A year of bucket list lifestyle: Why young professionals don’t want to wait for adventure

Stay ahead of trends in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter

Stay ahead of trends in fashion and beyond with our free weekly Lifestyle Edit newsletter

WIs a hat on your bucket list? For example, walking with elephants, seeing the Northern Lights, and trekking through the rainforest all generally have one thing in common. That’s something you can’t do in normal daily life. Most of us wait until later in life to start it. Much less decide what to put on it. But what if you don’t want to wait? Apparently, this is going to be the year of the bucket list lifestyle. This is because as young people enter the workforce, one of the fundamental questions in life changes from “How do I make a living?” to “How do you live?”

Trend forecasters are recognizing the rise of the “bucket list” lifestyle, where younger generations want to see the wonders of the world rather than be tied to location-dependent brick-and-mortar workplaces. I believe this year will be the year in which it becomes mainstream. .

Joanna Feeley, founder and CEO of forecasting firm Trend Bible, says her company has witnessed a movement towards an itinerant lifestyle and is aiming to adopt a digital nomad lifestyle in 2024. Told me more people would put up a stick to accept it. A “location-independent, technology-enabled lifestyle” represents a larger societal shift. Interest rates are at an all-time high, first-time buyers are taking out mortgages that take more than 30 years to repay, and rents are rising. All these factors are pushing young people away from traditional lifestyles that now seem boring, unattractive and very expensive. Young people aren’t waiting until sabbatical or retirement to take that “trip of a lifetime.” They want it now and are willing to work accordingly.

Join 19 billion people watching #VanLife on TikTok and discover more. pimp my rideA styled video created by young people who convert a transit van into a DIY mobile home and drive it across different countries and continents to complete their bucket list while working remotely.

Last year, 22-year-old Tia Forster was scrolling through Pinterest when she saw a photo of a sun-drenched van transformed into a compact living space with modern decor glowing on the screen. She fell in love with her idea of ​​living in her cozy space on wheels and living a life not tied to a monotonous routine.

After weeks of research and estimating the financial costs of the renovation, Forster decided to begin the process of converting the van into a mobile home. In June, she picked up a khaki 2006 Mercedes Sprinter Transit van, gutted the interior down to the silver aluminum shell, ripped out the flooring, and cut two holes in the back door to install windows. I made a big hole. Next, we installed soundproofing materials, solar panels, and skylights. A few months later, Ms. Forster, who surprisingly never started training until last summer, was traveling in her van to coastlines, hidden waterfalls, and working remotely as a professional gift finder. I’m thinking of chasing a technicolor sunset.

“I would watch hours of DIY videos on YouTube and study until I fell asleep every night,” Forster tells me about taking on the huge DIY job. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and I knew one day I’d find the time to do it.” Ms Forster’s goal is to complete the van and move around the UK, including her home on the Isle of Wight. and traveling to Italy and other parts of Europe. “It’s easy to get caught up in everyday life, but vanlife is about getting out of that comfort zone and seeing something new every day…I can’t wait to explore, travel and chase the warm world around me. Not “weather.” “

Mr Forster will be one of hundreds of young people who have swapped their 9-to-5 lifestyle and traditional living arrangements for a DIY van. Many of them are seeking peace away from cramped living conditions and commuting to urban centers. But peace comes with challenges. Examples include built-in sewage systems, washing machines, and self-sufficiency if you can’t rely on central heating.

Feely said Gen Z guides their lives around a series of adventure goals, such as seeing Nelson Falls in Australia, trekking through the mountains of Switzerland, or camping in the wild in Cornwall. Among them, it is said that they are beginning to aspire to a more nomadic way of life. Rather than living according to a strict five-year plan or a determination to climb the wealth ladder. “Not everyone is setting off around the world in a motorhome, but searches for #vanlife have increased by 216% since 2018,” says Feely. “And there is evidence of a trickle-down effect as people live more purposefully and chase their dreams.”

Feely added that this trend may indicate that young people are also trying to improve their work-life balance more than their parents. “What motivates them is that they know how bad work-life balance can be, and they want a better future,” she says. “More data shows that Gen Z and younger Millennials are very purpose-driven and want careers that are flexible and that they don’t want to give up.” Instead of just waiting for the day when you never have to work again, you’re trying to inject some adventure into your work.

Since the rise of flexible working in the wake of the coronavirus, the number of digital nomads has also increased, and social infrastructure has adapted as a result. In 2022, the Portuguese government will introduce a digital nomad visa for non-residents to work in the country, with more global companies offering roles that enable “work from anywhere” policies. Feeley said some companies are beginning to realize the business benefits of offering employees more flexible working arrangements, with one study finding that companies are offering employees “fully flexible” work contracts. The company says it has the potential to achieve even greater growth if it provides the following. And this number is likely to continue to grow, with WYSE Travel Confederation predicting that the number of digital nomads worldwide will exceed 40 million this year and rise to around 60 million by 2030.

Hence the campervan. Chris Barham, owner of Chrisby’s Campers, a family-run campervan conversion company based in the UK, says #vanlife is becoming more and more aspirational and that people looking to buy a caravan are becoming more and more interested in it. He said he has been flooded with emails. “We consistently receive emails from inspired people all year long. [by the trend] And they want us to work on their private van and ask for advice,” he told me. “It’s very satisfying to convert a van, especially an old one, and see the transformation. This nomadic living community and culture is growing rapidly, and this community is one of the I would go so far as to say that it is currently the fastest growing industry in the UK, especially since Covid-19.”

Designer Eden Lam and his partner Nicola Sun founded US-based company Ananda Living Experience last year when the opportunity to collaborate with a professional van builder fell into their laps. . But Lam has mixed feelings about the popularity of the “van life” trend on social media and how social media has made van life more than just a pipe dream. “I think it’s great that people are exposed to new ways of living, but social media tends to glorify every aspect of life, and the vanlife movement is no exception.” I am concerned that while people only see the good parts of life on the streets, the reality is sometimes very difficult. Dealing with feces, fixing broken water systems, and driving endless hours looking for a place to park overnight is not for the faint of heart. “A lot of people are exposed to the highlights and can end up making decisions they regret,” Lamb said, adding that those who want to try the “van life” should spend a short period of time before taking the plunge and investing thousands of dollars. He added that people should try living on the streets. Pounds in a van. “Before you jump into van life and invest a lot of money or make any big life decisions, we recommend you try living on the road for a short period of time.”

But Gen Zers, who prefer to live on the go, seem to be anticipating challenges ahead. Forster said she watches fellow female solo travelers for safety tips. “The world can be scary, but I’m going to install advanced security features in my van and always be aware of my surroundings,” she says. “I’ve never picked up a drill before, but considering how far I’ve come, I’m very proud of myself.” So the bucket list is for now, not later. maybe. Even if it means making a quick business call while you’re climbing.