number twenty four: the quarterlife

it's ironic that this one fell into my life in time to be number twenty four, seeing as that's what age i'll be on my next birthday. or maybe it's not ironic. but whatever. and this post might not be as obviously positive as previous posts. but it's weighing heavily on my mind.



no one ever warns you about this phase in your life. the quarterlife.

when this time frame comes up in discussion, the only thing i was ever told or witnessed is that it's amazing. and everything will fall into place.

but what happens if it isn't amazing? and nothing falls into place?

i went out to coffee today with a very old, dear friend and we got to talking about the position i know so many other people our age find themselves in. we're out of college. working jobs we don't see ourselves in long term. in relationships with questionable futures. and not exactly sure what comes next.


they say that college is our coming of age. i call bullshit. the person i was while in college was important, and she was a damn good time, but that person wasn't real. she didn't have responsibilities. she could make mistakes and recover easily with the help of mom and dad and a trip to the dance floor. her love life could constantly change and it never hurt. she knew where she would be in a year. her friends all lived within a three mile radius. and her biggest problem was trying to figure out another excuse to use when calling in sick for work so she could spend the day at the lake getting a tan.

i think the quarterlife is our real coming of age. it's the time when all the big decisions get made. and this time is scary, not glamorous. it might have moments of grandeur, with events and people that are utterly scrapbook worthy, but most people i've discussed the quarterlife with do so with a tone of fear in their voice. it's a time where no one seems to be sure of anything. or anyone. except those few friends we hold on to in order to keep our quarterlife world from crumbling.


i think what i've taken out of all my recent discussions about the future is that it's okay to voice your fear over your quarterlife. before, i didn't think other people were sharing the challenges and obstacles i was. which i think perpetuated my quarterlife crisis and the fear that goes along with it. but in reality, we're all in the same spot. for the most part. there obviously are a few exceptions. but for the most part, everyone in our age bracket has no idea where life is going to lead them. and it's scary.


but it's also real exciting.



my coffee friend and i are both overly logical. he's never been a really emotional person, and over the past year i realize i'm becoming more and more like him. i do less thinking with my heart and more with my head. and i'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it is what it is.and in thinking logically about the quarterlife, i can offer my readers one nugget of wisdom. it's the only nugget of wisdom i know and therefore i think it applies to everything. but this nugget especially applies here.


everything will be okay. everything will work out. everything will be okay. because it has to be.


the quarterlife is the end of one age, the age of being irresponsible, and the ushering in of anther, adulthood. it's scary. it's overwhelming. there's not a sense of security. but if you can get past that, you can see how damn exciting it is.


i think you'll know if you're in a quarterlife crisis if you find yourself unsure of just about everything. and if you find yourself there, just remember: everything will be okay. everything will work out. everything will be okay. because it has to be.