Although South Africans are considered adults at the age of 18, subjectively feeling like an adult can take much longer. The trend of a prolonged journey to achieve adult milestones gave rise to the emerging adult theory, which describes individuals aged 18 to 30, who are in the process of becoming adults. Unlike previous generations, emerging adults today were raised in an age of information technology and they must enter an ever-changing labour market where they often bear the brunt of economic volatility. Emerging adults also have multiple options to approach relationships and family life. Since life-altering choices are often made during this developmental stage, it is foundational for the rest of adult life. This presentation will address how adult developmental tasks have been influenced by a changing zeitgeist. Emerging adulthood will further be discussed with cognisance of the South African context and local knowledge. Practitioners will gain a better understanding of this population’s challenges and potential resources to help them swim rather than sink into adulthood.