Last year I accepted a temporary entry-level job at a UK charity that works to reduce reoffending rates among prisoners. I felt like I had won the lottery, securing a full-time role, in the middle of a pandemic while submitting the final coursework for my degree.
Just six months later, with a permanent position at the organisation in reach, I was suddenly filled with doubt and insecurity about my career. Aged 24 and in the middle of my “quarter-life crisis”, I quit my job to become a journalist.
The quarter-life crisis is a psychological phenomenon felt by people in their 20s and 30s. There are four stages to the crisis, according to the Harvard Business Review. It starts with the feeling of being trapped by commitments, followed by isolation. Then a period of reflection ensues, which ends with the young person finding a solution that leaves them much happier and more fulfilled.