Women’s Mentoring 2011
Melissa Lulay
Jennifer Unterbrink
What Actually is the Definition of a
Quarterlife Crisis?
 Who has heard the term “quarterlife crisis” prior to
this presentation?
 Who thinks they actually know what the definition is?
 In what context have you heard the term?
Characteristics of a
Quarterlife Crisis
 Post-college
 Anxiety
 Transition
 Insecurity
 Career vs. family
 Comparing
yourself to others
 Professional
development
 Unrealized
expectations
 Overwhelmed with
responsibility
 Extended
adolescence
 Disappointment
 Uncertainty
Characteristics of a
Quarterlife Crisis
 Panic
 Yearning
 Confusion
 Independence
 Stress
 Expectations
 Paralysis
 Conflict
 Doubt
 Fear
 Insecurity
 Exciting
 Lost
 Opportunity
 Overwhelmed
Quarterlife Crisis Definition
 Parrallels midlife crisis to some extent
 Comes at a time of great change
 “There are so many changes and new things occurring at
once that an individual can become overwhelmed.”
 Onset is frequently after college or graduate school
 Goals are not as clear cut, pathways blur, and there
may be a sense of culture shock
Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
 “Any event, or non-event, that results in changed
relationships, routines, assumptions and roles.”
 There are three different types of transition:
 Anticipated transitions – graduation, new job/job
responsibilities
 Unanticipated transition – death, divorce, quarterlife
crisis?
 Nonevents – transition is expected but doesn’t happen
Schlossberg’s 4 S’s
 Situation: trigger, timing, and concurrent stress
 Self: gender, age, and ethnicity
 Support: types and functions of supports
 Strategies: response to situation and manages stress
that occurs
Situation, Self
 Have/are you experiencing a Quarterlife or Midlife
Crisis?
 What is/was the situation?
 What personal characteristics played a role?
 Are you typically a very structured person with your
goals and goal setting?
 Were you feeling behind your peers and/or did you feel
you were not having the same experiences as they
are/were?
 What other factors may have contributed to these
feelings?
Support, Strategies
 What do you expect from your supervisor? OR
 As a supervisor, what can you offer?
 What do you expect from your mentor/mentee?
 What type of support have you found?
 Are there any strategies that work for you?
Strategies for Support
 Mentoring:
 Formal: see following slide
 Informal: supervisors, colleagues, etc.
 Peer Support
 Books: see references
 Life coach and/or counselor
Does the Supervisor Play a Role?
 Different types of supervisory styles and
characteristics:
 Embraces Millennial supervisory needs
 Hands off vs. hands on
 Micromanages
 Lack of (verbal) support vs. supportive
 Mentor vs. supervisor role
 Supervising while experiencing a quarterlife crisis
yourself
Common Themes: Supervisors
(Based on Informal Interviews)
 “I see this in women mostly as they try to make
decisions about marriage and family.”
 “It would be nice to provide these individuals with a
support group and some resources so they can find
their way.”
 “I have assumed it was them trying to find their way.”
 “…oh, just suck it up and get over it already…” 
Mentoring Models
 Marist Professional Women’s Mentor Program
 http://www.marist.edu/humanresources/mpwmp/
 HUB – Young Professionals in the Hudson Valley
 http://hvyp.org/
 Dutchess County Women’s Leadership
 http://www.wlahv.org/mentor/home.php?id=7
Questions/Comments/Final
Thoughts?
References
 Aretakis, N. (2006). No More Ramen: The 20-something's real world survival





guide: Straight talk on jobs, money, balance, life, and more. Scottsdale, AZ:
Next Stage Press.
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Schlossberg's
Transition Theory. In Student Development in College: Theory, research, and
practice (pp. 107 - 122). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Feinberg, M. (2004). twentysomething: Surviving and thriving in the real
world. Nashville, TN: W Publishing Group.
Hassler, C. (2005). 20-Something, 20-Everything: A Quarter-lifer Woman's
Guide to Balance and Direction. Novato, CA: New World Library.
Hassler, C. (2008). 20 Something Manifesto: Quarter-lifers speak out about
who they are, what they want, and how to get it. Novato, CA: New World
Library.
Levy, M. (2002). Twenties Talk: The unpaved road of life after college. Lincoln,
NE: Writers Club Press.
References, cont.
 Pearlman Gordon, L., & Morris Shaffer, S. (2004). Mom, Can I Move Back in





With You?: A survival guide for parents of twentysomethings. New York, NY:
Penguin Group.
Robbins, A., & Wilner, A. (2001). Quarterlife Crisis: The unique challenges of
life in your twenties. New York: Penguin Putnam Inc.
Salazar, M. (2006). The Turbulent Twenties Survival Guide: Figuring out who
you are, what you want, and where you're going. Oakland, CA: New
Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Schomas, M. (2005). What to do When You're Twenty-Two: A survival guide
for the quarter-life crisis. PublishAmerica.
Vanrenen, B. (2007). Generation What?: Dispatches from the quarter-life
crisis. speck press.
Wilner, A., & Stocker, C. (2005). The Quarterlifer's Companion: How to get on
the right career path, control your finances, and find the support network you
need to thrive. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.