While dad is struggling to ride his new Harley-Davidson and cope with the fact that he is "over the hill" and only getting older, he may not realize that his twenty-something child is battling their own crisis.
While many are familiar with the midlife crisis, few are aware of the quarterlife crisis experienced during the transition into adulthood. On the outside, graduating seniors appear happy and calm. But on the inside most are screaming. The anxiety of finding a job and entering the real world is terrifying. Most want to eternally remain the typical crazy college student, pulling all-nighters and meeting friends at Starbucks to discuss a wild weekend.
"The quarterlife crisis is a state of uncertainty and anxiety that often accompanies the transition to adulthood," said Abby Wilner, the woman responsible for coining the phrase and author of The New York Times' bestseller, "Quarterlife Crisis."
It is the compilation of an individual's anxiety and confusion concerning which career path to choose, where to live and all other worries that accompany an unknown future.
The average age range of the quarterlife crisis is between 21 and 35 years old, Wilner said. While some individuals may experience an identity crisis immediately after graduation, others may not feel such anxiety until after they have fully entered the real world, she added.
In 1997, Wilner decided to write the book after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in psychology. Wilner was unable to find a permanent job and had to move back home with her parents. It was her post-college experience that motivated her to write about this major life transition. She said she found it strange that most people seemed to overlook it.
"I know that it is normal to experience anxiety as a twenty-something, and readers of the book are relieved to know they are not alone," Wilner said.
The QLC has become a recent buzzword, and since the success of her first book, Wilner has released other books with the help of co-authors Alexandra Robbins and Catherine Stocker.
While many are familiar with the midlife crisis, few are aware of the quarterlife crisis experienced during the transition into adulthood. On the outside, graduating seniors appear happy and calm. But on the inside most are screaming. The anxiety of finding a job and entering the real world is terrifying. Most want to eternally remain the typical crazy college student, pulling all-nighters and meeting friends at Starbucks to discuss a wild weekend.
"The quarterlife crisis is a state of uncertainty and anxiety that often accompanies the transition to adulthood," said Abby Wilner, the woman responsible for coining the phrase and author of The New York Times' bestseller, "Quarterlife Crisis."
It is the compilation of an individual's anxiety and confusion concerning which career path to choose, where to live and all other worries that accompany an unknown future.
The average age range of the quarterlife crisis is between 21 and 35 years old, Wilner said. While some individuals may experience an identity crisis immediately after graduation, others may not feel such anxiety until after they have fully entered the real world, she added.
In 1997, Wilner decided to write the book after graduating from Washington University in St. Louis with a degree in psychology. Wilner was unable to find a permanent job and had to move back home with her parents. It was her post-college experience that motivated her to write about this major life transition. She said she found it strange that most people seemed to overlook it.
"I know that it is normal to experience anxiety as a twenty-something, and readers of the book are relieved to know they are not alone," Wilner said.
The QLC has become a recent buzzword, and since the success of her first book, Wilner has released other books with the help of co-authors Alexandra Robbins and Catherine Stocker.
