The question troubling every college graduate is: "What do I do now?"
A phenomenon known as "quarter-life crisis" affects 20-something age graduates who are making the transition from college life into the working world. Making that jump, or stumbling, into the work force tends to discourage new graduates, health officials said.
Doubts about relationships, marriage and work are all concerns related to quarter-life crisis.
"Every semester we get a consistent amount of seniors seeking help," said Greg Shrader, a psychologist with ASU counseling and consultation.
Calling it a crisis might be an overstatement, Shrader said. Leaving college and joining the work force is more of a "developmental milestone," he said.
Stephanie Mehrtens, an adviser with ASU Career Services, said that roughly 10 students per week come in for problems related to quarter-life crisis, and more students come in closer to graduation.
"It's a transition from being a student to having a professional full-time job," she said.
Chris Castellano, who graduated in December 2000, has a degree in broadcasting but has been working part-time at a local bar.
After a few jobs as a cameraman, Castellano decided to hold out for the perfect job.
"I'm trying to figure out what I want to do," he said.
Castellano said finding the perfect job doesn't involve money, he would rather work at a job that makes him happy.
"I'm just going to wait until exactly what I want pops up," he said.
Graduating from college is a pronounced endpoint, Shrader said. "Students don't know what to do with their degree once they graduate."
"People can predict and normalize it (the quarter-life crisis) so it's not so uncomfortable," he said.
A quarter-life crisis is fairly normal, but students should seek advice, Shrader said.
Mehrtens said the best way for students to handle a quarter-life crisis is to research the field they are interested in and to network with professionals in that field.
Reach Jennifer Voges at jennyvoges@hotmail.com.
