33 Moments That Made People Realize Their Youth Was Behind Them
There comes a time in life for everyone when they realize that their youth is a thing of the past.
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I recently asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to open up about the moment it hit them that they had grown older. Here are some of the funny, bittersweet and relatable responses I got, which are likely to get you in your feels:
1."I’m only 24, but I realize how far away from my childhood I am when I remember the radio saying ''80s, '90s, and today,' and we’re currently past all of the '10s and into the '20s now."
2."When I bent over to pick up a coffee filter and threw my back out so badly I was in traction for three days. It wasn't even full of coffee grounds; it was empty and light as a feather. Getting old blows."
3."When I sent my best friend a list of hacks for saving money at Costco. We used to make fun of bargain hunters and coupon clippers. Now we do that and help each other out."
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4."When I had to start having my hairstylist cover up my grays."
5."When I realized that I hate parties and would much rather be at home on my couch with my own drinks and food and Netflix. I’m only 24 and get made fun of for this. I have my extroverted side and introverted side. If I do go out, I am usually just with my group of friends. If they want to go to parties, I will end up calling it a night."
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6."When I got a little sick and, rather than getting better quickly, it lingered forever and led to several other problems popping up. My body just does not deal with things like it used to. The weird thing is that it seemed to change drastically right after I turned 30."
7."When I started online dating after my divorce. I was 43. All the men in my age group looked like my dad, or his friends. Even those in their late 30s looked older. Then it hit me."
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8."When the seventh graders I taught started showing up to school with the same fashion choices I made in middle/high school. I’m 35."
9."I'm literally in my 20s and find myself looking up slang all the time."
10."I found out the kid my mom babysat since he was born was graduating high school. Like, I used to wipe your butt, and now you're a full-grown person taller than me!"
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11."I was listening to the young people's music radio station, and they have little segments called 'Throwbacks' to the station's 'classic' songs. They then played 'Call Me Maybe,' the most popular song of my senior year of high school. I'm 28. I guess, to be fair, the radio station began circa 2010 when it replaced the hard rock/metal station. I listened and had a hell of a surprise going from Godsmack one day to Kesha the next day. But still, being called a pop music classic from 2012 instead of anything from, like, TLC or early Britney hit hard."
12."When liquor stores stopped carding me. When people started calling me 'sir.' When the music I listened to in high school is now called 'classics.' When my doctor said I’m healthy for someone 'my age.' I could go on and on, lol."
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13."When all the doctors/dentists/vets I deal with in life all started being younger than me. Some of them are literally half my age."
14."When I told a college student to sign a form, and they printed their name. They had no idea what cursive was."
15."I’m a school speech-language pathologist. One day, while I was working with a third grader, we were talking about colors. I asked her if she could think of some things that were gray, and she pondered for a moment, looked at me, and excitedly exclaimed, 'Your hair!!' I’m in my early 30s and do have some grays, but my hair still looks 90% black. Welp, I guess it’s time to sign up for AARP. 👨🏻🦳"
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16."When my partner told me his favorite song in high school was 'All the Small Things' by Blink-182...and I had already finished university when it came out. That made me feel really old... "
17."I'm a teacher. I can no longer easily pick up new technology in classrooms, and students get frustrated with me getting it wrong. Y'know, like we used to."
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18."I lost the charger for my wireless earbuds. My son-in-law asked me what kind of earbuds I had. I said, 'Well, they're black...' My daughter said she never thought of me as old until that moment."
19."I was at a Slipknot concert and annoyed at having to sit; the next concert, I was not seated and suffered for days. The next gig I went to, I purposely got seated tickets and realized I was old."
20."When the newest bartender at my local metal pub told me his age, and I realized I could be his mother."
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21."All of the Disney Channel stars I grew up watching in the early '00s to the '10s are all now in their 30s, and I am 26."
22."Being excited about new things for my apartment — appliances, furniture, etc."
23."My sons, who are 10 and 12, passed by what has to be the last payphone in New York state when we were on vacation in the Adirondacks last year. They picked up the receiver and asked me what the noise coming from the phone was — it was the dial tone. My children had never heard a dial tone before because they’ve never had occasion to use a landline telephone."
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24."After the MRI on my lower back, lol."
25."When my son asked me who Madonna is."
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26."Watching Bridgerton, and I related more to Lady Violet Bridgerton and Lady Danbury than I did to the main cast."
27."Finding out I'm officially older than the contestants on Love Island. I'm only 27 and don't even watch it, and it still bothers me."
28."I work in a job at a university which requires me to hire the college students to work for the program I'm with. The first time I truly felt old was when I hired someone that was born the year I graduated high school! I thought they made a mistake... They did not.😆"
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29."When I (26-year-old female) realized people my age are old enough to be doctors."
30."I once was giving a presentation to a group of high-school- aged students about human trafficking prevention. Midway through, I said, 'It’s not like the movie Taken with Liam Neeson.'… crickets; the kids were all deer in headlights. So then, perplexed, I was like, 'Guys, come on! Liam Neeson??? "I’ve got a particular set of skills… "' NOTHING! Then internally I was like, 'Oh no…it’s happening...I’m like the parent "trying to relate" to their kid, but the kid has no clue what they’re talking about.' And that’s when I knew…I’m old AF. 🫠"
31."I found out people born in 2004 are 19 this year... What do you mean they're not 6 years old now??? I am going to be 29 this year."
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32."I have a tattoo of a pin-up girl on my leg that I got as a birthday present from my mom when I was 16. I had a coworker (who I knew was 19 at the time) ask me about it around a year ago. As I was recounting the tale of my second tattoo/wonderful birthday surprise from my mom, I realized my tattoo was older than my coworker was. My gal was 20. I’m not that old, but having a tattoo that was older (and likely more mature) than someone I worked with…brutal wake-up call to how I am very much an ADULT."
33."Whenever I use some slang I saw on the internet, and every kid in earshot cringes. I remember being the one who cringed, and it doesn't feel that long ago! But I can't deny that it was a long time ago when I see the way teenagers react to me using their words."
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What experience woke you up to the fact that your younger years are officially behind you? Share your story in the comments below!
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.
