and normally will look for work to support themselves. Meanwhile, in Indonesia the community mostly determine the normal adult age to marry at the age of 25 to 29 years old.

Could you imagine that? —

It’s understandable to live with parents until the age of 24 (until college graduation) then was required to marry at the age of 25. Then, how much time did they have to make money to prepare marriage needs?

— I don’t want to discuss about marriage, just because in this country’s culture; if someone’s age approach almost 30 years old, the majority of people will questioning “Is he married?” —

The question feels “Ewwhhhh” to hear even for answered. In a sociological perspective, Erikson states that the age of 20-40 years old is adulthood. Some theories discuss the phenomenon known as “quarter-life crisis,” where people feel dissatisfied with their careers, feel stuck in the ‘void’, or experiencing identity crisis while trying to find the meaning of life.

Research Suggests that The 30s can be a Period of Increased Happiness and a Better Sense of Self Compared to Earlier Years

Perhaps, the term ‘three-headed’ or age entering the 30-years old generated that our previous generation refers to the thought capacity that must continue to grow in every decade. Every year in every age, we need to increase wisdom in making decisions.

It seems like a few years ago, if people worries that at 30 years-old age is about a family or having children, nowadays individuals tend to worry about financially unstable in the old age.

Whether we want to acknowledged or not, teen perspective nowadays hasn’t made ‘marriage’ as the main purpose to be achieved before 30 years old. Although many people still think marriage as one of the goals, but not the main one. Backward to the last 20-30 years, married still used as a top-list in the purpose before someone entering the age of 30. Once, people will be worried if they’re approaching 30 but still unmarried.

The worries feeling is not only in the ‘owner’ of age, but also the whole family. Ironic.

The whole family will busy trying to finding the contact of the girl or boy just to come for the matchmaking.

Nowadays, having no money is a big concern. Even more than just marriage, money as the principal material should be ‘acquired’. No, not a matrealistic. But they just trying realistic. Money is not everything, but everything needs money. Including when they want to prepare the wedding, right or not?