The quarter-life crisis is becoming almost too common among college students and those in their early twenties. There seems to be more pressure these days to find a great, well-paying and fulfilling path in life despite the current economy and stress our parents and peers put on us. I know I occasionally have mini-panic attacks when I’m about to fall asleep because of questions like these: What am I doing? How can I actually make the most out of my time in college and beyond? What if I don’t get offered any kind of job when graduation rolls around and I can’t even afford my own apartment? What if I end up in the same town for the rest of my life?
First off, take some comfort in knowing that we’re all in the same boat of not really knowing where we stand in the world, and that’s why we’re in college – to figure it out. Going along with this fact, we should put less stock in what people think of us and do what we want without fear of judgment from our peers. This is a huge tool in finding ourselves and our true values. So do what makes you happy, use common sense and forgo the judgment of others. If you don’t think you need to spend money going out to dinner, tell your friends that. Don’t let other people pressure you into doing anything you don’t think is right. Living for others is important, but living for ourselves is the only way to find out who we really are and what we are meant to do. Life is all a game of perception; how others perceive us has always been one of our biggest obstacles in life. But your parents’ approval about your life goals, or fitting in perfectly with your peers are things we need not waste any more precious time on.
Next, just stop. Stop everything. Stop worrying. Stop wasting time. And most importantly, stop putting emphasis on unnecessary things like having a long term relationship, making a million by the time you’re 30 or having parental and peer approval. Stop getting frustrated by the fact that your life doesn’t look exactly the way you pictured it when you were 12…or even maybe 18. Chances are that you’re better off this way. Our lives are too short to let the amount of money we make or how many friends we have get in the way of doing the things we want to do and feeling the way we want and deserve to feel. If you want to study abroad but don’t think you can afford it, look into grants, loans and research opportunities. Be proactive in your own life. Sitting on the couch wallowing because something that you are passionate about seems like too much work will get you nowhere.
But if you’re unconvinced by my hippie ramblings and want some more straightforward tips for the long run, check these out:
- If you’re worried about money, look for a part time job around the area and save 15% of each paycheck. It’ll add up, I promise.
-Make a list of short and long term goals whether educational, general or even for fun, and consciously do something every week or month to achieve them. This is a great habit to start.
-Buy some business casual clothes. You will need them no matter your major or year.
-Don’t isolate yourself. Let yourself make new friends and be genuine to people. You never know who you might meet.
-Take risks. These are just about the only years where we can really do crazy things and not get into too much trouble over them. Do what you can when you have the opportunity to do them, and stop thinking so hard about the consequences.
