Quarter-life Crisis: Relationships
I was going to make this a single post, but being there’s so much I could write about I’m going to make it into a series of posts. Called “Quarter-life Crisis”
I’m 23, turning 24 in a few months. I notice I’m beginning to have a bit of a quarter-life crisis. I know, I’m young and shouldn’t even begin to think about shit like that, but apparently it’s not common for people of my age to think like I do. I can call it a quarter life crisis because I’m starting to notice that the people around me that are the same age, the people I went to high school with and am friends with on Facebook to make me feel better about myself, are starting to get engaged. One by one, I’ll see another post about someone I used to know getting engaged. A few people have already gotten married, even more have started having kids, but most of them seemed unplanned.
I’m in a relationship, and have been for about a year and four months. So it’s a long term, yet young relationship by all means. We live together, I moved in with her after dating for six months. Which may or may not have been the best thing for us. On the good side, we know what it’s like to live together full time, and be in each other’s company 90% of the time we’re home. On the bad side, were together 90% of the time were home, she loves it, as she is a bit of a social butterfly that has grown up in a large family. I on the other hand, grew up a bit of a social hermit, in a small family, where everyone really didn’t like each other much. I’m an only child, and am use to being a “lone wolf” as some would call it. I like my alone time, it’s where I feel most comfortable, there’s a certain romance in being alone with your thoughts. Some people love it, while others can’t tolerate the silence.
Living with my girlfriend has brought me out of my shell, a lot. Which I do think is a good thing, I’m more open, vocal, and confident. I’m not the social butterfly like she is that can talk to anyone about anything, but I try.
But now that I realize, shit, I’m an adult and have responsibilities and things I need to do. That has caused me to being a quarter-life crisis. I find myself wondering if being with my girlfriend is the best choice. I love her, but I often wonder if I’m with the right person. Am I wasting my time with her, when there’s someone I might feel stronger about out there somewhere? Am I in the right place? Or am I better suited elsewhere? I worry that I’m not saving enough money, or maybe I should be living differently.
I guess it comes from thinking about the future more, and realizing that in 5 years I’m going to be 29, almost 30. Most people have a kid by the time they’re 30. That’s in 5 years, and 5 years ago I was graduating high school, and it seems like it was 2 years ago, 5 years is going to go by in the blink of an eye… But then in 10 years I’ll be going on 40, and most people are talking about a 401K and have a house…. And the thoughts just keep going on and on, until your 40th birthday comes and you remember worrying about shit when you were 24.
