Young Adult Crisis | Feeling Left Behind

Dear Intuitive Friend,

I am 20 years old and have been working at McDonald’s since high school. I did not go to college or anything and I don’t really have any passions. My boyfriend just finished trade school and has a good job. Everyone in our friend group is on their path to following their dreams. I feel like I’m having a young-adult crisis or something. I just don’t know what to do with my life and I feel like I’m behind.

Signed,

Lost at Twenty

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Dear Lost at Twenty,

First of all, I want to congratulate you for having the same job for so many years. Your work ethic is commendable! Many people have worked their way up the ladder in fast food, or have used skills learned while working in fast food in other careers, and it is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of!

Secondly, you are still very young. Now is the perfect time to explore your interests and have fun with it.! Get yourself a pen and piece of paper and start by listing the things you enjoy about your job at McDonald’s. Then, make a separate list of things you enjoy doing in your spare time. You can use that as a springboard for exploring related careers both within McDonald’s and also in other industries.

I realize you said that you don’t have any passions, but perhaps that’s because you haven’t yet explored your hobbies. Search for a variety of special interest classes in your community and try them out! The sky is the limit!

Finally, if you are interested in pursuing higher education, you could sign up for liberal arts classes at your local community college and get a better idea of what would interest you that way.

Remember, you should be proud of how far you’ve come. Take your time to figure out what will make YOU happy, and stop worrying about where others are in life.

With Love,

Intuitive Friend