Writer reflects on quarter-life crisis

Twenty-four seemed pretty old 10 years ago. Now that I've reached that age it seems just as old.

I'm having a quarter life crisis. This is assuming of course that I make it 96. It seems more likely I'm having a 1/3-life crisis.

Either way the problem I'm facing is much different from the more known mid-life crisis. Those who are middle aged and suffer a breakdown are likely to make efforts to retain their youth. I however see young people and find myself to be much different from them. It shows me I'm not a spring chicken anymore.

I can feel the chilling grip of death sneaking up on my old shaky shoulders. My back aches due to a car wreck, I get cricks in my neck when I wake up and I don't get today's fashions. They seem dumb to me.

What I liked six years ago has also changed.

Things I used to find interesting don't intrigue me anymore. For the first time in my collegiate career I don't have to work a part-time job while attending class. I always said if I ever had this opportunity I would get one facial piercing and two ear piercing. Now that I can follow through with this plan I have no interest in these body modifications.

My face and body structure has changed as well. I can grow a full beard. I'm heavier than I was a few years back, and 4 a.m. seems much later then it used to. I have to accept I've aged.

There are a few good aspects to my advanced age. I feel smarter and situations I used to have problems with I can handle. I care less about what people think about me, which let's admit it, when you're young it's a big deal no matter who you are. Lastly, I've gained a better respect for independence.

Maybe pushing 25 isn't so bad. I have much more intellectually stimulating conversations now. Perhaps I really don't need to understand today's youth. Maybe today's trends seem stupid because they are stupid. I'm just going to keep living my life, wearing my Converse telling those damned kids to turn down their music about Helen Keller so I can sip my Earl Grey tea in peace. After all that's what every 24-year-old does, right?