Welcome to the land of uncertainties called the early to late-twenties. If you’re in your twenties, you’re probably going through or about to start going through a Quarter-life Crisis.
I see the early 20’s as that period when you’re old enough to realize your parents were right all along but young enough to attempt to ignore them. You are old enough to understand the realities of being an adult but young enough to try to ignore these realities. You can’t.
The early to late twenties always comes with so many changes and need for growth. You develop new found identities and have so many experiences that redefine who you are. These growths and changes sometimes get you off guard or leave you scared and confused and thus ensues your quarter life crisis.
Like many of my friends in their 20s, I’ve found myself continually trying to make tough decisions about my life, career, relationships, dreams, and goals. I have found that each decision I make, each path I choose, affects my growth as in individual, and constructs the definition of who I am…of who I am becoming.
I am curating my Identity. I am the artist, and I am the art. I am my biggest project.
Should I go back to school? Do I work a 9-5 job or start my own business? Should I quit my job? How can I follow my dreams? What is my passion? What are my political views? Should I eat out or cook? Should I have roommates or live alone? Who are the people I surround myself with? Should I be worried about getting married? Do I opt for a 401K or not? What is a 401k? What is my credit score? How much time should I spend with friends? How much should I spend on clothes? How often should I travel?… etcetera
Though some of these questions could pass as great philosophical questions that can never be answered, some seem pretty straight forward or even trivial, yet they keep me and many others up at night. Perhaps because being in your twenties is a crucial stage in life and any decision you make could set you on a completely different course. It’s quite frightening and overwhelming.
Why this talk about Quarter life crisis?
The decisions we make in our twenties and early thirties affect the next decade or two of our lives. The subject of quarter-life crisis exists on Clever-ish Magazine to create a space to discuss and explore the topics and questions surrounding these decisions. A quarter-life crisis might not be as commonly talked about or mainstream as the mid-life crisis but it’s a big deal for those of us going through it. Almost everyone I know who’s in their twenties is going through some sort of identity crisis, self-reinvention, career indecisiveness. This generation is growing up in a time of rapid and dynamic changes in the economy and society.
I can’t give you answers; I’m as lost as the next person and maybe even more. But I hope that in writing about it and creating a platform to discuss it, I can provide some relief or direction to the next person and myself because one of the first steps to solving a problem is naming it and acknowledging its existence.
Hi, I’m Jiji, and I’m going through a Quarter-life crisis.
