Chapter Three. A (Wo)man with a Plan? Understanding Life Course Plans among Single Young Adults

This chapter presents a qualitative study examining the assumption that young adults intentionally plan their relationships as part of the Developmental Tasks framework and challenging the traditional view of singlehood as a temporary phase before settling down.Even though the number of single (young) adults is rising, singlehood is often seen as a temporary status after which individuals settle with a romantic partner.This chapter focuses on developmental tasks that explain periods of singlehood, as some tasks could be prioritized over others.Research among young adults found that being single allowed them to pursue individual goals and interests, and therefore, they deliberately delayed romantic involvement.This chapter addresses the fundamental assumption behind this rhetoric: young adults plan their relationship status.The Developmental Tasks Argument implies a conscious and planned path that young adults foresee for their (future) relationship status.We therefore pose the research question, "Do young adults plan their relationship status?If yes, how?If not, why not?".We conducted 44 qualitative, in-depth interviews with single individuals between 24 and 37 years old.Our analysis found young adults both with and without a relationship plan.Based on how they approach relationship planning, we identified five "ideal types": Life Course Planners, Developmental Task Accomplishers, Childfree Non-Seekers, Personal Development Prioritizers, and Confident Non-Seekers.Together, the ideal types illustrate that single young adults' relationship and life course trajectories represent a dynamic and complex interplay of personal choices, societal expectations, and external circumstances-and are not always a matter of deliberate planning.As such, they contribute to a better and more nuanced understanding of singlehood and relationship trajectories among young adults, particularly in how they navigate relationship aspirations alongside other life goals.