This Post-Grad Life: A Mid-Life Crisis at Twenty Three

January 26, 2011 1:00 pm     Posted in Reality  Brittany - University of Saint Thomas g+ page


By Brittany

[Life after college is different for every single grad. While some might be going to grad school, others enter the real world in attempts to make their dreams come true pay off their student loans. We've been following Charlsie on her post-grad journey since September, but now it's time to check see what someone else's post-grad life brings. (But don't worry - Charlsie will still be writing!) So ladies, allow me to introduce you to Brittany and her tumultuous life after college.]

I’m having a pre-mid-life crisis.

And I can’t even buy a red Corvette and put the top down and drive to my Beverly Hills condo in complete dismay.  I can’t go to a nice cocktail bar and cheat on my fat, hairy husband.  I can’t even obtain a sugar daddy to buy me a bangin’ new set of tits. All I can do is attack my Netflix, fall back on an old high school flame, and stare at my empty PayPal account.

Twenty-somethings are not supposed to feel the way I do.

I feel like I’m at an AA group to talk about my feelings, but here it is, as honest as I can be.  I graduated a decade nine months ago.  In Hollywood years, that’s about five.  I could have popped out a set of twins with Charlie Sheen by now, or at least put myself on Teen Mom and physically abused my crack head baby daddy.

But, no.  In the past nine months of post-grad life, I’ve had five internships, lots of hot dogs (the only thing I can afford/enjoy at the same time) and many tweaked out conversations with my mother (i.e. “AM I DOING THE RIGHT THING WITH MY LIFE!??).

While I search for a glamorous job, a spicy love life, and a easy breezy life on my own, I’m constantly motorboated by reality.  And I’m suffocating.  Although I know everyone my age is rowing the same (sinking) boat, I feel like I’m completely alone.  This is the most melodramatic I’ve been in my entire life.  I don’t even remember being this ridiculous when I got my period for the first time.

After I graduated, I lived at my parents’ house for six months.  Like I said, six months in Hollywood I could have made a sex tape or texted Brett Favre. But no, six months at home while I finished my fourth internship and perfected a lagging four months of unemployment made me feel as useless as a submarine with screen portholes.

In a triumphant attempt to get another job, I landed myself another internship in January.  For being a double major graduate from a prestigious private school (that I’ll be paying for until I’m as old as Betty White) I expected a little more out of my future. Now I’m just praying for something. Anything.

I decided that while I wasn’t making my dreams come true, the least I could do was get a change of scenery so I moved out of my parents and in with some friends. And so my mid-life crisis began.  After living away from home for a month I’ve never felt so over-worked, under-appreciated and tired in my life. I’ve become addicted to high end fashion blogs and I can’t afford anything.  I want to write my own book someday, but the time and money required to do so just don’t exist.  While I don’t have time to stress out about my future, I find stress in weird and frequent circumstances. I cried when they didn’t have the hot dog buns I like at the grocery store last week.

Regardless, I’m excited to share this journey with all of the lovely CollegeCandy readers. Mostly because while I feel inhuman this way, I know I’m not the only one.  It’s easy to feel undefined, confused and incompetent at this age.  But I know I’m not alone.  While I understand the post-grad life is just a frustrating phase, I can live with knowing it’s a flexible one.  And as stubborn as I may be, I refuse to not take a lesson away from all of it.

As I navigate my life after college, I have the power to define who I am without any help from anyone else.  That alone, beats one day in Hollywood.

Cheers to being a post grad, and here’s to the journey.

25 Comments on "This Post-Grad Life: A Mid-Life Crisis at Twenty Three"

  1. Alexandrina says:
    Wed, 26th Jan 20111:21 pm 

    I hear ya! Finding a job is almost impossible; or so it seems. I can definitely sympathize with what you're going through and I've only been a graduate for almost two months. It's kind of refreshing to know I'm not the only one who feels this way. Good luck with your future endeavors!

  2. Sarah says:
    Wed, 26th Jan 20113:04 pm 

    I haven't graduated yet but I totally understand how you feel. I'm already worrying about the future and how I'm going to get a job and transition into the real world.

    By the way, you should look up the symptoms of a Quarterlife Crisis…apparently it's been overlooked in the past but is pretty common and they're just starting to try treatments and stuff like that. Hope it helps and good luck!

  3. Graduate says:
    Wed, 26th Jan 201111:31 pm 

    I sympathize and I feel your pain!! Your blogs have been awesome to read these past few months, for real! I graduated in May and had a fabulous internship in exactly what I wanted to do….that didn't turn into a job. Now I've spent the past 2 months moping and trying to find a new job, and it's insane out there. Good luck, and you're not alone!

