Shut up, mid-life crisis; the unspoken of quarter-life crisis also deserves acknowledgement.

Imagine you are at a buffet, but instead of food, it is all the life choices you could possibly make. You have piled your plate high, but halfway through, you realize you might have been happier with something else entirely. That is the quarter-life crisis. It is like standing in the aftermath of a graduation ceremony—cap thrown, cheers fading, and suddenly you are supposed to know exactly what to do next in every aspect of life. No pressure, right? :)

It is interesting how “Cubicles”?captures the existential angst of young adulthood. That is the quarter-life crisis for you, and frankly, it is high time it got the same respect we give the mid-life crisis.

In?Cubicles, Piyush’s life is a masterclass in quarter-life turbulence. One day he is thrilled about his shiny new job; the next, he is questioning whether his role as a cog in the corporate machine is all there is to life. His personal life isn't much clearer. As friends post engagement and baby photos, Piyush navigates the murky waters of adult relationships, while his social media feeds taunt him with images of his peers seemingly living their best lives

Ironically, Mid-life crisis gets all the limelight with it’s sports cars and impromptu trips to Bali/Bangkok, but the quarter-life crisis is where the real action happens. This is when you lay the groundwork for the rest of your life. Career paths, serious relationships, and personal identity—big stuff gets decided, often amidst a cloud of self-doubt and societal pressure. You are scripting your future with every job application, every Tinder swipe, and every late-night existential debate with your roommate. :)?

The quarter-life crisis should not just be a sidebar in your life's narrative. It is the main event, deserving of as much attention, if not more, than the mid-life crisis.

As young adults, the quarter life crisis is real, however, the understanding of the same by the larger society is minimal or non-existent. Thus, we don’t speak about it, the GenZs require that support and not just the millennials who seem to hogging all the limelight with their mid-life crisis. Let us elevate the quarter-life crisis from a whispered concern to a celebrated turning point and acknowledge it’s existence to start with. After all, if life is a journey, the quarter-life crisis is when you grab the wheel and truly start driving. Who needs a mid-life crisis when you have mastered the art of living through this?

So, next time a young adult is experiencing quarter-life crisis and reaches out to you, sit down and listen, don’t just say - “you are just a kid”, “you are not serious” or even better - “settle down”!