<p>CC parents,</p>
<p>I am writing to you all today to get some input on what I am currently referring to as my quarter life crisis. There comes a time in every young person’s life when one comes to a fork in the road and has to make a decision on which path to take, and I am there. I’ve thoroughly overanalyzed and beaten to death the outcome of one of the potential paths and am still paralyzed in indecision. </p>
<p>I recently finished up an investment banking internship at a large firm and received a job offer. In this entry level role, recent college grads work about 80 hours each week for 1-2 years with the understanding that most will leave to go work for private equity firms, hedge funds, and corporate development and strategy roles at F500s. For the first year, I’m looking at an all-in package of about $140k with salary and bonus. A couple years out, many of the top performing former analysts and alumni I’ve spoken to end up in these “buyside” roles making anywhere from $2-500k working in the ballpark of 60 hours.</p>
<p>The problem is that I’ve spent every college summer doing internships in the industry, and I can’t help but feel that there isn’t much to look forward to after graduating. Whether it’s 40 hours a week or 80 hours a week, I’ve found each form of employment to be soul-sucking and myself to feel trapped no matter the role. I’m still somewhat shocked that most people will work the next 40ish years of their lives, regardless of the industry. At 21 years old, I can’t imagine finding any real fulfillment from this way of life as many before me seem to have found. I get some exposure to C-suite execs and their thought processes, make a lot of money with little risk, work with pedigreed and intelligent people, and so on while spending my days firmly planted behind a desk or on the clock of an employer. </p>
<p>The alternative is to turn it down, and at that point I am lost. I emptied my life savings this past spring semester to go study abroad and can without a doubt say that I have never been that happy in my life. People ask me, “Well what do you want to do then?” I pause, look sheepishly down at my feet (already embarrassed by the unspoken thought), and say in so many words what effectively amounts to traveling, seeing and doing cool things, maybe writing or working with a political cause I feel strongly about, and so on. I’d throw caution to the wind and see what’s out there. After all, I’ve been overwhelmingly successful in just about everything I’ve ever done and have yet to experience any real failure. I’m young, self-confident, managed my own way independent of my parents’ bank accounts through college, and have no debt. </p>
<p>I’m from a working class family with no college graduates, so naturally nobody really understands my thought process in making this decision. And who could blame them? It’s a ton of money for anyone, multiples of what any of them have made in a year, and unemployment for people my age is astronomical. </p>
<p>I look back to myself a year ago, two years ago, back in high school and beyond. My views, beliefs, and overall approach to life change with every new place I go, every book I read, and every influential person I meet. I don’t know what I’ll want out of life a year from now. I’ve nearly burned myself out approaching this from every possible angle I can conjure and suspect that I am being irrational - maybe even delusional - in my thought process when picturing an alternative path if I chose to turn down the offer. So I look to those of you with more life experience and hopefully more wisdom to help me see more clearly. Any and all advice is appreciated. </p>
<p>Thanks for reading.</p>