Journalist. Mother. Bunny enthusiast. Pop culture junkie.

Journalist. Mother. Bunny enthusiast. Pop culture junkie.

Friday, July 17, 2009

My quarter-life crisis

I have been doing a lot of reading and researching and have come to the conclusion that my recent unhappiness may not be as strange as I have taken it to be.

I think I am going through a quarter-life crisis. You can read more about it here. It basically sums up everything I am feeling.

For instance, those going through a quarter-life crisis (ages 20-30) may experience the following:

-financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, unanticipatedly high cost of living, etc.)
-disappointment with one's job
-insecurity concerning long-term plans, life goals
-re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships
-a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than you
-an urge to find happiness in material things, therefore spending too much money on items such as expensive cars, phones, CLOTHES, SHOES, and technology

Sound familiar?

My personal situation is that I feel like I lost the first half of my twenties. I didn't party in college. Instead, I focused on graduating with honors (which I did), becoming the features editor of the school newspaper (which I did), and having as many internships with prestigious news companies as I could (which I did).

Once I graduated college, I was immediately offered a reporting position at my newspaper (which has more than ONE MILLION readers). I lived and breathed my career. I'm shocked I even managed to snag a couple serious boyfriends during this time period.

And now I'm restless in my job and I am longing to be wild and do something crazy while I'm young and childless. I am in the position were I can be selfish.

I don't want to drown myself in unhappiness by worrying about my future all the time. Especially since I don't know where I'm headed in life.

I have compiled a list of five things I want to do before I'm 30. I have five years and that scares me.

Here they are:

Write a book


Visit India (my dad's birth place)


Learn how to belly dance


Meet Morrissey


Get my Masters in...something


What do you think? What are some things you want to do in the next five years?

28 comments:

Unknown said...

in the next five years? i'm going to keep dancing :)

xx

Is This Real Life? said...

I would love to learn how to belly dance too!

jane st. clair said...

i think that is a wonderful list and also a wonderful way to try to move beyond the scariness that is your mid-20s. my list is: get a job in my field, get married, have a baby, start my etsy store, and stop being so high-strung.

i think what you're experiencing is absolutely normal, btw. it still can feel awful, though.

lovelove,
the little violet dress

Ela said...

Those are great goals and I am sure you will accomplish them all :)

In 5 years, I can only hope there'll be lots of children running around in this house!

Have a great weekend! xx

yiqin; said...

I want to go backpacknig wit pretty skirts/dresses, my camera & a note book :D & a nice floppy hat!

Nadine said...

I think you should start with belly-dancing - it'll be rewarding and less stressful than the other choices!

Couture Carrie said...

I love your goals! I would adore getting another degree in the next five years too!

xoxox,
CC

Meg said...

I definately felt like I was having a quarterlife crisis when I turned twenty and I think it's died down, but still there.

My list: get a better job, decide which direction to take my life in, find a volunteer position I'm passionate about, get engaged, travel to europe.

Damsels said...

wow i am gonig thru the same though im just 19 . i am so anxious these days i get really bad headaches and cant sleep at night :(
annyway i tihnk it not best to make deadlines for yourself. i bet you can do those things but before you are 30 ?
hmm could be pretty hard .do it on your time ... life is not something to plan :) sometimes

i think you should put some thought into maybe trying to see whats out there as far as having fun and good times .trust me its worth it sometimes .

Elaine said...

Great list! And you know they are all possible. Don't get discouraged! For me? One thing I really want to do is live over seas for a couple years before starting a family. Everyone around me is having a baby and I feel almost pressured to have one so I want to make sure I do something selfish for myself too before having kids.

clothedmuch.blogspot.com

C.Elizabeth and Natalia said...

I know how you feel... I sometimes feel like this as well though it was mostly the case a few years ago, before I met Andrew.
I want to move back home (Canada or USA) with my husband and go back to University.

I think most people go through that phase... the shock of reality!

C.Elizabeth

FASHION CHALET said...

Wow, thanks!

I wasn't wearing any makeup in my recent blog post. But when I do, it's usually just face powder, eyeliner and (almost) clear lip gloss. I'm very minimal; unless it's the Holidays or something equally festive.

You're such a charm!

x

CallMeDorothy said...

sound familiar? um, YES! great post. love that you listed your goals..i might have to do this as a post as well. oh, and be sure to check back, i will be doing more "Get the look" posts!

Michael Kan said...

Haha, sounds like I'm facing a quarter-life crisis too. But it's cool. Yea, I'm in Oregon right now, and I'll be here until September. So if you are in town before then we can definitely meet up. My phone number is the same. As for the birthday thing, no biggy. Thanks for your posts!

Cesc said...

I would love to actually finish one of the many books I'm working on!

Hmmm, I'm wondering if it's possible to be going through a quarter-life crisis at 17????

I love your goal plan, especially the belly dancing one.

GOOD LUCK!

xoxo
Cesc

JOWY said...

Wow, those are sum amazing goals! I like the way u think!

ONE LOVE,
JOWY

WWW.ISEEJANEMARY.BLOGSPOT.COM

Fashion Moment said...

I adore orient dance! Absolutely gorgeous post, darling! :)

FM~FP~AF

Imogen said...

I think what you are feeling is very normal. Its good you did some research so you can understand it more. I think that compiling the list was a good idea that can give you direction. I'm sure you will achieve those things and think of how well you did in college and everything you have already done. I should make myself a list because I need things to work towards. In five years I want to have finished university and have found a job.

Liz said...

I am glad you posted this as I feel exactly the same way on all points!!!
It is always nice to know that others feel the same way.
In the next five years I want to make enough money to travel.

Julie @ ROJ Running said...

Man I read that list and it's SO like me, but not one around here ever seems to be feeling that way. So while it's "normal" I wonder why I'm the only one feeling it? LoL. What are my goals before 30? 1) finish an MA program 2) Find and keep a decent relationship. 3) Move out of my mother's house and stay out (ha) hopefully not in Ohio 4) Get a good with a clinic or start my PhD program. 5) Stop worrying about if I'm doing things "right" or the same way as everyone else....it would be so freeing to just BE

Zarna said...

you can do it!!

go visit india - its beautiful :)

-zarna
http://zarnasrunway.blogspot.com

Angela said...

you will do great.

seesaw designs said...

I have a five year India goal myself...

sherin said...

Ahh: the future! I've just graduated from uni and am in a not so stimulating job (which I usually fall asleep at, lol), so I think I'm about to go into a 1/4 life crisis.

Good luck on your goals. All of them are great.

starbrained said...

Omg this is amazing. I don't know--A part of me feels like sometimes it takes a crisis to really change things. Even though having a crisis isn't fun at all..
Now you have made your 5 goals so DO THEEEEMMM! Time is short. Chop, chop.

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