I know, I'm basically 22. I have seemingly my whole life in front of me and yada yada yada. But I'm having a bit of a crisis, and I feel as if I'm not the only one facing it. In fact, I know I'm not. I think we all go through this crisis. We all have heard of a mid-life crisis; you turn 40 and buy a motorcycle or something of that sort to pretend you're young. Early life crises aren't as well known as that one, but I think they are just as important of a discussion point.

I think if you combine most of the brilliant articles you read on TheOdysseyOnline.com you'll get most of the elements of a early life crisis. Especially if you were to read my less silly ones. This is where I tackle my crisis head on. During this winter break, I have been extremely bored. That gave me plenty of time to confront my crisis and not shuffle it away. I have been thinking a lot, and sometimes thinking takes you to some weird places.

I am 22 years old, and I don't feel as if I have accomplished a damn thing. The typical response will be "You graduated high school and you are attending college. That is something a lot of people don't achieve." I'm sorry I don't feel special for graduating high school. It wasn't that hard, because the education system kind of sucks, and I am clearly in the majority of people. Most people graduate high school. That's just like getting a cookie for being a good boy.

Speaking of participation trophies, I honestly feel as if I am wasting my time in college. To be quite frank, I haven't learned a single new thing in college. Not one. The only thing I learned is 'don't go into the campus lake' because I might lose my life. If I'm not learning anything, I am just paying an insane sum of money to sit around for four years doing busy work to snatch a piece of paper. I'm watching life pass me by.

I get that the early years of life, like one to 17, are all set up. Discovering who you are and figuring out how things work. I am way past that stage. I guess I could be still discovering who I am, but I have been sure about what I want for a long time now. I know the kind of person I am and what I would like to do with my life. Why am I just sitting here killing time? Because the world tells me I need an expensive piece of paper to do the career I desire. Fine, I guess.

Not to mention that I am not exactly proud of where I live. I know I am being a cliche, but I can't handle my small-town roots, and I'm not even sure I can handle a big city in my future, mostly because I have no life experience in a big city besides a trip or two. I may be in a special camp here, but I haven't left the Midwest ever. Almost everybody has gone to Disney World or Land. I didn't have that luxury, ever. My friends and most of the population around me take yearly trips to Florida or California or something. Not me, I'm stuck in the darkest pits of Illinois all year. I've been to St. Louis and nowhere Kansas for a day. I'm not living a stellar life. I'm spending my days struggling and dreaming of a bigger future. I'm hungry, I want the best, and I'm constantly told "Wait and see."

I have a big problem with the "wait and see" theory. I was raised to cherish life, because nothing is guaranteed. God forbid, I die tomorrow in an untimely car accident. All I would have lived would have been here in Illinois killing time. I could die tomorrow not having ever been in a meaningful relationship. I am not living my life to its absolute fullest as I should be, and it's not from a lack of trying. I am trying to do what I love, writing stuff and making film. I do both, but there is only so much I can do from the level I am at. I'm doing the best I possibly can. I take any opportunity placed in front of me. I see an opportunity to write for The Odyssey, I take it. Make a short film contest, I do it. I just question if it is all enough to make a satisfactory life resume so far.

In the romance department, I try not to complain, because there are a ton of moving variables. I'm very flawed and probably impossible to date. So, I'll keep this brief, but I can't stand being told, "Wait Justin, you have a big heart. A lucky girl will come along one day. Patience." I agree, I need to be more patient. However, I fear that if I continue waiting, I'll miss out. I mean, it would have nice to have one relationship last longer than a month just one time before I hit 22. I missed the boat on that and if, God forbid, I'd die tomorrow, I wouldn't have experienced one of the most crucial aspects of life. That romantic connection.

I know I have whined a ton in this column and some may even call me Anakin. I can't deny you that I am whiny, but I am recognizing my shortcomings in life, and am frustrated by them. As everybody knows, I am unwilling to change any aspect about myself for anybody. I'm me, for better or for worse. If I am unwilling to change to please society and their ass-backwards expectations, am I doomed to live a go-nowhere life? I suppose this could just be my "humble beginnings," but what happens if that turns into "humble endings?" The fact that I can't do a thing but "Wait and see" frustrates me to no end. That's my college life crisis. So yeah, call me Anakin Skywalker, because "I want more and I know I shouldn't."