Welcome to the crisis zone

I am a 25 year old girl. There are many of us in the world, so this is not new or exciting. And like many, I am currently in the grips of a quarter life crisis.

When I was little, 25 was OLD. I thought, when I was 25, I was going to be married, have 2.5 children and have a big house with a white picket fence and a yard. And a dog. I think I also may have wanted to be a ballerina.

I had plans, people, big plans.

And then, last year, I turned 25. And I freaked out. Oh did I freak out. I started focusing on all my failures and mistakes (imagined or otherwise) I had made, and wondered where the hell my white picket fence life was. Sure, I had a loving committed boyfriend, great friends, was enrolled in uni and and reliable job, but it wasn't the life I had imagined as a little girl. What happened to my big plans?

Life happened.

Bloody life. It always seems to get in the way, throwing detours and stop signs at us left, right and centre. What a pain in the arse.

I'm not embarrased or ashamed of how my life has turned out, not at all. In fact, its kind of great. And i knew it on my 25^th birthday too, but the idea of being a quarter of a century old took over. I became obsessed with comparing myself to people I went to school with, and people who were younger and (seemingly) more successful than me. This was not only counterproductive, but stupid.

I told my boyfriend that i was freaking out about turning 25, and he looked at me like i had two heads. This seemed to occur every time i spoke to a male about this. Apparently the quarter life milestone has much less significance for men than women. The men i spoke to were quite happy about where they were in live, and really didnt care how old they were. Most acted like 12 year olds, anyway.

It will come as no surprise that men, in general, don't spend their younger years planning out their life, including how their wedding dress will look, and the names of their children. They’re much more interested in climbing trees, riding bikes, and annoying girls. I guess some things never change.

It did get me thinking though. Maybe that's the key to reducing the quarter life induced panic- let it go. I mean, I’m quite happy living where I am, and i definitely don't think i could have coped with having two children by now- Im still learning to look after myself!

25 is not old, of course its not. I am still young, still learning, still working it out as I go.

And i wouldn't have it any other way

...wouldn't mind a dog though.