Last year, I wrote about the Quarter-Life Crisis. This year, I think I’m in one. When we were discussing the Quarter-Life Crisis in the comments, Sherrell and Gene felt that it’s because we (our generation) are accomplishing so much so fast. Now, I’m inclined to agree.
I’m 23 years old and I just graduated from graduate school with a masters degree. I feel proud of my accomplishment, but I also feel overwhelmed. What’s the next step supposed to be? I have a few degrees, but not much tangible work experience. I know what my qualifications are, and I know that I will be able to do the work required at any job that I’m applying to (and there have been many), this lack of tangible experience is rough.
What I’m finding even more difficult to deal with is that I’m continuously aksed what I’ll be doing next. I’ve always been a person who knew what the next step would be. And not just the next step, the SPECIFICS of the next step. I always had a plan. I’m guessing people expect me to have a plan now. For some reason, people haven’t been satisfied when I’ve told them that I plan to get a job and work. They want to know where I’ll be working and what I’ll be doing. I ‘m saying- when I know the specifics, you’ll know the specifics. But until then, just chill…
The real world is most definitely real. And as I face the fact that in a little less than 2 months my expenses will definitely become MY expenses, as my parents relinquish their stake in paying my bills, I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed. Wait. Overwhelmed is me on a normal day. This isn’t normal. Stressed out. On the verge of hyperventilating. Yeah, I’m somewhere in between overwhelmed and hyperventilating.
I’ve considered going back to school (I mean if you can’t work, you may as well get another degree, right?!?), but that’s not what my desire is *right now*. I’ll eventually go back, but right now I want to work. Be a young professional. Shake up the world of education. It’s gonna happen, but I wish it would happen soon. You can’t rush fate. You can’t rush God…but man, I wish I could…
life beyond the well... 
May 30, 2007 at 9:05 pm
I laugh at this article because me and roomie had this conversation the other nite! She is only a few years older than me and she was like I’ve been in a quater life crisis since I got out of undergrad! For her that was five years ago! I am like OH NO! it never goes away! I’m learning that its one of those things that may not go away during this phase of life. No matter how much you crave certainty in your life you got to figure out exactly what it is you are supposed to be doing in life. So I say lets embrace the crisis. Its one of those many things that makes us stronger…demonstrates how much God truly loves us…
June 2, 2007 at 10:58 pm
Co-signing Twilla! PLEASE embrace the crises! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! God probably has never had your attention like he does now.
And you know what’s wrong with “knowing” where you’re going sometimes? People are often going in the WRONG direction! Too many people form plans prematurely out of fear and so that they can have answers when people ask, “What are you doing?” Do not let this “pressure” force you to go somewhere you ain’t supposed to go. Truth be told, half them people don’t know where they supposed to be either. Everybody is feeding and offering everybody else B.S. and God is not pleased. I was just talking to my wife’s best friend about this a couple weeks ago.
The truth is that half the people who are “going” somewhere or are have “arrived,” are in the wrong places. Being where you ain’t supposed to be and not having a clue of how out of place you are? Now THAT’S a crises!
George W. Bush three years from now:
Uh … maybe I should have never run for pres. Whaddaya think, Gene?
Gene:
DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!