I guess that is what the quarter-life crisis is. The timing couldn't be worse , as those of us having the quarter-life crisis are doing it during the financial crisis! As defined by quarterlifecrisis.com, it is "a period of anxiety, uncertainty and inner turmoil that often accompanies the transition to adulthood." I knew it was coming when I edited a piece about it for the student newspaper two years ago. We interviewed college students who felt as if they were feeling the beginnings of the big QLC.
But I think the quarter-life crisis seemed romantic when contemplating it back then, especially before the economy got worse. It seemed like a far-off period of disillusionment and trying to pay the bills and fighting the roaches in one's apartment (so, my current life). We all still romanticize the quarter-life crisis somewhat -- particularly having the quarter-life crisis in a big city. It was especially romanticized before the Great Recession. (Remember this interactive feature in The New York Times? Oh those cute little twentysomethings who don't eat so their drinks pack more of a punch ... Now it's not about finding a place with $3 beers, it's about finding a job!)
So here are some symptoms I have officially seen in myself that could be signs of the quarter-life crisis. Does anyone else see these symptoms in themselves?:
- I am an at-risk 23-year-old living in New York City and working in the media industry. 'Nuff said?
- I can barely write down poems anymore, even when I've already written them in my head. It feels useless to enjoy creative hobbies when the world is just going to force you to be uncreative.
- I may occasionally cry myself to sleep...
- I find myself engaged in a debate about whether God exists, completely sober on a Friday night.
- I would often prefer watching Netflix than going out. (Well, so would a lot of people -- It's one of the few companies that might benefit from the crisis.)
- Facebook overwhelms me. It used to be fun, useful and voyeuristic. Now it is just another way to overextend my life.
- The only album on my iPod right now is Radiohead's The OK Computer.
- I feel like I've been a bit of a wedding humbug by encouraging friends to stop getting married all at once!
- I caught myself visiting quarterlifecrisis.com.
All of the above have formed a breeding ground for the QLC monster. Please tell me I'm not alone!
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2 comments:
I totally agree with you, and i went through those feelings just a short while ago. Unfortunately, many people from our parents generation do not recognize this quarter life transition as a problem. My theory is actually that twentysomethings are like new tweeners. Tweeners are those young kids who aren't quite teenagers, but aspire to be teenagers. However, we are in the in-between stage of post school and full adulthood. Unlike our parents, many of us do not get married until after 25/26, and so I think there is a much different mindset than previous generations because we do not have the same responsibilities as our parents (since we do not have families or kids that we have to provide for). Our generation is also much more mobile, and combined with the later family start date it creates this tweener age group. Just like the transition from young kid to teenager is uncertain and challenging, I believe the same feelings get evoked as we transition and search for what really makes us satisfied.
Very well said Brett. Thanks for letting me know that I'm not crazy:) I love your point about how we are in an in-between state that many of our parents did not experience (oddly my mom did not get married until she was 30, so she sometimes does understand.) And even friends I have who are married are not quite "settled down" necessarily, so they basically feel the same thing. The comparison to the Tweens is perfect. Like Tweens we don't quite fit into a life stage and are trying to carve out our own! Thanks for your thoughtful comment.
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