The following is the English translation of a press release kindly provided to us by the Matthias Corvinus Collegium.

How closely does adult life resemble the dreams we had as children? According to new research from the MCC Youth Research Institute, most 15–17-year-olds still believe in their dreams—but after the age of 35, childhood aspirations and adult reality rarely align.

The Institute’s latest study examined how well the lives of young Hungarians match the futures they once imagined for themselves. The findings reveal a mixed picture: on a five-point scale, the overall average was 3.1. In other words, Hungarians aged 15–39 feel that their current lives fall somewhere in the middle between their childhood dreams and their adult reality.

Younger respondents remain the most hopeful. Teenagers aged 15–17 rated their lives at 3.6 on average, and more than half expressed confidence in their future. But optimism tends to fade with age. By the time respondents reach 35–39, the average rating drops to 2.9, and only one in three says their lives resemble the dreams they once had.

The study also found notable differences across gender and life circumstances. Men reported far more optimism: just 7 per cent said their lives were nothing like what they imagined as children, compared with 37 per cent of women. Occupation also plays a role. Students were the most satisfied (3.5), workers somewhat less so (3.1), and those currently unemployed were the most disappointed (2.9).

Interestingly, the US shows a similar pattern. The American average is virtually the same as Hungary’s (3.1), with only about one-third of people there saying their lives reflect their childhood vision.

The MCC Youth Research Institute conducted its survey in January 2025 using online, self-administered questionnaires (CAWI) supported by interviews. A representative sample of 1,000 Hungarians aged 15–39 took part in the study.

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