The commonly used term "midlife crisis" is typically used in context as if it is only applicable to middle age adults. A “midlife crisis” usually entails middle-aged adults suffering from a life altering realization about their life purpose.
However, I think as people we experience multiple “crises” throughout our lives. The one I think is underrated is what I like to call a College Midlife Crisis. As a second year college student, I can definitely attest to the difficulties that “adulting” brings.
As young adults finishing out our teenage years, we are given an immense amount of responsibility practically overnight. We go from having the care and reliability of our guardians to only ourselves. The difficulty of balancing things is exemplified when there isn't another person holding you accountable for school, extracurricular activities, friends, jobs, appointments, personal health/ hygiene…it can be a lot.
The stress is no longer homework, quizzes, plays, and ACT scores. It's internships, career paths, loans, resumes, and references. Due to this new form of stress, it is possible and completely acceptable to experience a College Midlife Crisis.
You may be experiencing this phenomenon if you are:
1. Questioning your potential career path hourly.
Am I meant for employment? Cause living at home wasn’t too shabby
2. Having doubts about everything from your chosen brand of toothpaste to how is it possible that you are allowed certain responsibilities that mom and dad used to handle without any questions asked.
Who put me in charge of me? Who deemed me eligible for making decisions that exceed what I'm going to eat for dinner?
3. Waking up every morning telling yourself that Peter Pan was brilliant and that aging is no longer going to apply to you.
Is adulting optional?
4. Deciding that the reason you can’t get your life together is because you need to change majors…because your current major is the real issue.
Why graduate in 4 years when you could in 5?
