I knew I didn’t want to take any time off after college because I was afraid I wouldn’t go back to school once I started making money and because school was familiar and comfortable to me. For the first few months after graduation, I think I was running on adrenaline because I was so excited to be exploring Boston and meeting new people. Though I definitely had college withdrawal, my friends and I made sure to have frequent mini-reunions and I still had a lot of free time to balance school assignments with relaxation and a part-time job. Going straight to grad school was definitely the right choice for me as it has been a wonderful experience and I’ve made some fantastic friends along the way (Hi Lauren!). However, during my second year of grad school, when I began the fieldwork component of my school psychology program, I starting missing college even more. Although I still had some free time during the week, everyone around me had to go to work each day and I was always exhausted from my inconsistent schedule. In addition, I quit my part-time job and I never wanted to do much during the week because I was trying so hard to save money. I tended to wish away the work week (and the Boston winter), and before I knew it, another year had passed, and I felt old and boring.
I could go on and on about the frustrations of entering adulthood, but I have mostly been dissatisfied with daily life and the lack of balance in the real world. I’ll admit that my lifestyle in college was very unbalanced, as I partied and drank a lot and never really worried about health or finances. However, I’m not quite ready for the other extreme, the responsible and disciplined lifestyle that characterizes ‘real’ grownups. Since I will be beginning my first full-time job this fall (actually its an internship, but its still my first time working full-time), I’ve started this blog to chronicle my quarter life quest to find a twenties-appropriate balance in everyday life. I hope that finding the right work-life-fun balance will stop me from wishing away the stressful weeks and help me take back my twenties before they are over. I look forward to sharing some of my adventures with you and I promise to include plenty of travel, food, fashion, financial struggles, and fun along the way. Thanks for reading!
Ellen
August 14, 2010 at 8:09 pmLooks great! Love the title. Love the pics. Transitioning from college to real life was tricky for me, too.
learningtolovelivelaugh
August 15, 2010 at 1:05 amI really appreciate what you’re going through I just about to start my second year of grad school and it’s definitely an adjustment that I’m still working on. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences
Katie
August 15, 2010 at 1:09 amI look forward to reading more. I went through a lot of this over the past two years, as I was in grad school directly out of college for the same reason! I’m still questioning my place in life right now as I look for my first job and transition into this real life where I totally support myself. On a crazy coincidence note, I just had an interview in Boston last Tuesday!
Kayla
August 15, 2010 at 1:32 amI had to run right over here when Kath said you started a blog, I always wondered why you didn’t have one too 😛
I’m in a midst of a quarter life crisis as well. I can’t wait to read more posts. Welcome to the blog world!
Mary Frances
August 15, 2010 at 1:40 amCongratulations on the commencement of your blog!
Mom
August 15, 2010 at 1:44 amI had dreams for years and years that I was back in the dorms at Duke, having fun. And of course your grandmother was the first to to tell me: COLLEGE YEARS ARE THE BEST YEARS OF YOUR LIFE. Looking forward to having you teach all of us how to reclaim a bit of the spunk and spirit of the college days.
Priyanka
August 15, 2010 at 1:50 amReally excited to see you writing your own blog. Looking forward to reading!
Alison
August 15, 2010 at 1:56 amI’m in my thirties, but oh how I’d like to reclaim my twenties.
I guess I’ll keep reading to learn all of your secrets!
Nina Coolidge
August 15, 2010 at 2:36 amCongrats on starting the blog…i love your sister’s blog and I’m sure I will love this one too! Especially because I also graduated in 2008, live in Boston and am constantly frustrated with trying to figure out my life! Good luck with the new job and the new blog!
Heather
August 15, 2010 at 2:54 amWelcome to the blog world! I read your sister’s blog and am also a Bostonian, so I am excited to hear your thoughts about the town I’ve called home the last 10 years!
Rachel
August 15, 2010 at 4:35 amI also read kaths’s blog and am one you behind you in school….i enter graduate school next Fall… I feel like I can completely relate to your inbalance of life,work, boyfriend, and school. im excited to read your blog!
Lauren
August 15, 2010 at 11:24 amI am so excited that you started a blog! I moved to Boston for grad school right after college as well – went to BC for a masters in school guidance counseling from 2005-2007. Now, as I approach my 30s (yikes!) I miss college more than ever, but am also excited for what my future holds.
I love finding blogs written by fellow Bostonians, and look forward to following yours! There’s a fantastic group of food bloggers in this amazing city, so the next time we arrange a get-together I will have to pass the invite along to you :).
Happy blogging!
