In North America turning 30 has become a significant milestone replacing 21 as a rite of passage.
More and more people in their 20s are going to school longer,
living at home with their parents longer, and delaying
marriage.
The 20s are seen by sociologists as a period of "prolonged
adolescence."
With the emphasis on youth, 30 is the doorway to adulthood,
a new maturity level. Thirty may signal both self-imposed and
societal expectations.
For some, the transition may be a relief.
"Turning 30 is a big deal among my circle of friends," says
Sarah Bearley, editorial director for Shoebox cards, who
recently celebrated her 30th birthday.
"It really is the new official 'I'm-an-adult' milestone.
I've heard several of my friends say what a relief it is to
leave the 'crazy 20s' behind.
There's something very liberating about being 30."
As women are marrying older, that "not married" trigger
seems to go off at 30, according to Wesely-Clough, rather than
at 25, the current median age for marriage.
As a Shoebox 30th birthday card says: 30 isn't so bad. Lots
of people would love to be 30… Especially the ones who are 40.
People look for a reason to get together - even when there
is no reason.
Of course, a birthday is a natural opportunity to grab, and
the 30th is an opportunity that cannot be passed up, especially
with the focus on friends and connections of young
professionals moving toward 30, says Weseley-Clough.
"Thirty is the age at which a person realizes that time is
limited, that the clock is ticking. In youth, the perception is
that 'all things are possible,' but 30 signals a new
realization."
Hallmark's 30th birthday card sales reflect that trend.
Sales of 30th birthday cards remain steady, despite the 16
percent decrease in births between 1970 and 1973, the year that
today's 30-year-olds were born.
The generation dubbed Generation X, which followed the trend-setting baby boomers, is not only smaller, but also setting some trends of its own - celebrating big for 30th birthdays, for example.
