Being "Twenty-something"
They call it the "Quarter-life Crisis." It is when you stop going along
with the crowd and start realizing that there are many things about
yourself that you didn't know and may not like. You start feeling insecure
and wonder where you will be in a year or two, but then get scared because
you barely know where you are now.
You start realizing that people are selfish and that, maybe, those friends
that you thought you were so close to aren't exactly the greatest people
you have ever met, and the people you have lost touch with are some of the
most important ones. What you don't recognize is that they are realizing
that too, and aren't really cold, catty, mean or insincere, but that they
are as confused as you.
You look at your job... and it is not even close to what you thought you
would be doing, or maybe you are looking for a job and realizing that
you are going to have to start at the bottom and that scares you.
Your opinions have gotten stronger. You see what others are doing and find
yourself judging more than usual because suddenly you realize that you have
certain boundaries in your life and are constantly adding things to your
list of what is acceptable and what isn't.
One minute, you are insecure and then the next, secure. You laugh and cry
with the greatest force of your life. You feel alone and scared and
confused. Suddenly, change is the enemy and you try and cling on to the
past with dear life, but soon realize that the past is drifting further and
further away, and there is nothing to do but stay where you are or move
forward.
You get your heart broken and wonder how someone you loved could do such
damage to you. Or you lay in bed and wonder why you can't meet anyone
decent enough that you want to get to know better. Or maybe you love
someone but love someone else too and cannot figure out why you are doing
this because you know that you aren't a bad person.
One nightstands and random hook ups start to look cheap. Getting wasted and
acting like an idiot starts to look pathetic. You go through the same
emotions and questions over and over, and talk with your friends about the
same topics because you cannot seem to make a decision.
You worry about loans, money, the future and making a life for yourself...
and while winning the race would be great, right now you'd just like to be
a contender!
What you may not realize is that everyone reading this relates to it. We
are in our best of times and our worst of times, trying as hard as we can
to figure this whole thing out.
