Here is an interesting (and very very long) article from Time that Julie sent me. It contained a lot of thoughts and ideas I've heard and read before but also some new ones which surprised me with their accuracy. And let me clarify a moment: I think studies and books and articles on the quarterlife crisis are worthwhile and interesting, but I also think that overindulging in that type of literature can cause Twixters like myself to use it as a crutch or a scapegoat. It's like my daddy always said, moderation is key. Also, some of the statistics are very surprising: did you know that half of Americans aged 18-29 call their parents every day?
Grow Up? Not So Fast
I say they're wrong to say we're not adults. Just because we’re not running straight from graduation to spouse and job and children, doesn’t mean we’re not grown up. We’re just forging a new definition of adulthood. But we’re not to blame, as the article suggests: the rising divorce rate just proves that we have every right to shop around for the right life partner; and with the surplus of college grads in the job market, it’s no wonder most of us aren’t working in our fields. And even those of us who are still change jobs, apartments, and cities regularly.
ReplyDeleteWe're living the American dream: we're trying new things, meeting new people, and seeing new places before we make important life decisions. And yeah, so maybe we’re a little selfish right now, but I think indulging that selfishness now may open us up to be better workers, spouses, and parents when we do choose to cross those bridges.
It’ll be interesting to see if this generation will suffer the same midlife crises as previous generations: It would seem that if we carefully weigh our options and make calculated life decisions in our young adulthood, perhaps we’ll feel more fulfilled through middleage.