Graduated, but going nowhere: Inside the quarter-life crisis of young adults

India Today

16 hours ago

When the convocation caps land and the applause die down, many graduates are left not with a dream job but a blank page.Simran Sood didn't expect that. She thought her journalism degree would lead her straight into a newsroom. She worked hard, earned the degree with distinction, and believed her journey was just beginning. Instead, she found herself stuck. Not unemployed, but rather unanchored.advertisement'I wasn't sure what I was even looking for. Everyone had moved on. I was still figuring out what I wanted,' says the 22-year-old Delhi-based woman.
She's far from alone. We've long heard of the midlife crisis. But what about the one that creeps in quietly at 22? When the world, once mapped out by syllabus and semesters, turns into a maze?Aditya Mishra felt that too. As the only child in a middle-class family, he did what was expected: he pursued engineering. A job followed, as it should.By 24, he was working at a Bengaluru tech firm, meeting deadlines and drawing a steady pay cheque. But his phone told another story. Pages of poetry, story drafts, and unspoken feelings had been typed into his Notes app.'I didn't hate my job,' he remarks. 'But it didn't feel like mine. I kept wondering...what if I chose wrong?'
This feeling of neither failure nor fulfilment is where many quarter-life crises begin. It's not dramatic. It's slow, often silent. A steady disconnect between what you're doing and who you're becoming.
According to Gaurav Tyagi, founder of Career Xpert, 'The mismatch between what graduates expect and what life offers can trigger serious self-doubt. The lack of direction after years of guided structure feels like personal failure to many.'It's not just about jobs. It's about identity. And it happens even when you're trying different things.Mehak Kaur explored teaching, freelancing, yoga, and even psychology. Each path taught her something, but none gave her a single answer. 'People kept asking, 'What do you do? I didn't know. It made me feel behind,' says the 20-year-old from Kolkata.In a culture wired for linear success, even curiosity can feel like a flaw.'Our system rewards straight-line careers like engineering, MBAs, and corporate climb," notes Toprankers Co-founder Karan Mehta. "Many young adults find themselves at a crossroads, unsure if their path aligns with who they are. But real growth is often messy. And that's okay.'So they drift. From internships to online courses. From corporate gigs to creative side hustles. Waiting for something, anything, to click. Sometimes it does. Often, it takes longer.'What young adults need isn't a fixed plan,' says Tyagi. 'They need space. Counselling, journaling, taking time off—all of it helps build clarity. We must normalise uncertainty.'advertisementThere's also pressure.
The silent timer that starts the day you graduate. But few are taught how to navigate the quarter-life crisis.
IC3 Movement Founder Ganesh Kohli puts it bluntly: 'We focus so much on performance, we forget purpose. Schools must prioritise emotional well-being and guidance. That's how we raise grounded, resilient adults.'Simran is now freelancing. Aditya writes anonymously on a blog. Mehak is creating her path, slowly and honestly. None of them is 'sorted.' But maybe that's not the point. They're learning that careers aren't ladders but trails. They can curve, loop, or start over. And they still count.'The right direction doesn't come from rushing,' says Topranker's Karan Mehta. 'It comes from reflection. It takes time.'The hardest part? Thinking you're the only one lost. But you're not. So if your degree doesn't match your direction, take a breath. You're not late. You're not behind. You're just becoming. And that's a beginning in itself.- Article written by Yuvraj Dutta- Ends