Research on crisis episodes during the first decade of adult life suggests two types of such ‘quarter-life’ crisis exist; locked-in and locked-out. Both relate conceptually to the transition out of emerging adulthood. A female case study was studied over a four-year period, starting when she left university. Wellbeing and depression data were gathered five times, two interviews were conducted, as well as a structured email exchange. Results showed two episodes of crisis within the study period. The first was the locked-out type, which occurred when the participant experienced multiple failures to find work, leading to self-esteem decline and anxiety. The second crisis was the locked-in type, which occurred when she felt obliged to stay in a job despite a bullying boss. The case study provides a rich exemplification of quarter-life crisis theory, and provides insights for further consideration in multi-participant studies on the challenges of leaving tertiary education