Laura
August 16, 2010 at 9:36 pmThanks!! An invite to a blogger get-together would be great:)
Laura
August 15, 2010 at 12:25 pmCongratulations on your blog!! I’m going to be a senior in college in Boston this year and I’m nervous about graduating, so I’m excited to read about your experiences!
erinmr
August 15, 2010 at 3:38 pmwelcome to the quarterlife crisis/quest! the good news is that you aren’t alone in hitting the mid-20’s slump. I just found this site stratejoy.com and it is a whole community of 20-30 something women who are using the quarterlife crisis to design a life that does make them happy/balanced. Looking forward to reading more!
Sandy
August 15, 2010 at 5:41 pmI love Kath’s blog and have gotten so much inspiration from the healthy living blogs that I read. Hope to meet many of you at a future Healthy Living Summit. I am now watching all of my kids go through their college years and make the adjustment to the “real” world and I know the feelings that you are having. One of my favorite stories to tell is the answer my oldest son gave a year or so ago when someone asked how it was going from the college life to the working world and he said “It isn’t as painful as it was at first.”
Every time I wonder if I did all of the right things as they were growing up (was it a good example for me to be a stay-at-home mom?) I just think about how soon the real world greets you and maybe it is nice to have all of those wonderful relaxed childhood and college experiences to inspire you in the day to day life.
Kaci Higgins
August 15, 2010 at 9:14 pmIt’s so awesome that you’ve started this because I fret entering the ‘real-world’ in a year! I’ll be a 5th year senior this fall so I have one year left until college is over. I’m majoring in psychology and want to attend graduate school at some point, just not right after. I recently completed a full-time internship this summer which has given me a taste of the ‘real-world’ and caused me to think a lot more about it. I don’t really party and I do live at home with my twin sis, but I still know I’ll miss college and its flexible nature. 🙂
Laura
August 15, 2010 at 10:20 pmThanks for all the comments guys!! It brings me comfort to know some of you can relate:)
Adrianna
August 15, 2010 at 11:12 pmfound you thru kath, and then read your ‘about me’ and thought, ‘she’s writing out of MY head!’ i could not agree w/ you more… its so hard! and i feel like things become routine and mundane, fast. at least you have your man 🙂 but i’ll be returning, and inputing if i have any! we shall have fun!
runningwifle
August 16, 2010 at 12:04 amI definitely feel you on the quarter-life crisis thing! I graduated in 2008 as well, did a stint in grad school, miss the lifestyle of college, etc. I am new to the blog world as well 🙂
Colleen
August 16, 2010 at 1:30 pmI’d like to take back my 30s! lol. I’m definitely working for the weekend. I need some adjustments too 🙂
DiningAndDishing
August 17, 2010 at 10:53 amCongrats on joining blog world! I love the idea behind your blog. I think I am going through a similar struggle myself – I want to be healthy/save money/embrace post-college life but I certainly don’t want to sacrifice having fun! I don’t know the answers yet but I’ll be interested to see what you come up with through this journey :).
– Beth @ http://www.DiningAndDishing.com
earlytwenties
August 17, 2010 at 4:34 pmThis is such a great idea! And funny as it is so similar and different in many ways to my blog. I look forward to reading about your adventures!
Eran
August 18, 2010 at 1:24 pmHey! A friend of mine forwarded me your blog and I just wanted to say kudos to you for at least figuring this much out so far! My quarterlife crisis didn’t hit until my late 20’s and I’m still coping with the remnants of it now! However, it’s not all bad – and being a grown-up can actually be very rewarding – as long as you remember it’s YOUR LIFE, so make it worth it! 🙂 Looking forward to following along….
Katy(The Balanced Foodie)
August 18, 2010 at 4:50 pmLove your blog so far! I’m in a similar place as you and can totally relate although, I’m still in the “finding a job” phase since graduating! 🙂 Can’t wait to read more.
Tanya
December 11, 2010 at 7:45 pmI think a lot of people will agree with you about college. I wish someone warned me about the ‘real world’, I don’t really know exactly how to maneuver in it yet. Another thing I really do not like, is the thought that college is the best time of my life, that is seriously depressing. Today should be the best time of my life. Everyday, every year should be better and more enriching. I am looking forward to your discoveries and stories.
RunningOnCoffee
December 14, 2010 at 11:48 amI found you through Kath. I read your post from yesterday morning and you had me at ‘IEP Meeting’ 🙂 I am a recent school psych grad currently in my 2nd year of having a real job. Looking forward to reading your blog!
Laura
December 14, 2010 at 9:34 pmWelcome! Thanks for reading:)