Survey reveals surprising age when people are most adventurous

LONDON — Turning thirty has traditionally been associated with starting to settle down, but a surprising new survey finds that people entering their third decade are actually just reaching their most adventurous age.

Researchers surveyed 2,000 adults in the United Kingdom, hoping to learn more about what motivates an individual to take a walk on the wild side. The poll was commissioned by The Oxford Ski Company, a company that offers luxury chalets for travelers.

Overall, the researchers found that individuals feel most comfortable pursue lofty interests outside of the daily grind when exiting their twenties. The respondents explained that they felt a newfound feeling of liberation at 30 by having already established strong careers and social networks.

While only 30 percent of those surveyed considered carpe diem as their guiding philosophy, these individuals still made quite the splash and had bucket lists filled with ambition. Some common items included writing a novel, changing careers, and traveling worldwide.

Many of those surveyed had already visited other parts of Europe (80 percent), North America (nearly half), and Africa or Asia (30 percent).

Skiing and snowboarding were also popular items on the bucket list, with one-fourth of respondents saying they’d like to do either — or both — one day.

Still, about 59 of the participants indicated a preference to generally stay within their comfort zones. For those less daring, common activities to check off included researching one’s genealogy, getting a dog, learning to dance, and eating at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Other must-do or must-see experiences reported included seeing the Northern Lights, learning to play a musical instrument, learning a language, getting a tattoo, and riding in a helicopter.

“No one can accuse the British of lacking ambition, as these results show,” says Rupert Longsdon, founder of The Oxford Ski Company, in a press release. “There are some incredible and life-changing experiences— it’s just a shame we sometimes struggle to achieve them.”

Do you agree with the findings? When was your most adventurous point in life?