Welcome to the Striving to Thriving Youth Quote Library. Here you’ll find a curated collection of more than 5,700 quotes from young people ages 15-22 living in communities across the United States. In the library you can see how young people describe their multifaceted identities, how they understand and apply meaning to language around job, work and career, how they think about and assign value to relationships, networking and connections, and their future goals and the education and career choices they believe will lead them there. You can also view additional notes on curation, categories and filters.
“[At 25] I will hopefully be living somewhere in the Suburbs of Chicago. I will be working as a police officer for a surrounding suburb or possibly the only I’m living in. Being financially stable and living comfortably are important to me, not having to struggle to get by. My friends and my girlfriend (maybe wife by 25?) are people that are important to me.”
“Ambitious. Go Getter. Work ethic = excellence. Stringent/regimented. Loyal. Logical.”
“So it’s like…to take care of your kids, well, to take care of your family, be able to pay your bills, just enough money.”
“[At 25] As far as living situation, maybe I will still be living at home just because I am very comfortable with my family. It wouldn’t be a bother. It might be easier for me just to live for a while. In terms of income, I am probably making money. I am not really sure. I think I need more time in college to see what I’ll be doing there.”
[Description of “career”] “I feel once you have a career you are set in stone. That is what you choose to do with your life forever. I feel once you make something a career that determines to me you are happy where you are at. I understand a lot of people aren’t, but personally I wouldn’t make a career out of something I don’t love…I think about buying a house when I get my career. Even now I am already saving for a home. That is how much I enjoy working. I really do.”
“I feel that college pushed me to become extremely independent and disciplined.”
“I think college prepares you for a career not just a job. By attending college means you want to perfect yourself in the field you desire most. With college your able to learn things you can’t learn in a regular job.”
“So like a downside [of owning your own business] would be you could lose everything.”
[At 70] “I would have invested in a couple of stocks, and, hopefully, those stocks did good…advancement. Like they’re saying, accomplish…look back at everything I did; make sure everything I did was right, pave…for my future generation, stuff like that.”
“At 45, I can see myself living in Alabama for sure now; working in a healthcare facility; having maybe one or two kids, a dog, a husband. I see myself being an obstetrician and gynecologist and, you know, being a good parent, nice vehicle, good credit.”