Gen X'ers And Millennials Are Revealing The Moments That Made Them Realize They're Officially Old

Last month, I published a post about a viral Reddit thread where a user asked millennials and Gen X'ers to share the things or moments that made them feel old. Well, my post got so many comments I decided to do another post just based on the moments BuzzFeed readers felt old.

meme of squidward with the text, 29 year old me when some teenagers call me sir for the first time
Maymay Maker/ Paramount Network / Via reddit.com

Well, it probably comes at no surprise, but that post also got lots of comments!

  BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed

So, I decided to do another round up a few of those way-too-relatable comments about moments and things that made readers feel ancient:

1."I once trained students who had no idea that Beyoncé was in a group before she went solo. I said, 'Destiny's Child???' and then died a little inside when their eyes went blank."

destiny's child
Dave Hogan / Getty Images

2."When my teenage clients tell me about a music artist and I go, 'Huh, who?'"

closeup of olivia rodrigo
Dia Dipasupil / FilmMagic

3."I have body piercings that are old enough to drink 😥. Also, the frequency that I find myself jamming out to mall/grocery store music has become undeniable."

woman dancing in the middle of the aisle
Liubomyr Vorona / Getty Images/iStockphoto

4."I own a wonderful horse named Kodakhrome. Kids ask me what his name means, Lol. At least I didn’t name him Fujifilm."

kodak film
Chris Hondros / Getty Images

5."I’m now older than most of my coworkers, some of whom are young enough to be my kids. A few of them already joke about me retiring. I’m only in my 40s."

person saying, there are youths everywhere
Fox Television

6."What did it for me was hearing music my kids listened to in high school on my oldies channel. It’s jarring to go from AC/DC to Green Day."

closeup of green day

Pahz

Nigel Crane / Redferns

7."When I was in college (2003), I was a babysitter for an 8-year-old during my college's reunion week. We were talking about music players, and I mentioned a Walkman. The kid asked me what a Walkman was. That was my first experience feeling old."

person holding a walkman
Yoshikazu Tsuno / AFP via Getty Images

8."I just made friends with my favorite bartender's girlfriend, who informed me she was born the year... I graduated high school."

woman in shock
Izusek / Getty Images/iStockphoto

9."My student teacher was telling me she was excited for the iCarly reboot. I was too old for iCarly so I associate the show with children. So this young adult sitting next to me preparing for her career, talking about a children's show, it hit me hard!"

icarly on her computer
Paramount Network

10."When I realized FRIENDS was on Nick at Nite."

the cast of friends
NBC / Getty Images

11."When you hurt more waking up than before you went to bed. Also, when you get up for the day by 4 a.m. for no damn good reason."

someone wincing in pain while in bed
Lightfieldstudios / Getty Images/iStockphoto

12."When I got Disney+ a couple years ago, I started a rewatch of the early Simpsons seasons, because I watched them religiously and repeatedly as a kid. Homer is 36. I was 36. Also, those early seasons are far more grounded in reality, and suddenly I had a lot more empathy and understanding for Homer than I'd ever considered. That was a truly existentially weird moment."

the simpsons
20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. /Courtesy Everett Collection

13."One of the kids at work pointed out I could be his mother. I was appalled because he’s 23 and that couldn’t possibly be right. Then realized I’m 39, it’s absolutely possible. I had my suspicions when I sneezed while leaning over to pick something up, and threw my back out, that I was old."

person looking concerned

14."My teenage TikTok addicted niece sending me memes. I am 22, and I have no concept of the humor in any of them. Every time I have to ask her what a new slang word means I die a little inside."

tiktok open on the phone
Loic Venance / AFP via Getty Images

15."I already felt old when I was 23, and then I noticed that the actors who were playing teens in high school series/movie, started to get younger than me."

group of teens
Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection

16."Some of my coworkers in their early 20s didn't know Madonna, Prince, or George Michael. They knew OF Michael Jordan but didn't recognize his photo, and they were COMPLETELY lost by ALF and Mr. T."

—jennifern44d6a36a7
Alien Productions / Alien Productions / Courtesy: Everett Collection, Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images

17."When my little cousin asked me if she could play 'classic rock' while I was driving and put on Blink-182. I literally had to pull over and just stare at her. I’ve felt old ever since."

closeup of blink-182
Mick Hutson / Redferns / Getty Images

18.And lastly: "When I was teaching a group of high schoolers and made a reference to Miss Cleo's free tarot readings and I got a room full of blank stares. And then again right now when I am thinking back and realize that someone born the day that happened to me would now be in high school."

miss cleo ad

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.