Deutsche Welle decided to check what clock the German youth live by, and what milestones society sets before them.
I'm 18 already
At 18, Germans reach their full legal adulthood. “They can legally drink vodka and drive a car,” writes Zeit Online. “Though not in that order.” Of course, growing up is not limited to drinking alcohol and getting a driver's license. From this point on, higher demands and expectations are placed on teenagers. At least in terms of independence.
At 19 – save the world
Almost every third German decides to dedicate a year of their life to social projects after school – be it caring for the elderly or working with difficult teenagers. Some, especially the top students, go on a hitchhiking trip, backpack on their shoulders and a thirst for adventure.
There is no better time for such experiments, many psychologists believe. Only a few can afford later, after university studies, to devote a year to secondary projects: most go straight to work.
The further you go, the harder it is to realize your dream. You can, of course, take a so-called 'sabbatical' (a year at your own expense), but you need permission from your boss, who, understandably, is not always eager to grant it.
At 20 – back to studies
The recommendation of the German Centre for Higher Education Research and Science Studies (Deutsches Zentrum für Hochschul- und Wissenschaftsforschung) is clear: no later than age 20, one should start university studies. Four out of five applicants in Germany indeed choose this path. However, almost every third student drops out after just three semesters (most often, though, to change their major, especially since they don't have to take exams).
Therefore, psychologists believe that if a person lacks life experience, they can start studying later. Perhaps then the choice of profession will be made more consciously.
21 – time for travel
No sooner have they started university than they can pack their bags again. According to the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD, every third student in Germany goes to study at a foreign university, usually for six months to a year. Most go abroad in their fifth semester. And only one in ten in their third semester.
22 – time to think about career
Here, student practice and expert experience diverge. Many young people gain their first professional experience at this age. However, much more important is the internship in the last semester, many experts believe. At this stage, the student prepares their start in the profession.
23 – study and sex
By age 23, German students have accumulated experience of personal relationships with six different partners. This conclusion was reached by researchers at the University Hospital in Hamburg-Eppendorf. This is, of course, an average figure. Not everyone has such rich experience; some have none at all. Of course, it is easier to find a boyfriend or girlfriend during student years, but stories of wild 'partying' at German universities are a myth. Most relationships usually last no more than a year.
25 – time to grow up
It's good to be a student, but you need to know your limits. To reduce the number of 'eternal students,' German universities have defined the so-called standard period of study (Regelstudienzeit): 10 semesters for a bachelor's degree. That is, at age 25, a student should theoretically obtain this degree. Of course, they can continue studying, but they will likely have to pay tuition fees, and they will no longer have the benefits afforded to students (discounted public transport pass, cheap health insurance, tax benefits, and so on).
But figures from the Federal Statistical Office show that even half of students do not complete their bachelor's degree within these 10 semesters. On average, a German student receives a bachelor's degree at 26, and a master's degree at 28.
This means, among other things, that until this age, most Germans don't even think about family and children. Of course, there are students who have children during their studies, but still, most women in Germany give birth to their first child at 29-30.