Friday, January 27, 2006

Quarter-life crisis

A friend of mine and I got into the discussion of wanting to do certain things before we turn 30. He felt that he was running out of time, that his life was closing in on him and that he better get a move on before the earth swallows him whole.

Us 20-somethings suffer from quarter-life crisis. It's very different from mid-life crisis I suppose, the latter making you act like a complete idiot because you're so dead set in acting like a 20-something instead of a 50-something. The quarter-life crisis is a time in our life when we feel that we are running out of time to do the things we want to do or accomplish before we completely commit ourselves to heaps of responsibilities which usaully involves other people rather than just ourselves. In short, it is a time in our life when we feel we only have a few years left to be completely selfish.

I am actually turning 28 in a couple of weeks. I have gone through my quarter-life crisis at the tender age of 24. I went through my wish list - very reasonable ones at that -and tried to fulfill it as much as I can.

I guess we all have our wish lists, of things we want to achieve and experience before we get to a certain age. In my case, all of my plans and aspirations have changed come my 26th birthday. I have stopped making plans just for myself since then. I don't know, probably because I felt like I have done everything that I wanted by myself - travelled overseas on my own, purchased my car, bought a house, shop for stuff I like, that sort of thing. A lot of things that I plan for has to do something with my future with Arnie and our future family, except for a couple of things I want to do on my own:

1. Finish my Ph.D by 40
2. Finish my novel

Different people have different priorities. I may like a lot of things that people my age usually occupy their time with , like shopping and stuff (Believe me, I am not one for neglecting myself when it comes to clothes and shoes), but I do like to plan for my future. I guess I am not so selfish as I used to be.

Jennie has grown up... and about time too!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Currently undergoing that feeling for the past 2 years now... I think I ought to grow up too. Like you! I'm happy for you, Jennie. :)

Urban Warrior said...

Growing up is best defined by deciding what you want to do with your life and committing yourself to it - yup that's the ticket.

(and for Jennie it definitely means not having to stop spending on clothes and shoes bwahahaha)

Jennie said...

Bwahahahaha! You got that right, Kiko :p

eLf ideas said...

Jennie,
Finish your novel. Dapat.