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Why do I feel old at 26?

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The Take Out Bandit said:
That's not unique to Mexico, and that's all I've got to say about that.
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Yeah, my host family in Costa Rica were both like 22 or something. They had no children and were considered really old. It was funny because I was 20 at the time, but both of them seemed much more mature than me.
 
tnw said:
Yeah, my host family in Costa Rica were both like 22 or something. They had no children and were considered really old. It was funny because I was 20 at the time, but both of them seemed much more mature than me.
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Were you bothered by that? It bothers me all the time. People younger than me, behavior wise, much more settled down than I am.
 
It doesn't bother me really. But if I were straight it might a little bit more.

I would like to find whoever I'm going to spend my life with and maybe make/adopt some kids before I'm 40.

This thread reminds me that I'm coming on spending almost a quarter of my life in Japan O_O
 
30 has to be the new 20 ... with people living into their 80s/90s nowadays, who knows by the time you even get to 80/90, the average lifespan might be extended beyond the age of 100.

I mean that's a long friggin' haul from age 30-100 if you peak in your 20s.
 
You just have to adopt the elements of adulthood you want and just ignore the rest. I'm 28, got married 2 years ago, and bought a home last year. But my wife is a nerd like me and our condo is filled with books, games, DVDs, CDs, electronics, and music equipment instead of stylish furniture or baby paraphernalia. Seems like the two common paths for people in my age/income range are parenthood or yuppiedom...DO NOT WANT.
 
soundwave05 said:
I mean that's a long friggin' haul from age 30-100 if you peak in your 20s.
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exactly my point. you get a law/professional degree when you're 25. Do you really want to be a lawyer/whatever professional for the next sixty years? No thank you.
 
i feel old at my age, and it's young so i wont say it, but the reason is because i feel like i didn't make the most of my life thus far. but i still have time since i learned from things.
 
sonikokaruto said:
hey, welcome to mexico, where people is accustomed to have children from 16-19 and you start feeling old and left out from 20 and on
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How are childless guys in their mid 20s viewed in Mexico?
 
I went through a quarter life crisis about 2 years ago. I'm 24 now but back then I took a year off from school. Thank god I did, realized I hated my school (Drexel University) and major, switched to West Virginia University and Industrial Engineering, couldn't be happier about it. A lot of people ask me if I feel really old, or behind. I say not at all, because I know exactly what I want to be doing instead of coming out of school not knowing.

I will say though, this summer has made me feel what you're feeling. All of my friends are moving out of my area for jobs. Hell one of my best friends is moving to Japan July 29th. Also about 2 weeks ago 3 of my friends were engaged in the span of one day. There was about 30 minutes where I thought "Shit I need to get a girl", but then reverted back to "Shit I want my non-interrupted free time" :D

But it's best to realize that if you try to conform to the social norm, you'll rush into it before you're ready and it'l end up a disaster eventually. Best to just do things at your own comfortable pace and screw what other people your age are doing.
 
MeshuggahMan said:
But it's best to realize that if you try to conform to the social norm, you'll rush into it before you're ready and it'l end up a disaster eventually. Best to just do things at your own comfortable pace and screw what other people your age are doing.
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Pretty much, yeah. Also, stop watching that anime. Rots your brains, and your peers are all unwashed vermin.
 
xsarien said:
You laugh, but I think there might be some social truth to that. Occasionally articles pop up in the New York Times/Newsweek/[insert periodical of choice here] about "extended adolescence" that skates well into the 20s.
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I read recently that up to age 24 can still be considered adolescence for Americans. Due to college being the absolute norm and with most parents paying for or at least providing a signficant amount for children's college education most people are still relying on their parents to a certain extent and not going off and being fully responsible for themselves with full career's till around the age 24.
 
tnw said:
exactly my point. you get a law/professional degree when you're 25. Do you really want to be a lawyer/whatever professional for the next sixty years? No thank you.
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Well, it depends on why you went into those fields and if you enjoy them obviously. I'm not sure someone in their 50s (I've talked with people that have become lawyers in their 40s and 50s) would want to be working the hours a newly graduated attorney going into BigLaw would be working. I'm 28 and contemplating going to law school because my current research and work in my engineering field are starting to grate and it wouldn't be solved by getting a PhD in my field. At the same time I'm not interested in going to law school with the idea of going into BigLaw and making some huge as hell NY lawyer salary.

