MUET Essay (16 August 2022)

 

Marriage is no longer a top priority among youth due to changing values.

Most people consider marriage as their main goal after reaching a certain age. Most people prioritize on having a family before achieving other goals in life. None of this is wrong, people have different opinions. However, I personally think that marriage is not a priority among youth these days.

       First of all, the reason I say this because most of the youth these days prefer enjoying their lives rather than committing their lives to marriage. I mean, I too, would rather enjoy my life travelling to different countries instead of taking care of a child, paying bills and work a 9 to 5 job. As you can see, marriage requires a lot of commitment and responsibility. Taking care of a child may not look as easy as it seems. Paying a child's expenses can cost a fortune, especially when you live in a country with inflation. Obviously, youth's would choose to enjoy their lives instead of getting married and settling down.

      First of all, the reason I say this because most of the youth these days prefer enjoying their lives rather than committing their lives to marriage. As you can see, youths, especially in this 21st century, would save up their money to buy things that entertain them such as the latest phone models and luxurious clothing brands. Other than that, most youth would also prefer travelling around the world instead of settling down in a boring hometown of theirs. Most youths prefer filling their lives with excitement and entertainment rather than having a family, paying bills and work a 9 to 5 job. If I had the chance to ask youths who got married in an early age of adulthood, half of them would regret on not enjoying their lives before committing themselves into marriage. And this is what made most of the youth realize that they are suppose to enjoy their lives before settling down.

     Other than that, most youths also prefer continuing their studies to a higher level before committing themselves into marriage. I believe most youths have a goal they would want to achieve before settling down and have a family. For instance, some youths want to have a stable and well paid career before stepping into the world of marriage and some youths want to get a higher level of education such as getting a masters degree or a PHD. Youths like these are well-planned. They do not rush things, instead they plan before committing themselves into marriage. Having a plan before marriage is important because it determines the future of your family. Without a stable job, providing for a family will be a hard thing to do. Therefore, we should take our time and plan well before starting any type of commitment. 

     Last but not least, most youths think that marriage costs a fortune. This statement is unfortunately true, marriage can be expensive, even if it is the most simplest marriage. That is why most relationships these days only stay as partners instead of moving on to the next stage. Imagine the expenses you need to pay for a venue, a pair of wedding rings and food for guests. An average cost of weddings in Malaysia is between RM50,000 to RM200,000. In most cases, it takes years of a wedding couple to save money for a perfect wedding. Taking loans is definitely not a great idea because no one wants to live in debt. I think, this is why most youths do not prioritize marriage anymore. 

In conclusion, I still think that marriage is a wonderful stage in life. However, I do not think that it is for me as I still want to enjoy my life without worrying about any sort of commitment. Marriage is still a choice to everyone. Everyone has different views on marriage. Whether it is negative or positive, everyone has their own right to choose.