  4. Commentor says:
    Thu, 27th Jan 201111:30 am 

    Hmmm …

    Maybe too tough here, but University of Saint Thomas is not a "prestigious" school. I advise you to do what you're doing in part, i.e., work for free to become educated directly in the field in which you want to work. What is that, by the way; you did not say. If it's in the entertainment industry, that's hard. You might want to get a graduate degree from UCLA or USC if you can somehow; segue into the local job market through academia.

  5. G M says:
    Thu, 27th Jan 20113:49 pm 

    ..and you have a degree in?

  6. Laura says:
    Thu, 27th Jan 20114:21 pm 

    I too am in the same situation, except I call my dark friend a quarter life crisis. (can you tell I watch too much Dexter) In today's economy with competition at its peak, more and more of us seem to be going down the same sad, melodramatic path. Its a crossroads. What do we do next? Keep getting rejected over and over for our dream job to professional with as many years of experience as years I've been alive, hold tight til things get better, go back to school, cry? I graduated almost two years ago now and I spend my days getting yelled at and sitting in a cubicle.

    I hope you have more luck than I! I'm looking forward to reading your journey and I'm hoping it will help to motivate me on mine!

  7. bechaffee says:
    Thu, 27th Jan 20114:27 pm 

    I just throw the word "prestigious" into anything that I'll be paying for until I'm 80. There isn't necessarily any rhyme or reason besides that.

  8. Veronica says:
    Fri, 28th Jan 201111:02 pm 

    I too am 23 and just came out of a similar situation. It was not pleasant, as you know. I took two internships before landing a job doing what I love, which just so happens to be writing/journalism. (So I can identify and relate.) I just wanted to stop by and leave you with a little encouragement. After reading this piece, it's clear that you are a talented writer. (Hopefully you are pursuing something in this field.) Just remember that. There are thousands like us. It gets better, keep your head up.

  9. Annie says:
    Mon, 31st Jan 20118:07 pm 

    This article couldn't be anymore true!

    If someone had told me how difficult the first year out of college is (shitty economy or not), I never would have graduated! This article is so sad, and yet I can totally identify. I find myself constantly on the edge; some days I am happy with the way everything is going, other days I break down, wondering where my life is going and if I am making the right choices.

    I feel your pain girl, hang in there, SOMETHING good has to come along… at least that is what I tell myself when I cry myself to sleep at night, haha!

    P.S. – Adding this article to our "Links We Love" feature on Friday :)

  10. Victoria says:
    Wed, 2nd Feb 20114:54 pm 

    totally feel your pain!!!
    i just graduated, threw myself into an internship and am quite unsure of what the hell to do now!
    Good luck to us all!

  11. intoyourblueeyes says:
    Thu, 3rd Feb 201112:23 am 

    Yes dear, you are not alone in this journey, in the begining of my career, I also suffered from so many hurdles and I was also in the short of money, but dear, life is not ended anywhere….
    What I learn from my life is, life is not just crashed there, it is the new begining of something else, you will come to know about it when this phase of life will go. Just don't worry and find happiness in your life by any means, via any cause, this time will pass soon and a happy and wonderful time will come it you believe in "Whatever is happening, it's for my goodness"…

    Good luck…

    How To Make a Guy Fall In Love With You

  12. julz says:
    Thu, 3rd Mar 20117:17 pm 

    This is an amazing article. I'm in almost the same predicament except I can't find any internships and can't even get a callback from Target! This is a crossroads and I'm more than ecstatic that I found this article because it's nice to know that I'm not the only person going through this. I'm trying to get into the journalism world but my location isn't the most opportune place for journalism or post grad internships. Any tips?

    Thanks!

  13. donald says:
    Sun, 11th Sep 201112:16 am 

    I feel the same way due to some crazy life circumstances I was delayed getting into college so I am going to graduate in a couple of months but at 23, I wanted to be doing something with my life. Not doing my dads job and not getting payed but something worth while.

    I have always been grounded and not doing anything crazy but I feel like I just need to snap and do something crazy to get out of the funk. I know people that are a lot worse off than me. People can barley can afford their mortgage or food to eat, but I want something worth while, leave my mark on this world.

  14. Aiman says:
    Mon, 13th Feb 201210:52 pm 

    Much airiecpatpon for this blog. Really intriguing and well written article. I would like to read more very soon.

  15. NARA says:
    Thu, 22nd Mar 20126:59 pm 

    Good to know I'm not the only one feeling this way. I finished school in Dec and since have been on a path of finding a job that won't last just for the summer. In the meantime I struggle to pay rent and buy food and constantly have to call on parents for help. I hope you find something soon and good luck to everyone who's going through the same phase

  16. Patrick Hospes says:
    Thu, 6th Jun 20136:47 am 

    Wonderful work! That is the type of information that are supposed to be shared across the net.

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