No one can escape the human function of aging . We’re all getting older every day, though some of us are thinking about that fact more than others.
A Reddit thread asked people to share when they realized they weren’t young anymore, and the answers were full of people sharing their existential moments. Even young folks can feel old, it’s all about perspective !
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Target demographics.
“We went to a bar recently and the bouncer didn’t check our IDs — just us out of everyone going in. Fine. Then as we were leaving, the place was totally packed and I was outside waiting for my husband to come out and thought, ‘We’re the oldest people here by ten years at least.’
Then, to my relief, I saw an old guy in the crowd.
Then, to my horror, I realized the old guy was my husband.”
Similar fears.
“I’m scared of teenagers now.”
Many flooded to the replies of this comment in agreement, sharing their feelings of unease when they see groups of teenagers just out and about. Though, there were many teenagers also saying that teenagers scared them, so maybe this is just universal.
Simple pleasures.
“I just bought a new mop and was really excited to go home and use it […] I mopped the whole apartment in absolute bliss. I finally decided that I will not fall for the Swiffer commercials again.”
But getting excited about mundane things makes life so nice!
Offending one another.
“I was in my late 20s, at work talking with one of our new interns. I can’t remember why but she asked how old someone was and I was like, ‘I dunno, about our age?’ She gasped and asked ‘How old do you think I am??’ Then I gasped and asked, ‘HOW OLD DO YOU THINK I AM?!’
Anyway, that’s when I realized I was ‘not young’ anymore.”
Caught red-handed.
“Saw some neighborhood kids messing with a stop sign while driving home. I slowed the car down, rolled down a window and said, ‘Hey… I think maybe you shouldn’t be doing that.’ Which in my mind meant cut it out before an adult catches you.
“But these kids look sheepishly at the ground and give me an ok like I was the adult in the situation. Which I was, gently chastising children for fooling around with public property.”
The proper drinks.
“I took my fiancé back to the University I attended and we went for a drink at my old favorite bar. Ordered a margarita & the waitress said, ‘Do you want the well tequila that we serve to everyone or like…. adult tequila?'”
Fragile years.
“When I dislocated my jaw lying in bed yawning. Didn’t even think it was even possible.”
The loosening of bones seemed to be a common trait, as another user replied, “Similar, except I woke up with a sprained ankle. No sleepwalking, no weird sleep Olympics, just held it or twisted it weird while sleeping and sprained it. I have done this 3 times after turning 40.”
Out of the way.
“When my best friend and I were planning for a concert next month and for the first time in our lives we were like ‘Do we… want to buy seats instead of standing in the pit?'”
Concerts simply become exhausting with time, better to choose the option that will let you enjoy it most.
Thinking twice.
“It was when I went to casually step off a [4-foot] drop. I had one foot of the ledge and my brain screamed Danger, I had to stop reset and prepare myself to absorb the impact and make sure I bent my knees. 20 year old me wouldn’t have thought at all about that. I was in my [mid-thirties] at the time.”
Generations down the line.
“This year when multiple SONS of American football players I watched growing up got drafted into the NFL.”
Another person replied, “This!!! I am English so obviously I mean proper football but this happens all the time. I watch a game and think to myself “he can’t still be playing” and I check and it’s his son….or great great great grandson haha.”
Blinding lights.
“I went for a motorcycle ride with 4 of my friends and stopped at the gas station for a picture. The first picture was all of us gasing up the bikes and the second was from behind. I was not wearing my helmet and saw the top rear of my head. I was balding at the age of 28 and had a spot so shiny that even the camera didn’t know WTF happened.”
There comes a time.
“Threw my back out on my 30th birthday.”
Stories about backs beginning to fail and nothing doctors could do about it were common among the answers to this question. It has me really starting to worry about my posture, as if that will save me.
Filling you in.
“When one of my younger coworkers took it upon herself to explain to me who Cardi B was. I already knew who she was and was familiar with her music. Apparently I just looked like I needed to be supplied with this info.”
Golden oldies.
“When a song I loved as a teenager appeared as an oldie on the radio.”
A parent who already lived through this feeling got to see their daughter go through the same, “My elder daughter is 27. She was over for a cookout for Labor Day and a local radio channel does a ‘throwback weekend….’ I got to actually witness my child freaking out that music she listened to in high school is now officially ‘throwback.’ […] And so it begins, my innocent one! The phrase that signals one’s own mortality!”
Phasing out.
“When I was trying to hang out and play with my kid at school drop off, and she was like, ‘[Mom]! Not in front of my friends!’ I realized in that very moment that I was not young, fun, cool mom, but indeed old, regular, embarrassing mom.”
Party pooper.
“Kids throwing parties as summer was winding down. Loud music and laughter/voices. I said to myself it’s 10:00pm shouldn’t they be turning it down now? Started debating going to knock on the door and tell them to just turn it down a bit.
“Then [I] realized….it’s Saturday night. I realized I am officially that cranky neighbor whose home on a Saturday night with nothing better to do but get mad at the teens doing exactly what I used to do.”
Sign of the times.
“I’m not even thirty yet, but I already have realized I barely understand my partner’s teenage younger siblings. Their culture is entirely different from when I was that age.
Also got really, REALLY excited to take my first Costco trip as an adult.”
ID check.
“When I realized having a one in front of my birth year is all anyone needs to know I’m old enough to purchase alcohol. I don’t know why but that dumb fact just hit me like a ton of bricks.”
Being prepared.
“I need to pregame with tums if I’m gonna drink, and even then I need the next morning off at least, even if it’s just a couple drinks lol.”
Another added, “There’s a really annoying period when you can still drink younger people under the table but the ensuing hangover is absolute hell.”
Help not needed.
“When a [22-year-old] offered me their arm to get down steps. I’m not old, I was just tired you little punk!!”
At least they were a nice punk! Better that then a mean one that gives you weird looks for not being able to handle stairs.
