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Patricia Hughes remembers when her life as a high school sophomore revolved around the track team and going to class. Life was uncomplicated academically, because it was only about making good marks.

"During high school, it's like your world shrinks in size so much," says Patricia. "You don't care about traveling or starting some oddball Career; you think in terms of verbal and math scores and how they're going to shape your entire future."

Now a junior at Central Regional High School (Bayville, NJ), Patricia, 16, is facing the next phase of life - College life. And with that on the horizon, the possibility of undergoing a  

Quarter life crisis

  isn't too far off, either.

Joe Tarantino, 17, a student at Jackson Memorial High School (Jackson, NJ), admits he's already struggled with facets of this after-college phenomenon. "I never expected to be 'depressed,' yet I must say that

I have been, many times," Joe admits. "The pressure of college acceptance, school, activities, and your parents can get to you surprisingly quickly." For these two students and others their age, taking steps now to avoid a quarter life crisis may be crucial.

What is a "Quarter life Crisis," anyway?
You've seen a million episodes of MTV's The Real World. And besides dealing with someone like Puck, being on your own looks pretty easy. But when you saw Melissa seek counsel in New Orleans, or Cara battle depression in Chicago, you had to wonder if those gals knew they were broadcasting their quarter life crises to the world.

If you're curious about this new household term, Jon Horowitz, editor of HatchMagazine.com, and a graduate of Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ), offers a quick definition. "A quarter life crisis is somewhat of an extension of high school senioritis," he explains. Senioritis most often occurs when a student has been accepted to a college, and decides he or she has can take a break. The direction is clear to attend college and let things simply work out afterward, Horowitz adds.

But after college, where you work, live, and what you do with your life are completely up to you. The quarter life crisis is a manifestation of the fear that every little thing you do will have a profound impact on the rest of your life. But by calling it a crisis, says Horowitz, it's become for many an excuse, crutch, or easy way to put off the decisions that need to be made.

Of course, explains Alexandra Robbins, co-author of Quarter life Crisis: The Unique Challenges of Life in Your Twenties (Tarcher/ Putnam Books, 2001), the "condition" can become a very real battle for many in their early 20s. And, she says, it can actually "throw someone's life into chaotic disarray."

So now that you know what a quarter life crisis is, how can you prevent feeling what Robbins describes as "overwhelming instability, constant change, too many choices, and a panicked sense of helplessness"?

Don't anticipate, experiment.Jennifer ZuWalick, a 2002 graduate of Providence College (Providence, RI), suggests that high school students should take it easy on themselves.

"Don't be afraid to not know what you want to do," says Jennifer. "It's OK to take some time off before going to college if you aren't sure. I wish I had done so to get a better sense of what I wanted out of a college education." Instead of dreadfully anticipating a quarter life crisis, Jennifer advises students study a myriad of topics in college.

Patricia couldn't agree more. "I think it's important for teachers, parents, and guidance counselors to stress an alternate route in high school," she says. "If I weren't worried about being so much older than my peers, I really would enjoy taking a couple of years to roam Europe and scoop ice cream."

Then again, she finds it valuable to put things in perspective. "College isn't the end or the beginning because I've spent my whole life being who I am," she adds. "Four short years will only enhance a person, not determine one."

Though Angela Armstrong, 25, agrees with Patricia's notion, this graduate of Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) advises high school students to thoroughly research their career options, even if they don't act on them right away. "I had way too many people tell me not to worry, that I had plenty of time to decide what to do with my life," Angela explains. "When

I graduated, I had a vague idea of what I wanted to do and what it involved, but if I had researched it earlier on, I would have known how important it is to do an internship in the field, which I hadn't done."

Angela stresses that students shouldn't be scared to ask for help. Networking can help you develop a clear picture of what you may want to do after college.

Proceed with caution!
Another aspect that factors into a quarter life crisis is financial problems. That's why Rachael Cathcart, 26, who attended Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, FL), advises students to save. Putting your pennies away now is a proactive approach that can prevent calamities after college, she says.

"Get into some good spending habits now," Rachael warns. "I was fortunate enough that it was drilled into me to always pay my Credit card bill in full each month, and to use it as a way to build good credit more than anything else."

She does wish she didn't spend most of what she earned on part-time jobs during high school and college, though. "Now that I'm on my own, it would have been nice to have some money saved up," she admits.

Making the most of it...
Since the publication of her book two years ago, Robbins has found that simply knowing you can be headed into a rough patch during your 20s can help high school and college students get past the anxiety of independence.

After all, you may face confusion and uncertainty during your 20s, but it doesn't mean that you won't have a blast despite it all. "The transition to adulthood is a time of instability and anxiety, but also a time of exploration and excitement," explains Abby Wilner, Robbins' co-author. "It's important to take advantage of this time to meet as many different people as possible, and learn the most from them."

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