text: what events in our society make a person and adult? it used to be that becoming an adult was fairly clear: in late adolescence boys and girls got married and assumed an adult role. however, today's youth are faced with the dilema of not knowing when they have officially become an adult because we have no clear-cut initiation rites into adulthood. however, there are some potential "rites of passage" in our society. what events in our society make a person and adult? turning 18 and being able to move away from the family