Wattmag Issue #12

The Quarter Life Crisis

Quarter Life crisis. . .

Not around forty, but somewhere after 18 and before 30: that is what I define as a Quarter Life Crisis.

Right now, many of us are at that stage. We're slumped over, watching as the rest of the world takes off while we scroll our Facebook feed for the latest memes. Some of us are stuck at a convenient job that presented itself after graduation but we're so sick of it that we find ourselves searching for excuses to fail. And then there are those of us who no longer have an escape. The ones who hit it great after high school and college, who had their whole lives planned out because things were going as scheduled, and then. . . BAM. THE GREAT QUARTER LIFE CRISIS.

"You're still young," they say.

"You have years to make up for it," they say.

"Everything will get better," they say.

"You'll find your place in this world," they say.

But is what they say true? Is what they preach into the ears of the unfortunate quarter-lifers real? Do things really get better? That question can't be answered now and not by anyone because everyone is different. Every life has its own predestined path no matter how shitty it is.

Over the last few months, I've watched as my crew has been thrown into turmoil. Our wonderful or semi- wonderful lives, have taken a turn down the road of the quarter life crisis (Please, no pity!) One of us wants to go back to College but lacks the financial means. Another is being held hostage by the expectations of less than motivational parents. Another is studying in a foreign country only to be plagued by the issues back home. The next is working so hard but with a kid to take care of and a lot of loans means a $1000 paycheck turns into $50 after everything is paid up. One of us just quit our job and is now riding the couch ungracefully. And someone else, though working diligently while studying abroad to be a chef, will have no job when she returns home after a year.

Every day we listen and we support each other in the best way possible, but should we have to? Should young women our age have to feel this type of unfair burden? Our parents wanted us to grow up. They wanted us to get out of high school/college and get a good job. They wanted us to become great adults, but where's the blueprint?

Everyone highlights the mid-life crisis and how to get through it but no one remembers us. At 23, we're surprisingly glum. Our latest level of excitement has been to defeat the monsters in a Facebook game called Everwings, much to our parents dislike. Our enjoyment no longer stems around going to work or going to class and we find ourselves missing high school like it was the only reason for existing.

We fantasize and recall our plans to graduate and live together, all eight of us together; away from our parents and siblings where we could thrive and be happy, but those are just dreams. They are just the lost hopes of the Quarter Lifers. So what can we do to fix this?

I chose this topic because, on June 19th, I will have been Wattpad for one year. One year since I decided that I would revive my childhood dream of being a writer. One year since I set goals that seemed easy and doable. And one year, since I decided what I wanted to do with my life. Unfortunately, I haven't reached any of my goals and being the person that I am, I've let other things and emotions dictate the way I approach my writing. Not good!

There is much to say and complain about as a Quarter Lifer, especially when there are so many dreams and ideas swirling around in your head. Find a guy to marry, have some kids, become famous! But you forget about the most important thing; being happy.

Up until recently, I perceived my happiness as simply finding a job good enough to take care of my bills, and being able to talk to my friends every day. But I realized that I was only happy with them. I wasn't happy with my job, or where my life was for that matter. So I quit! And as I ride this couch ungracefully, I will do so while talking to my friends over webcam and working on furthering my skills.

I've always wanted to make people laugh, so after being commissioned to do a children's book (commission lost since client didn't explain the project correctly), I realized that I still had that dream. I bought myself a graphics tablet, and along with another member of my crew and a mutual friend, we'll be working on producing our own anime and/or webtoon. They both would like to be animators, but for now, while we work on achieving our goals, we'll support each other and hopefully gain some recognition for our unique storyline.

(In case you're wondering, the title will be Chronicles of a Japanese exchange student! Lots of humor is promised.)

I'd like to finish all my work here on wattpad but seeing as how I've taken on so many more internal jobs on the site, I'll be pulling a lot of my nearly finished work, finishing them, and putting them up for sale on ebook sites. Everyone asks me how much money do I make writing, and every time I say $0 I feel myself die a little. I keep saying that I have to start somewhere before I think about money, but if I never think about money, and I never take that leap, I'll be writing amazing stories and simply almost dominating the hotlist forever.

Last year, while putting my first book up, I found that I was literally shaking. I was so used to being ridiculed and chastised that I let the fear hold me back, and after this stride in the quarter life crisis, I am no longer afraid to fail. In fact, I want to fail. I want to try everything so in a year or two, I will have no regrets.

I started doing Youtube videos a few months ago, I'll start again! Not to be a famous Youtuber but because I enjoy it.

I started writing music and singing again after years, I'll do that again too! Not to become famous but because I love doing it.

I'll stop holding myself back and feeling so inferior to those around me because that isn't doing anything but making me feel depressed.

We all wanted to get away from high school drama but you know what, enjoy it, laugh it off, revel in it. . . because once it's over, you can't go back no matter how much y0u wish for it.

Don't become a Quarter Lifer stuck in a rut wondering why you exist. Start taking risks, jump on those goals even if you feel like the only thing you'll do is fail. Don't let your twenties be plagued by memories, but instead make new memories. Feel good about doing something so you don't get stuck in a Quarter-life crisis because seriously, I have no clue how long this thing will last!

Thank you for being with us for a year. Thank you for sharing with us your comments and thoughts. Thank you for the votes. Thank you for your kind and encouraging words. But most of all, thank you for letting us know that we made you feel something. As writers without the emotions of the reader, we are nothing - so, thank you!

Happy Anniversary WATTMAG! You are the driving force behind this Quarter Lifers escape from her crisis.