My quarter life crisis

Ah senior year. A time to celebrate how far you’ve made it in your college career and look forward to your entrance to working society, and if you’re like me, time to start panicking about your future. 

For years, it seems like people have been priming college students for their entrance into this mysterious “real adult world.” 

But, what does it actually mean to be an adult? Because if the legal definition of being an adult is to hit the age of eighteen, then I’ve been an adult for three whole years and miraculously survived, despite some of my more questionable adult decisions (microwaved scrambled eggs being the top of the list, of course). 

Now that the time is approaching to make many impactful and arguably long-lasting choices, I find myself in a constant state of nervousness about the future. 

I have no doubt that my Carroll degree will get me a job. 

But when do I start applying for jobs? 

How do I set myself apart from other qualified candidates? 

Where will I live?

How will I afford housing without having to live with seventeen roommates? 

So, if you’ve read this far, then you know the theme of this column is that I, like a lot of upperclassmen, have questions about an uncertain future.

 If this makes you bummed out, stop reading. But, if you’re hoping to find solidarity in a few of the questions I have and want to know that you’re not alone in some of your nervousness, then keep going because my list continues. 

Honestly, it never ends.

At the top of my list, of course, is the question of whether to go to grad school. As an elementary and special education major, I won’t need my master’s immediately, but I will at some point. Is this something I want to pursue immediately following my undergraduate or after a few years of work experience? 

I’m probably going to work in education which means I can go anywhere in the country. That gives me the flexibility that I’m sure I’ll be grateful for later on, but for now, it’s incredibly intimidating.

Where will I live? Is it time to return to the Pacific Northwest after my time here at Carroll or do I throw a dart at the map an d try something completely different? Both sound appealing. 

Upon my arrival in whatever state I’ll be living in, where will I find housing? Is it better to rent or buy? How does one even go about buying a house and secure the funding to do so? If I’m renting, in this economy, I’m going to need one to ten roommates. Do I find roommates on Craigslist or is there a platform that might find me someone that doesn’t steal my socks?

Alright, so you see my point about the bottomless pit of uncertainty that is the next year of my life, therefore, causing me massive amounts of stress. 

If my parents had a basement, I would definitely be living in it.

I started this column with the intention of airing my anxieties so other upperclassmen know they’re not alone. 

However, it has made me realize that not all of these decisions have to be made at this very moment, or even by the end of this year. Whether continuing on to graduate school or beginning the job search immediately following graduation, it’s okay to take some time for ourselves. 

Taking time off in between school or before finding a job is in no way a failure. It can give you time to assess what you really want to do in your post-secondary and life endeavors. 

And for the people that are going straight through to the next chapter in your life, good for you. Recognize that this is a springboard for achieving your goals and that you can be proud of yourselves for surviving undergrad! 

Additionally, for people who want to receive help looking for and applying to jobs, internships, or graduate schools, Carroll truly does have an amazing Career Services Department that can help you in this transition.  

It seems that nearly every college graduate faces some type of trepidation about what’s next. I’ve used this very long-winded column to come to the conclusion that this is probably normal. While I do have some very real nerves and life decisions looming, I’m also excited for this next phase of my life to begin and to finally enter this glorified “real adult world” grown-ups have been warning me about for years.