At what age do you start to feel old?

[Gryffindorian]

I'm not necessarily talking about feeling like a senior citizen, but have you ever felt like you're not as young as you used to be? If so, when did you start to feel that way? Is it when you hit your 20s, 30s, or 40s, or has it more to do with certain milestone achievements like getting married and having kids?

The reason I ask is that I've been doing a bit of self-reflecting lately in terms of where I am, where I'll be, and where I used to be. I've always been very conscious about my self-image, and it seems I've never really felt satisfied. Maybe I did in my mid-20s when I was a lot leaner and more energetic. Even then I realized I could never look like a supermodel, but at least I had a little more self-confidence. Now when I reminisce and look back at myself 7 to 10 years ago, I suppose I didn't do too bad back then, and I actually miss a part of my youth. Believe me, I'm content with the way things are and the things I have now compared to 10 years ago. It's just that I miss my youth and vitality, independence, and self-reliance sometimes.

So yes, I've always been insecure about certain things in life and don't realize until later that things weren't so bad back when. Anyone else felt this way? I believe I'm having a midlife crisis at 35.

 

[sidious618]

A lot of people really find themselves and starting living happier lives when they're older so don't fret too much.

 

[Brent]

This year, at 29

I turn 30 in less than 3 months

 

[The Grim Ghost]

Strangely I was much more worried about getting old when I was in my early 20s.

Now I'm 33 and I hardly ever think about it. I'm too busy doing the things I want to do, and trying to enjoy life.

I think at 40 I'll feel...something I guess. That is kind of a milestone.

But you say you're 35? That ain't old my friend! If you're lucky, you may well be 15 years away from the halfway point of your life.

There will be plenty of time to worry about being old when you actually ARE old. But for now, you are still relatively young.

Enjoy!

 

[Squiggy]

All my hangovers are horrible now.

So...now. 29 years, 8 months, 1 day.

 

[Mallory]

Having kids kept me young for a long, long time. But having cancer at 39 zapped a lot of the life out of me. I've never been the same since then, physically anyway.

 

[Ward Fowler]

All my hangovers are horrible now.

So...now. 29 years, 8 months, 1 day.

Yeah, I have the same problem. Back in my younger days I could drink a lot and never feel hungover the next day. My roommates thought I was inhuman. Nowadays, I have hangovers from hell.

 

[Goji]

I felt old this last year of college, because I ended up having a freshman as a roommate. It worked out well actually, we got along great and everything. But everything that was new for him was old for me, and consequently, I felt old myself. It's worn off a little since graduation though.

 

[TorontoTrekker]

I think I started feeling old when I was 30 and found myself newly single, but everyone in the bar scene seemed to be about 22. Strangely, I feel less old now despite having turned 42 this week... but having a bf who just turned 24 yesterday helps a lot.

I felt particularly old this past Tuesday when I got home from Worldcon. A lot of my friends wear pedometers to measure how much walking they've done during a con - I'm afraid to. I probably walked about 10 miles a day, all of it on thinly-carpeted concrete floors or outside. Ow. My legs are still a little unsteady.

 

[Mallory]

^ I feel your pain. I've been a sponsor or exhibitor at too many conventions not to know that walking "on thinly-carpeted concrete floors" feeling.

 

[Kestra]

Living in the suburbs started to make me feel like I was 25-going-on-40.

 

[JonathonWally]

I am perpetually 16, only legally allowed to by booze.


The only times when I feel "old" at 28 is when it's really bad weather out and it makes my back act up which I broke when I was 16. Otherwise I don't feel physically different than when I was in high school.

 

[Gryffindorian]

On the other hand, I'd definitely feel older if I were to move from the suburbs to the city.

Anyone remember this site? I believe OmahaStar organized the pics and profile page. I looked at the list of regular BBS members we had back then. (Some have already moved on with their lives while others are still very much active members or BBS Mods). Looking at the birthdates and ages of the posters who submitted, I believe the latest update was made around 2004. Funny, I never did a submit a profile.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Posted by TorontoTrekker:

Strangely, I feel less old now despite having turned 42 this week... but having a bf who just turned 24 yesterday helps a lot.

Lucky you. Maybe I ought to look for a guy/gal much younger than me. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[trampledamage]

I'm 38 - haven't started feeling old yet

 

[Gryffindorian]

Well, in a lot of ways, especially mentally, I feel young. I think I'm a kid at heart. When I look at other people who have gone through the age of 35 (e.g., my older siblings, since I'm the youngest), they seem to have had a more adult experience being 35. By 35 most of them had been married. At the age of 35, they'd had one or two children.

And that's perfectly fine. I'm not jealous and don't resent being single or unattached at age 35; in fact, I thrive at being single. I'm just saying I'm a bit childish for a 35-year-old guy. It's almost like there's a 25-year-old soul trapped in my body, and I miss some of the things back when I was that age.

 

[Michael Chris]

In all honesty I felt old when I was about 6. But then that me died and I'm young now.

 

[Ashu]

I have yet to feel old at the age of 20, but that's also because most of the people in my life are older than me; my boyfriend, my best friend, all you lovely people. I can see 25 being a rough age for me though.

 

[Kestra]

25 is awesome. 26 has been pretty awesome so far, too.

 

[Gryffindorian]

Strangely I was much more worried about getting old when I was in my early 20s.

Now I'm 33 and I hardly ever think about it. I'm too busy doing the things I want to do, and trying to enjoy life.

I think at 40 I'll feel...something I guess. That is kind of a milestone.

But you say you're 35? That ain't old my friend! If you're lucky, you may well be 15 years away from the halfway point of your life.

There will be plenty of time to worry about being old when you actually ARE old. But for now, you are still relatively young.

Enjoy!

True, I guess. One of my work friends (who died of stroke complications at the tender age of 49 some years ago) really made a lasting impression on me. Her e-mail signature was, "Enjoy life. This is not a dress rehearsal!" She was perhaps the most vibrant, youthful, and fun-loving soul I'd ever known at work. To her, age was just a number, and I'm sure many people feel the same way. So there's a part of me that feels young--loves watching cartoons and Harry Potter films, dancing alone in my room, playing games. But I still can't help feeling nostalgic.