Has your long academic journey come to an end, yet the lightness you expected is instead replaced by sudden indecision about your future?
An Opportunity Amidst the “Quarter-Life Crisis”
Sadly, after hearing countless stories similar to my own—which I will soon share—I’ve concluded that this feeling among young people is more common than we might think. In fact, just typing “My quarter-life crisis” on YouTube reveals you are definitely not alone in facing this moment of uncertainty. Although the topic is starting to gain well-deserved visibility on social media, it’s still somewhat taboo, making it challenging to find the “right” people to share this transitional phase with.
This is why, by the end of this article, I hope you’ll feel more empowered and less like you’re “in the midst of a crisis.” Keep in mind these wise words I recently heard from a doctor who specializes in life transitions for young people: “You are still young. Don’t forget that, because as a youngster, every time you fall, you can easily get up!”
These words rang true for me, as this moment became a wake-up call, prompting me to confront aspects of myself I had never deeply explored. What initially scared me ended up making me stronger and more prepared for major challenges.
How I Began Self-Exploration
I was never a particularly “problematic” student—I earned good grades with only a few setbacks throughout my academic career. Sounds great, right? I thought so too, just like many students who prioritize their studies.
Unfortunately, after graduation, when I began searching for a job aligned with my studies, I realized that my academic expectations were not as aligned with the professional world as I had hoped. When reading job offers in my field—international studies—I began questioning whether this was really what I wanted to do for the next few years.
Although this felt strange at first, it didn’t stop me from applying for jobs in line with my studies. However, I figured that exploring this unexpected feeling of unease, and its underlying causes, while job hunting could help me feel less uncertain about my future. And let me tell you, that’s exactly what happened! Reflecting on my self-exploration journey now makes me laugh, as it began with me reading rather philosophical personal development books, still doubtful they’d be useful for career purposes. But it led to an unexpected outcome: I became so self-aware and confident in my strengths and weaknesses through self-exploration that I am now their biggest fan. It has even become a part of my weekly routine because it has benefited me both professionally and personally!
From Unsteadiness to Confidence: The Takeaways
How did I manage to turn my career-related uncertainty into confidence through self-exploration? Let me share a few tips and tricks that helped me gradually accept, normalize, and eventually make the most of this transition phase:
- First of all, like many other changes, this takes time. It doesn’t happen overnight! Be patient, and without placing too many expectations on yourself, take a pen and paper (or your laptop, if you prefer) and start writing down your new daily routine. Include all of your daily activities—your duties—and leave a slot in your day dedicated to exploring your inner self. (For a deep dive into various self-exploration activities, I recommend an article I recently wrote.) This way, you’ll start “internalizing” self-exploration without losing focus on your “career path search.”
- A false myth I discovered through my experience is that self-exploration is not necessarily boring—it can also be shared with others. If so, it can help you feel “less lonely” in the process. As mentioned earlier, this transitional period, when you’re waiting to “jump” into the employment world, is still somewhat taboo. It should be shared with the “right people” who can understand rather than judge you. But how do you find your “tribe”? For me, a good starting point was looking for my “local tribe” on Facebook. During these periods of uncertainty, we often feel “impatient” because we’re eager to embark on the next exciting stage of our lives. Something that really helped me was thinking about what I missed the most. The answer: an international group of friends like the one I had when I was living abroad. Against all odds but without giving up, I found such a group by searching on Facebook—even in my small town! Besides feeling understood during this delicate transition, finding your “tribe” can also empower you during your exploration phase. In my case, many of the international people in this network had such inspiring stories about moving to my city that they empowered me not to give up on the dreams I was chasing.
- Now, the most important piece of advice I can give based on my experience: consider this period an exploration phase in the broadest sense—not just professionally. Since you might need supportive and empowering people during this time, don’t judge yourself if it means distancing yourself from lifelong friends, needing more personal space, or—as mentioned earlier—finding a “new tribe.” During this time, I discovered that even though I was the same age as my peers, we had different needs, priorities, and ambitions. This becomes evident in this specific moment of exploration and realization—as I found out after making new friends from the international network. I was so used to having everything figured out in my life that changing friends felt strange at first. But in the end, it’s part of life!
- If I’ve learned anything during this transition, it’s that the reason we feel this “internal vacuum” is because we need to listen more to ourselves and, most importantly, to our needs. Therefore, another tip I’d like to give you is this: don’t be afraid to follow your instincts when taking your first steps after graduating. If there’s one more thing I’ve realized, it’s that every single experience can be useful in its own way—even if it doesn’t seem so at the time. Let me give you a personal example: My first experience after graduating was in Spain, where I worked as a teacher in an English academy. At the time, I chose this path mainly because I wanted a work experience abroad. I was also partly disappointed that it wasn’t my Plan A (a job aligned with my Master’s degree) but rather my Plan B (a job in line with my Bachelor’s degree). However, I realized a few years later how valuable this experience was for an internship I did in Brussels, where my position required work experience specifically in Southern Europe! Call it karma, but that’s how it goes in these periods of transition: based on my experience, following your heart is really important and is definitely better than waiting with your arms crossed!
In Conclusion
If there’s one thing you should take away from all this, it’s that this phase of your life probably won’t be the easiest—especially at the beginning. But I assure you, it will be the period where, if you truly listen to yourself and make it a daily practice, you will develop a level of self-awareness about your needs, strengths, and weaknesses that not only you but also those around you will notice. This self-awareness will also make you much more confident in the steps in your upcoming professional life!
