‘Is This It?’ Review
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase "midlife crisis"?
Do you think of your parents trying to relive their glory days at their school reunion, dressing up in 80s-style clothing, or trying to be an influencer for a day?
Well, whatever comes to mind, meet its younger sibling: the quarter-life crisis. It is defined as "the desire to change something about your life, but being overwhelmed by the options. It’s the uneasy feeling that comes when you take stock of everything around you — the people, the places, and the relentless routine of work and washing up — and find yourself asking, 'Is this it?'”
As I’ve begun my Relay year with CUI, I’ve experienced this feeling many times, often having an existential crisis every other day. What has been a great comfort to me during this period has been the book Is This It? by Rachel Jones. With an eye-catching avocado as its cover (my sole reason for buying it, of course!), I was struck when I opened up the pages.
The sign of a good book is when it tells you to reflect on your present state of life through the issues that it raises. After beginning the book, I discovered that I was experiencing a definable quarter-life crisis. So, I needed to keep reading.
Throughout the book, Rachel Jones deals with the indecision of our modern generation, speaking honestly and candidly about the struggles of everyday life: from the difficulty of making decisions to the yearning of wanting to return home, find a home, or get married.
She highlights the Gen Z issue of choosing between a well-paying job and one we love. She unpacks these issues with wit and an understanding of them, offering realistic, practical, and, most importantly, convicting solutions. She offers these solutions as though she were right beside you saying them, not out of judgement, but out of love and because she’s made the same mistakes herself.
She uses the Bible to directly address many of these challenges, such as jealousy (Psalm 73) and friendship (Psalm 139). There’s a clarity and richness to her writing that allows you to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and that His name is Jesus.
I know many people and friends who are struggling with this quarter-life crisis, having either just graduated or been working in a job for a couple of years. I recommend this book not just to them, but also to those nearing the end of university, because it will truly benefit and equip them to face life’s challenges. These feelings can be inescapable, and we need to know how to defend against them.
So, as you consider beginning the period of your life called “adulting”, I highly recommend that you grab this book.
By Michael Glasgow, Belfast Formation + Worker
