National Blog Posting Month

What stage is everyone at in their quarter-life?

Typically, the mid twenties are when "life" starts to happen: you graduate college, go to grad school maybe, get your first "real" job and first "real" apartment, get married, maybe have a baby. What milestones are you hitting and which ones did you think you'd hit by now?

For me, I took a break from college and have never managed to get back. I've done the marriage thing and have now got an entry level job in my desired career (arts administration). With the exception of the college degree, I think I'm about on track.

Tags: goals

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by monquito on November 3, 2007 at 7:55am: The worst part of the "crisis" for me was the post-college slump. I wouldn't say that college was a fantastic time for me, but it certainly provided built-in friends and activities, both mental and physical. My 22nd and 23rd years were the hardest so far. Now I am 25, still in a bit of a dead-end job but the hours are much better than before, and it is slightly more interesting (not to mention the job security and benefits are pretty awesome). This year, on my birthday, I moved in with my boyfriend, so that is a big step as far as starting a "real" life. We live in the nicest place I've ever lived, too, which goes a long way toward making one feel stable. This is the best it's ever been for me, and I have it on good authority that after 26 it gets better.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Angela on November 3, 2007 at 6:37pm: I've done some college and haven't gone back and now I'm hitting the marriage aspect. I honestly thought I'd have hit the married and be on the baby-making milestone by now, but crap happens.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Penny Pitts on November 3, 2007 at 9:03pm: I don't think I'm on track at all. I think I started grownup life too early. I feel like I should be ready to retire! I've been married 6 yrs, have a 5 yr old and just got caught up in the marriage/mommy thing and didn't finish college. Now I'm a stay at home mommy after working non stop for over 8 yrs. I'm at a loss and only 27!!!!!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by distracted spunk on November 4, 2007 at 8:41am: Did the college thing, did a year at NYU for grad school, ended up deciding to move across country for a change of scenery and am currently living in Northern California. I still haven't really found a full-time first job - I've just been working all sorts of odd jobs here and there, but for the first time in my life, I'm in a somewhat healthy relationship, despite it being long-distance. And I'd like to echo the individual who said being 22 and 23 is the hardest time ever. It definitely has been thus far (I'm only 23).; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Nicole on November 4, 2007 at 10:10am: I finally figured out what I wanted to do about 2 years after graduating undergrad and bouncing from job to job. Now I am 25 and student teaching in my own classroom and will (hopefully) be certified by January and finishing up the last 3 classes of my Masters by August '08. I am living with my boyfriend of 3+ years, ideally getting married in the next 2 years and starting on a family. So, I'm on the cusp of all things adult and freaking out about it!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Anaiis on November 5, 2007 at 5:53pm: Same story here to the letter except instead of art administration I'm free-lancing in journalism and graphic design. I thought I would have a fabulous apartment in a fun city (Moscow? New York? Stockholm? Lima?), a fiery relationship and a non-time-consuming job. Instead, I live in the quiet SoCal suburbs, have a mortgage, have a marriage to troubleshoot instead of running from (a preference learned from the fast and furious affairs I was used to having) and a non-job kind of job. It's not half bad at all, but nothing, nothing like I thought it would be!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ronnica on February 27, 2008 at 9:53am: I'm finishing up my last year of grad school. What's next, I don't know.; ▶ Reply to This