Really though, the times of having only one profession during your career life are over - at least for those with higher education anyway.
 
Well 26 isn't that bad, it's still mid-twenties.

20 / early 20's (21-23) / mid 20's (24-26) / end 20's (27-29).

You see, 27 is when it's really going down. I'm 30 myself and still feel young - I have the spirit of a 20 year old and look like I'm 25 years old.
 
And alot of my friends are 30-somethings and 40-somethings and I'm told they felt their 30s were much better than their 20s so I'm crossing my fingers.
 
You mid 20's people need to STFU with your woe is me, I feel old bullshit.
 
I felt old at 31. Like I was literally at the end of my life just waiting to die (and finding things to occupy my time with until then).

Then I started exercising, commuting on my bike, started up a business... Pretty much nowadays I am running/in-motion for like 80-90 hours out of the week. Might get 5 or so hours where I can settle down and relax.

Don't really know yet how fulfilling it is to be honest, but I can tell you it sure as **** beats feeling "too old" at 32. I'm probably in the best shape I've been in in over 10 years. Yeah, I am in better shape and have more energy than when I was in my 20's. I have a business that is keeping my mind working harder than it ever has before. EVER. And because I have virtually no time to sit down, when I do sit down with my family it is also more fulfilling than it has probably ever been before. Sure there is stress and stuff involved from keeping going, but I would rather have the stress of trying to fit too much into one day than the stress of feeling like you are at the end of your life and not even 40 yet.
 
I'm 23 and my "cube-mate" is around 40. He's a low-level programmer with an ex-wife and a 22-yr old son. He has about 3 girlfriends at the moment, and treats life like he's my age. He's actually really intelligent, but he tries to scare me away from married-life.

I will not end up like that.
 
borghe said:
I felt old at 31. Like I was literally at the end of my life just waiting to die (and finding things to occupy my time with until then).

Then I started exercising, commuting on my bike...
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ix7d37.gif
 
Rindain said:
I want to party, drink, smoke weed, act immature, bar hop, meet random people, and generally re-live the early 20s that I never got to live due to being with my girlfriend pretty much 24-7.
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Bah, be more original! There is way too many idiots of all ages doing that crap. Most end up with STDS, a child on the way or lose some body part from car accident. Nothing remotely intelligent about it if ask me unless your goal is a trailer park. You can still have fun but be smart and consider about it, this planet doesn't just belong to you. Eating clean and right and getting your highs natural from excerise and physical hobbies would bring you alot more enjoyment then some mini midlife crisis that depends mostly on a substance to make you happy.
 
I think the biggest factor in making you feel old, at least in your 20s, is what other people are doing/have done by then. I'm almost 26 and in the best shape of my life, still have a long "to do" list that most people have crossed off before they get to college, so naturally I don't feel like it's time to "settle down" and all that shit. Only thing making me feel old are family/societal expecations of what I should be doing at this age, mostly because of what almost everyone else does. Coming out of grad school, starting a career path, living with a long-term girlfriend, being engaged, etc etc. I'll probably be a decade behind on all of that stuff, myself.

aoi tsuki said:
Talk to a 17 year old girl and you'll feel 30. :)
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Ugh, it's so depressing to think I'm that much closer to 30 than 17 now. *groan*
 
Triumph Dolomite 1300cc said:
Son, I was in middle school when Ten dropped.

MIDDLE SCHOOL.
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i was 5. and i didn't even know that until i looked up what year it was released.
 
I'd just like to say to the OP: I know exactly how you feel, Im also 26 and I feel the exact same way.

Quater life crisis FTFL.
 
JayDubya said:
Because we are. Because we are.
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Maybe you are.

I'm 32 and young still. When my kid can kick my ass, then I'll be old.

DarienA said:
You mid 20's people need to STFU with your woe is me, I feel old bullshit.
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Precisely. I don't remember thinking of myself as old when I was in my 20s. I was livin it up and enjoying my youth. I'm still not old.
 
