Description
While the midlife crisis has been thoroughly explored by experts, there is another landmine period in our adult development, called the quarterlife crisis, which can be just as devastating. When young adults emerge at graduation from almost two decades of schooling, during which each step to take is clearly marked, they encounter an overwhelming number of choices regarding their careers, finances, homes, and social networks. Confronted by an often shattering whirlwind of new responsibilities, new liberties, and new options, they feel helpless, panicked, indecisive, and apprehensive. Quarterlife Crisis is the first book to document this phenomenon and offer insightful advice on smoothly navigating the challenging transition from childhood to adulthood, from school to the world beyond. It includes the personal stories of more than one hundred twentysomethings who describe their struggles to carve out personal identities; to cope with their fears of failure; to face making choices rather than avoiding them; and to balance all the demanding aspects of personal and professional life. From “What do all my doubts mean?” to “How do I know if the decisions I’m making are right?” this book compellingly addresses the hardest questions facing young adults today. Alexandra Robbins, a contributing editor at Mademoiselle, is a journalist who has written for such publications as The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, The Washington Post, Salon, and Time Digital. Abby Wilner works in the information technology field as a website administrator and lives in Washington, D.C. Introduction: What Is the Quarterlife Crisis? Why Worry About a Quarterlife Crisis? How Do You Recognize a Quarterlife Crisis? What Do You Do About the Quarterlife Crisis? One: How Am I Supposed to Figure Out Who I Really Am? “So, What Do You Do?” What Now? Compromising Positions Finding a Passion Keeping the Faith Trial and Error Changing Their Minds Job-Hopping Constant Evolution Two: What If I’m Scared to Stop Being a Kid? End of the Innocence Are We There Yet? The Parent Trap Inescapable Influence The Times They Are A-Changin’ Three: What If I Fail? Ready, Set, Fail Going After the Dream Abort Mission Plan B Advice from the Pros Four: What Do All of These Doubts Mean? Doubts and Questions Working Problems Social Adjustments Overwhelming Factors Anchors Aweigh Dashed Expectations Paradise Lost Trying Out Therapy Brushing It Off Five: How Do I Know If the Decisions I’m Making Are the Right Ones? Moving Right Along How Do I Know If I’m Sure About Somebody? Gut Instinct Gray Matter Going with It Six: How Do I Work Out the Right Balance Among My Career, Friends, Family, and Romance? Stuff Happens Work Won’t Make You Coffee in the Morning When Love Comes to Town Stress Fractures The Balancing Act Seven: Can I Carry Any Part of My College Experience into the Real World? Six Degrees of Separation Batting for the Majors Look at All the Lonely People Lifestyle Changes Continuing Education What You Can Take with You Conclusion Topical Index
