yo! it's a quarterlife crisis!

for many of us living through our twenties, it is only natural to question our career choices, social circles, and everyday activities. when i reflect on this season of my life, i see myself as a closeted rocky balboa (weird i know). every time i am faced with adversity, i come back with the stronger punch. Each time I am knocked down, i jump back up and learn a life lesson, duck and block; protect those ribs, preserve that face. each bruise i receive, i sustain passion – the same passion the balboa had while running through the streets of philadelphia, struggling to make it up the never-ending steps leading to the museum...panting and sweating with a sick desire for more. concurrently, “eye of the tiger” is playing on my ipod play list entitled “life’s soundtrack.” this, my friends, is the story of a quarter-life crisis; the life of the professional underdogs.

many twentysomethings are challenged with the overwhelming nature of our new lifestyles. we are no longer college students, we no longer have our own time, and gone are the days of using our parents’ credit cards and money. instead the “good life” we once had has been replaced with a 9-5, a time card, and a paycheck that is 30% short. that’s no apollo creed contender there….. that’s good ole’ uncle sam reminding your ass who’s really the champ.

let’s not forget to mention that puppy-love is exactly what it is – for puppies. now our love lives are filled with crazy and uncertain, but sometimes exciting relationships with that guy you can’t quite figure out. we no longer have the time for the late night conversations which made us swoon over that special guy. instead, we value the hour or less conversation to not to only catch up on ourselves, but to fill each other in on our office colleagues and professional school classmates. worst of all, instead of hearing the career questions we once received, many of us women are now being asked the big marriage question by our relatives and peers. *sigh* we’re growing up and learning to put a lid on family pressure.

being faced with the newfound glory of adulthood, we are all the more insecure about our next move. what now to add to our infinite balls to juggle? oh yes, that’s right – responsibility. responsibility with finances, credit scores, and maintaining relationships. we learn the value of good rest, good health, and good food. gone are the days of partying until the break of dawn and drinking until we can’t drive. oh – so much is at stake now. we have to live. although sleep is overrated in our busy lives, we still understand that rest prepares you for the fight and good health maintains the focus.

we twentysomethings still have heart; each day we walk out of our apartments armed with business suits and boxing gloves in full preparation to face the sharks and save the world from itself. we idealistic yuppies, i tell you. we want to make our mark on society, and change cultural menaces. while we are attempting to put our foot into society’s door, we have our mickey cheering us on in the form of friendships and family members. we learn to rely on our friends and family more than our pride ever believed we could. we now realize that our friends and family help us through the ups and downs, the uncertainties, and the successes we find in our everyday lives and careers. we understand that we are not undefeatable, but merely contenders trying so desperately to make it to the championships. we learn the value of support and selflessness; while unconsciously sharpening our character with the keenest tools imaginable.

in these years, we start to care – we start to have a concern for the social engineering of our society. we closely follow politics in an unconscious effort to protect the ones we love and care about most. we find peace in knowing that we made a stand in our society and one that benefits our culture. we take pride in being that twentysomething, we take pride in our newfound awareness, be it in culture, politics, or ourselves. nonetheless we take the most pride in the strength that we have attained – realizing that at the end of the day, when the bell rings, we will still be standing – stronger and taller than ever with a strong sense of dignity and admiration of the accomplishments we have worked so hard to achieve.

Enough of my rant... I am a law student, I have outlines to complete. peace.
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