The Quarterlife Crisis; Coping During the Tumultuous Twenties
By TIFFANY HALL
Morgan is a few months shy of turning twenty-one. Though she has a college degree, she is unsure of what to do next in her life.
“I have no idea what I want to do. It's such a big world with so many things to do. Why choose one?”
This same feeling echoes among millions of twenty-somethings, who are asking themselves the question: now what?
The road to adulthood seemed much more straightforward in the past than it is today. Graduating college, leaving home, and finding a full-time job were important benchmarks in becoming an independent adult. Today, it is more complicated and takes longer to navigate. Many young adults who flocked to college in hopes that it would lead them to a long-term, financially-stable careers are met with the rude awakening of a competitive job market, rising housing costs, and a mountain of debt. Many are forced to move back home with their parents. The freedom and independence that was once experienced during college is no longer present and all of these factors are contributing to a growing phenomenon called The Quarterlife Crisis.
The Quarterlife Crisis is a time of transition and reflection. This time is usually marked by important milestones like graduating from college. With a degree in hand, many are unsure of just what to do with it. Some are stuck working menial nine-to-five jobs that have little or nothing to do with the field they studied in school. Those who are lucky enough to land a job in their field are sometimes met with dissatisfaction.
“I think this happens to a lot of us twenty-somethings,” says Hope, a 22-year-old veterinary technician. “We don't actually test a field out that we're interested in before we commit to going to school for it. Then we are always bored or unhappy with it once we get there.”
This is largely attributed to the fact that a college degree does not necessarily promise a glamorous, high-paying job. Many professions have grown to be highly competitive, requiring employees to “work their way up” to a more substantial salary. This means starting at entry-level and most entry-level jobs do not pay enough to cover the cost of rent, food, car insurance and the pile of student loan debt most college students acquire.
Low, sometimes unstable incomes paired with skyrocketing living costs means prolonged financial dependence on parents. More than half of recent college graduates move back home with their parents, unable to afford living on their own. Even those in their late-twenties find themselves still receiving financial assistance from their parents. Thus, reaching the benchmarks of adulthood often do not happen until one has reached their thirties.
Establishing financial independence often hinders other areas of life for twenty-somethings. Living under their parents' roofs makes it more difficult to get married and have a family. The ‘real world' is not the same social hub as college. Many experience feelings of loneliness after moving away from or losing contact with their college friends. Once happy and outgoing, many twenty-somethings experience depression as they realize that the ‘real world' is not exactly the same social center as college.
Despite all the factors that seem to be working against most twenty-somethings, there are ways to cope through this tumultuous transition:
1. Set realistic goals. You may want to own your own home by the time your twenty-five, but this isn't always feasible. Focus on achieving reasonable goals that correspond with your financial, mental, and emotional state.
2. Work on your own time clock. Pace yourself and work diligently at achieving the goals that you set for yourself.
3. Don't compare yourself to others. You cannot measure your own success based on that of your parents, or even your peers.
4. Focus on the positive. The twenties are a time to explore yourself and what the world has to offer. Putting too much emphasis on attaining a certain status can cause you to miss out on all the opportunities available to you.
The Quarterlife Crisis may seem endless to some, but like most transition phases, it is temporary. What is important is to take this time of transition to learn more about yourself and what path you want to take. Explore career options and work on building up your savings account. Find out how your peers are coping and seek support. This is the perfect opportunity to further prepare for the rigors of adult life. Before you know it, you will be in your forties and feeling nostalgic for the opportunities you had in your twenties.
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