Worrying about the choosing the right career – or the right subjects? You’re not the only one. The self-doubt and anxiety that comes with having to choose the ‘perfect’ life path is so common, it’s been given a name – and it’s happening to people all over the country, says Deb Davey, Chisholm’s Team Leader of Student Services.
So what is a quarter-life crisis?
The Quarter Life Crisis is a term given to the paralysing pressure that stems from having to choose from a seemingly endless range of opportunities out there. “These days, there are lots and lots of choices out there for your future career path,” Deb explains. "Knowing what to study – or even if you should study, rather than jumping straight into work – can feel like an enormous responsibility.”
"You don’t need to have all the answers yet. Life is for learning”
Despite the huge benefits for connecting and networking with peers and professionals, social media isn’t always helping the situation, either. “When you add in the unrealistic messages of other peoples’ achievements on social media, and a cultural emphasis on this idea of ‘having it all’, it’s easy to see why a lot of us end up feeling extreme amounts of pressure to having it all ‘worked out’ – just like everyone else seems to.”
For those of us who’ve actually gone out and jumped into a career, things can be even tougher, she adds. “It’s not uncommon for people to rush into their first job, full of high expectations, only to realise that even though everything looks good on paper, they’re not as happy as they thought they’d be,” she says.
How do you manage a quarter-life crisis?
If any of this is sounding familiar, take heart – a quarter-life crisis isn’t all doom and gloom. According to research presented at the 2011 British Psychological Society’s annual conference, 80 per cent of people who’ve been through one say it was a valuable life experience. Deb agrees. “A struggle like this can be one of life’s most powerful teachers,” she says. “Questioning your priorities, and learning to take the pressure off… a quarter-life crisis can be just the thing to teach you important life skills like learning how to manage your stress levels well and spending less time on social media sites where you find yourself playing the comparison game,” she says.
It’s easy to see why a lot of us end feeling extreme amounts of pressure to having it all ‘worked out’”
“Take a load off,” Deb advises. Talk to family and friends, amp up your levels of self-care, and get yourself a mentor – they can be of huge benefit – or go to a counsellor on campus.” And talk to your mates. “Their online appearance versus their offline life can really help you check in with reality,” she says.
A challenging period of self-reflection like this can also be the perfect opportunity to get to know what you’re really good at. “Everybody’s got existing skills and strengths, so analyse yours,” Deb urges. “This will help you get to know which attributes can help you get ahead – and allows you to celebrate the things that you already do really well.
“Really, what this boils down to is young people placing unreasonable pressure on themselves to succeed, but it’s important people know that they don’t need to have all the answers yet. Life is for learning.”
