We have all heard of the mid-life crisis. Whether it was because it was mentioned in a movie, or your dad came home one night with a Saab that he returned two weeks later, it’s a common cultural phenomenon. What is ignored is the quarter life crisis. For those of us graduating college, or even just entering, this is not only a more prevalent issue, but I would argue, an even harder experience than a mid-life breakdown.
When I graduate from college I will be 22 years old. I will have finished a major and a minor at the University of Virginia. I have done two internships and have had three different jobs over the course of my college career. I have lived in two places—home and Charlottesville. So, now I am a college graduate. I am supposed to move somewhere, get a job and follow my dreams, right? Begin to make a life for myself? Start building a career and meeting people on blind dates to start a family?
I have no money. Despite the fact that I have held three jobs and currently work 12 hours a week while taking 15 credits, I use all of the money that I make to buy groceries, alcohol, or clothing. My desire post-graduation? I would love to move across the country, live in LA and get a job at a production company. This would include a plane ticket across the country, moving all of my stuff across the country (just my shoes alone would probably cost a couple hundred), in addition to paying RENT in Los Angeles.
I feel as though I am going through crisis daily, and I even know what I want to do! Most people graduate not having a clue what they want to do. You have to move to a new city, find a job, and hope that you like it all enough to not just spend your nights crying while watching Gilmore Girls endlessly while downing a whole pint of ice cream (this is not an example from personal experience or anything…).
When someone goes through a mid-life crisis, they very often have a family, have a job or career and have some sense of stability. I understand that having the same job for years can be difficult, and very often there is a desire to change it up, move around, find some more excitement. But you already have a house or apartment or condo. You have a dog or a fish or a parrot you feed regularly. You have a car that gets you from point A to point B. You have a foundation.
I will be standing at level zero, at square 1, at rock bottom. Yes, it’s a shorter distance to fall, but it is a much higher jump to make. We are young and our lives are just beginning and we have endless possibilities, but isn’t that part of the challenge? What if we make the wrong choice, go down the wrong path?
Don’t let anyone degrade or put down your fears and worries because you are young. Take a leap, but be aware that it’s okay to feel afraid. But also remember that a quarter life crisis, it also a quarter life excitement. The fear comes from the unknown, but what lies in the unknown can be just as soon exhilarating as scary. Our upcoming leaps of faith and transitions will be the beginning of a new adventure. What good is a new adventure if it doesn’t come with a little hesitation?