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A recent survey of 2,003 Americans between the ages 25-40 found that 67% enjoy the holiday memories they make as adults more than the ones they have from their childhood.

Even with more responsibility as an adult, three in four said they’re more motivated to do cooking and cleaning around the holidays, and seven in 10 even claimed to enjoy these activities.

Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of State Farm, 57% of those studied look forward to hosting their loved ones during the holiday, much more than they would have otherwise expected.

For many, there are some holiday activities they find surprisingly better as adults than when they were children, like wrapping holiday gifts (71%) or decorating their home (31%).

Results showed that cleaning up after holiday meals (30%) and watching movies or listening to holiday music (28%) are also activities that people are enjoying more in adulthood.

According to the survey respondents, other surprisingly great parts of adulthood are learning new things (50%), staying in on a Friday night (40%) and paying bills (32%). Six in 10 even agreed that purchasing big ticket items like a car is a fun experience.

Still, being an adult comes with some difficult responsibilities, as 77% agree that being an adult is harder than they thought it would be.

“The most surprising part of adulthood is how much the level of responsibility increases, and so quickly,” one respondent said. “I really took for granted so many things that my mom did for me without even thinking about it.”

Other concerns about adulthood varied from worrying about all of their bills to paying taxes or not being able to see loved ones often enough — which may contribute to why 59% enjoy connecting with their siblings and parents in adulthood more than they thought they would.

In fact, more than three in four respondents said they wouldn’t mind doing mundane tasks with a family member just to spend quality time together (78%).

“There are many aspects of adulthood that seem daunting until we finally accomplish them, like moving into your first apartment or buying a house,” says State Farm Public Affairs VP, Victor Terry. “These big adult activities, and even some of the less obvious ones like getting insurance, can be surprisingly satisfying – particularly when you have surprisingly great rates that fit your budget and an agent in your corner who understands your needs.”

Best parts of adulthood

• Learning new things (50%)
• Staying in on a Friday night (40%)
• Repairing things around the house (39%)
• Paying bills (33%)
• Mowing the lawn (32%)

This is the excitement 28-year-old Daniel Lopez felt after being given the opportunity to volunteer with his company for a national crowd-sourced philanthropic program. “Like Daniel, I volunteered so I could see good things happening,” added 34-year-old Whitney Totheroh. “I knew my actions could make a positive difference for others.”

Last summer, both Lopez and Totheroh participated on a committee comprised of nearly 120 young business professionals at State Farm^® who volunteered their time to make an impact on communities across the United States. Their work was part of the State Farm Neighborhood Assist® program. Now in its eighth year, Neighborhood Assist awards 40 causes around the country with a $25,000 grant each to support education, safety and community development projects. Committee members like Lopez and Totheroh were tasked with reviewing the submissions sent in by causes.

Totheroh says the stories she read were inspiring. “Seeing the good work people are doing in their neighborhoods broadened my horizons. They are identifying problems and making the choice to make a change.”

Lopez agreed, adding the volunteer opportunity with Neighborhood Assist also helped him professionally. “Being on the review committee, I developed a stronger work ethic, better time management and gained more perspective about the world around me.”

The experiences of Neighborhood Assist Review Committee members like Totheroh and Lopez affirms a recent survey by State Farm, stating that certain factors, including showing impact and career development opportunities, can influence volunteerism among Millennials.

According to the study, 66% of Millennials surveyed reported volunteering at least once in the past 12 months. While Millennials had a higher incidence of volunteering, they did it less often than the Baby Boomer and Mature generations. Considering national trends, the findings are noteworthy. Millennials now surpass Baby Boomers as the largest generation in the United States.* As a result, they have the biggest potential to influence volunteerism.

“I feel like there are a lot of Millennials who do something for a short time, and then move on,” said Lopez. “Maybe it’s because they don’t know how their effort is paying off. For me, Neighborhood Assist was different. I got to help communities across the country by reviewing their causes, then witness which ones got grant funding. That was really rewarding.”

“It’s so important to highlight people in this world that are doing good things,” added Totheroh. “Put good out, and you get good back in.”

Echoing the feedback of young professionals like Lopez and Totheroh, the study revealed opportunities for career development and showing the impact of one’s work played key roles in motivating Millennials to volunteer.

Other factors included: 

• Getting social: More Millennials visit websites to learn about volunteering than any other generation.

• The more the merrier: Being able to participate with friends or meet new people plays a large role in a Millennials’ willingness to volunteer

• Knowledge is power: The prospect of gaining expertise in a certain area or learning a new skill, inspires more Millennials to give back.

• Opportunities nearby: Millennials agree, they’re more likely to get involved if the organization or non-profit is close to their home or job.

“It’s about finding your passion," said Totheroh. “The opportunity to learn, be with friends, and meet new people are all perks of volunteering. Sometimes I think young people may not know how, or where to start. But one thing’s for sure. For me, the best part about volunteering is knowing I helped someone else. That’s time well spent.”