I can think of a variety of reasons I feel old at 26 (turning 27 next week). Just a small list...

a. I think teenagers are disrespectful punks
b. I work A LOT (50+ hours every week)
c. When I'm not working, I'm doing school work (15-20 hours a week).
d. I pay all the bills because my fiance's out of work (work injury with a case that's dragging on).
e. Most of my friends are married.
f. A bunch of them have kids.
g. Certain foods give me indigestion now.
h. Something's always sore (neck, back, etc.).

And my personal favorite...

i. My hair's been graying since I was 13, and it's started to overtake my goti now (head is already "salt and peppered" all over).

Yeah, someone just shoot me now. :lol
 
Because you are old.

(I'm 26 as well and I feel like i'm 35 and there's nothing I can do to stop it. It sucks like hell)
 
Just turned 27 last week and my sister in law came over with her boyfriend (both 18) to bullshit. They start talking about Red Bull and I go into my old balls routine talking about how Jolt Cola was like the only thing for double the caffeine and all that.

When they left I just laughed with my wife because I caught her doing something similar the other day. Now 27 is not old by any means but I just notice more and more each day and also having a baby girl puts things in perspective.
 
cryptic said:
Ever since I was 12 or so I would go into these states where I would be overwhelmed with fear at growing old and eventually dying. On my bus trips to camp, anywhere, i would just break down. But then I realized there's nothing you can do but except it and focus on other things and that lamenting your state doesn't help.
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"Here is my lesson from the heavy rain: on your way you meet a shower. You dislike to get wet,so you hurry along the streets running under the eaves. Still, you get wet all the same. As long as you accept that you will get wet, you won't suffer from being wet."
-Taken from the Hagakure by, Tsunetomo Yamamoto ;)

I´m 23 right now and I don´t feel really old cuz I have learned to throttle down the natural feeling of wanting more and more. I´m just trying to be satisfied with my current situation. Oh well and I look like 18:P.
 
Rindain said:
And I look like 5 years younger too!

I guess it's because I'm closer to 30 than I am to 20, and because I feel some kind of weird societal pressure to act "mature"--lots of friends from high school have friggin KIDS! It's freaking me out.

But **** maturity, I say! I just got out of a traumatic 5 year, marriage-like relationshgip, so I should be able to act like I'm 21 again. Right? I should live up to no one's expectations of myself but my own, right?

I want to party, drink, smoke weed, act immature, bar hop, meet random people, and generally re-live the early 20s that I never got to live due to being with my girlfriend pretty much 24-7.

I guess I'm going through what is known in common parlance as the "quarter-life crisis"--although I'll be lucky to live to 100.

Just as bad as my self-inflicted guilt at not being ready to "settle down" is the existential angst...like realzing I'll be 40 in 14 years, then 50, then 60...everywhere I go I think about death and the ultimate futility of existence. I don't know what I can do to snap out of it.

Anyone else in their mid-20's feeling this existential angst?
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I'm 26 and going through the exact same thing you are, 5-year relationship, same thoughts and everything. But reading this thread, I realized that one of the issues is that the people around me are getting old (families and jobs). I'm not really getting old in that way. I can pass as a teenager and I'm in better shape than I've ever been.

I actually started worrying about my age at 25 (to me that was past the halfway point to 30) and started drastically changing my life. That's why I broke up with my girlfriend who I didn't love, now I'm going back to school, and that was also why I got in such good shape. I blend in just fine with all the early twenties people at school even though I think I tend to be one of the oldest in my classes. I'm still trying to come out of my shell, though. And I'm extremely creative (in music, animation, movies and writing) but have almost zero output unless I'm forced to through schoolwork. I have amazing potential that's just wasting away. I kind of want to pick up and move out of Ohio to a place where I can use my talents, but I don't know how to do that.

But I'm becoming comfortable with being an older kid on campus. I'm letting my facial hair grow in (never really did that before), and I still look young. I know I'll be fine. Not that the anxiety isn't always there, but it's not as much of an issue.
 
tnw said:
It doesn't bother me really. But if I were straight it might a little bit more.

I would like to find whoever I'm going to spend my life with and maybe make/adopt some kids before I'm 40.

*snip* japanjapanjapan *snip*
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?
 
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