The Quirks of Being a Twentysomething

(Author's note:  The spoof of the title of Stephen Chbosky's book totally intended.  Even though I've never read the book.)

During the first semester of my senior year (most of which I barely remember, honestly), the blogger formerly known as Shane Pilgrim, a few friends, and I were chatting with a few friends while perusing the offerings of a book purveyor known on our college campus as "Bob the Book Guy."  We came across a book called Pledged, about sororities.  Neither of us are terribly fond of Greek life, so it immediately interested us.  I read it with fervor and interest, and found that my opinion of Greek life hadn't changed at all.

Fast-forward to earlier today when I was at my local library and came across a book by the same author, Alexandra Robbins.  Intrigued, I looked to see what other books she had written.  One jumped out at me almost immediately:  Conquering Your Quarterlife Crisis.  (I previously wrote about how I want more out of life than my menial job as a cashier/stock girl/whatever needs done around the store employee.)

Of course, the library's computers were too slow for my patience, so I waited until I got home to look it up.  The library didn't have it after all, but Amazon did.  As many (or most) of you know, I don't have an eReader of any sort, nor do I care for one.  However, this book intrigued me to the point that I downloaded a free Kindle app and the Kindle edition of the aforementioned book.

I'm currently only a few pages into the book, but am already enjoying it.

Robbins writes,

After months of regularly beating myself to a mental pulp because I wasn't living up to my own standards, it was the simplest of facts that jolted me out of my funk:  I was normal.  When the twentysomething sources unloaded on me their fears, doubts, and uncertainties, I realized my insecurities were common - and that therefore wasn't a freak at all. That was all I needed to know.

Now who could argue with that?  It's funny how after talking to someone about these fears, or even reading about others', how what seems like insanity is suddenly normalized, okay, and maybe even rational.  It reminds me of how I often wish the stereotypes of illness and disability, be they mental or physical, were not looked down upon by society.  Everybody has their own certain quirks and they're just what make us who we are.  To quote something I read from How I Met Your Mother, "Shouldn't we hold out for the person who doesn't just tolerate our little quirks but actually kinda likes them?"