The ‘quarter-life crisis’ has infected the 23-30 year old age group like the plague. Perfectly able adults whining like children about how they don’t know what to do with their fancy liberal arts degree and how hard life is when your parents give you huge “gifts” every few months for no reason (while at the same time bitching about being broke).
I believe that the backlash this group has received has effectively killed the idea of the quarter-life crisis. I also believe that the next crop of kids (the current high schoolers) are much more motivated and will not fall into this trap. They also do not use sites like Facebook as “look at my sad life” but “look at my life”.
I think it’s a direct response from kids seeing the work/career lifestyles that their baby boomer parents embraced and almost unilaterally rejecting it after seeing that it’s simply not worth the tradeoff. Because boomers still generally run things, these kids come up into a similar system but refuse to embrace it based on what they saw their parents go through, but since those same boomers are still in charge, there’s no reasonable and preferable alternative - hence the quarterlife crisis.
Moving from perma-student to the workplace is a difficult thing to do. The two are very different, and being successful in school does not guarantee success at work. Not knowing how to deal with the adjustment is nothing new, only the term.
Part of the problem for the generation currently at the required age (The Millenials) is that they’ve generally been coddled throughout their lives up to this point. We’re seeing the results of helicopter parents.
The next generation’s reaction will depend on the parenting style of late-Generation Jones and Generation X parents.
God I hope you’re right. [Deleted long rant on the off-chance that anyone in my personal life does or one day will read this site. Suffice it to say I feel ya.]
No, not at all. When I was in that age group, I whined too.
The reality of corporate life come crashing down on you at that age. You begin to see the politics, the waste, and the inefficiency of most companies. Your paycheck goes to car repairs, not to dinners, nightclubs, and shopping. Those student loan payments seem endless. Your friends are getting married or partnered off.
There is an awful lot of ‘life sucks’ that hits most people in their mid/late 20s. It is natural to bitch about it.
It is perfectly natural for kids coming out of college who were woefully unprepared for the workforce by the education that was supposed to prepare them, to be worried about their prospects. It’s stressful to finish school and find out that jobs aren’t simply open and available for you.
The quarterlife crisis won’t go anywhere as it is a natural response to the sudden lack of pre-planned life that you had through all your years of institutional education.
Being worried about their prospects is one thing. Oh my god, oh my god, my life is going to end! is something different.
I used to regularly read blogs where people simeltaneously bitched about their lack of real employment, bitched about how no one treats them with respect at the job they slack off at and then bitched about having no money because they saw this great shirt they just had to buy. Oh, and next month they’re going to India by using money they don’t have because the 'rents sent a “we’re so proud of you” present.
That’s a quarter-life crisis and thank Christ, it seems to be nearing the end of its short life.
The “quarter-life crisis” has a spectrum. Some legit complaints, some not. It’s all very relative. It’s not one type of group as the OP has outlined. Don’t be so naive.
That is a result of the lengthened childhood process brought about by expecting everyone to go to college. I don’t see that system changing in any way. Childhood lasts til 22 now, it used to be until about 14.
Yes, spoiled children are spoiled children. What do you expect?
What makes you think it is going away? I mean other than you are growing up and so is your peer group. Why do you think future spoiled children will react any different from you and your group of spoiled children?
I agree. The term is annoying, but it’s been “in” for a few years. It’s annoying that it became trendy, but I saw many of my friends go through this and arguably I did too. Maybe it’ll fade somewhat if kids get some more options in there lives instead of everything through college feeling prescribed, but it IS a big transition in life.
I agree. The phrase “quarter life crisis” may fade, but the fact is that for a lot of kids, the transition from school to work; from boyfriend/girlfriend to husband/wife; from childless to parent; from sharing an apartment with buddies to signing a 30 year mortgage; from form 1040EZ to form 1040; etc. can be a bit jarring.
I didn’t go to college, and lived a very transient lifestyle so this was kind of my normal state for many years. However, in jobs where I watched kids just out of college founder, and watched my friends worried about paying off their school loans I saw a lot of it. I have recently done some trade school and am faced with starting a new career. So while I complain about it less than a 23 year old might, I’m still going through the same emotions.
I don’t feel much of a connection with my generation, and overall I feel they’ve been more coddled and indulged than any generation (of Americans) before them. But I share some of this generational angst, and I think a lot of it is a top heavy society of baby boomers who frankly need to start retiring and/or dying off and getting out of the way. 8 years of George Bush didn’t help either. We might be the most educated generation of Americans ever, and yet we’re coming into a world of less opportunity than our parents had.
Please explain the different generation categories. I know I’m not Gen X (those are my sibs), but what is my category (1983)? Generation Jones, The Millenials? What are those?
I do find that I have more in common with my sibs (over 10 year difference), than with my cousin (10 years even).
I, for one, have never met these spoiled, entitled kids. I don’t know anyone that is spoiled. Of all the 23-30 year olds I know, none complain about anything other than things that deserve it. They bitch about being poor, but they are poor. Some bitch about their job, but I wouldn’t trade them mine.
Do you have a lawn yet? Sounds like you should practice telling kids to get off it, and throw in an “In my day…” story.
I’ve never met a person who actually took this nonsense seriously. The “Quarter life crisis” can’t go away because it was never really here. It’s media-manufactured nonsense.