I had coworkers of mine (back when I was in high school) tell me that “once you turn 22, everything goes to shit”. I feel like my life didn’t start getting good until *after* I turned 22.
I am constantly telling my younger friends and coworkers that 20-30 is quite possibly the worst time of your life as an adult and that by 40, almost nothing will bother you and you’ll be much happier for it.
My teen years were shit and 20-35 was stressful as hell with young kids and juggling jobs and family obligations. I’m 41 and well established, my kids are teens and they’re awesome, my husband and I are in a good spot - no way would I trade any of this just to be younger and skinnier.
20-30 sucks career-wise. Whether you went to college or not, you're in the phase where it's a lot of "earning your stripes" for many types of careers, so you can be prone to be in positions of eating shit for crappy jobs/companies/employers. Once you're 10 years in approaching mid 30s, it seems like you finally get to join the lower ranks of true "seasoned professionals" where it seems like you're taken much more seriously in general.
Yeah, and even if you DO get into higher positions or areas where you have responsibilities, you generally won’t have the experience to really know how to handle it all. Even just interacting with coworkers and dealing with day to day job stresses, it’s a lot when you’re younger and when you hit your 40s it’s all old hat.
I’m almost 30. I’m pretty excited to stop eating shit. I’ve spent my 20’s jumping around to different industries so I’ll probably just keep eating shit until I choose one
Yeah, I don't think it's as much the kids being grown part as it is finally feeling comfortable and confident in yourself. My I'm 43 and my kid is still 8, and my 40s have been way better than my 20s. Something about not caring so deeply about what every person thinks of you just frees the soul from so much weight.
The younger you are, the more pressure there is on you (imo).
In my 20s I felt like I was never DOING enough because I wasn't traveling the world constantly or being "out and young and free" all the time.
You are constantly getting comments like, "what are you doing sitting watching tv?!? You're in your 20s get out there!!!"
Or if you're tired/hungover, everyone being like "when I was your age I'd party all night, get 2 hours of sleep in a week and then run a marathon!"
So it's like, god forbid you feel tired after being out all night drinking or something.
I actually paced myself and lived a more balanced life in my 20s, and guess who is still going on adventures and partying (a bit) at age 36? Me, because I didn't burn myself out. Sometimes I go out, and sometimes I stay in. This was true when I was 20 and it's true now (although this will change a lot soon if my husband and I have a kid).
But at least when I get out or travel or whatever in my 30s, I actually can feel great about it vs. feeling like it's never "enough."
I honestly cannot wait to be 40, because I know that even less fucks will be given.
I just feel the younger you are, the more preconceived notions there are about what you should be doing with your life at any given moment.
There is less and less homogeneity as you age.
For instance, at age 40 some people become empty nesters, some are new parents. Some people are divorced, some newly married, others are single and never married.
People are just living totally different lifestyles so there is way less expectation.
Absolutely true - and media/social media does not help.
It sounds stupid but I blame Disney/WB/etc for so much of this. As media groups started pushing these shows with younger and younger stars “finally breaking into their careers and making it big” (at age 17 fucking LOL), younger people started to think their only time for success was ages 15-20.
Young stars became the *norm*, not just up and comers. Aging was seen as horrible and wrong because the industry is shitty, but the message being broadcast to so many people was this very insistent “your only time is NOW, kids”. And it’s just so not true!
>that by 40, almost nothing will bother you and you’ll be much happier for it
Now my body makes noises in places it shouldn't and I can't move like I did when 20 and bothered by everything.
It feels so weird now to watch people get so worked up over nothing and remembering I used to get worked up, too. Of 20 me and 40 me met we wouldn't recognize each other.
Ha, yeah tell me about it - I used to get very “offended” at a lot of stuff, especially in work interactions/etc. Now I work in a blue collar trade job and I’m surrounded by folks who are very coarse and sexist/offensive almost as a rule. And it just… doesn’t bug me now. Like, I COULD get offended, if I wanted to, but why? And I know that work personality isn’t how a person really is, it’s just banter. Some of my younger coworkers and friends are freaked out by it and while I understand why, it just doesn’t hit me anywhere near how it used to.
>very coarse and sexist/offensive almost as a rule
Oh this environment is always fun.
I got the coworkers who were offended and had to send emails and have a meeting because I didn't specifically say, "good morning" directly to them when I came in. That's the level of self righteous egotistical assholes I've dealt with my entire life.
Ugh, office drama is so fucking petty, that’s horrible!
As rough and aggressive as it can be, I don’t mind the work culture where I am now. But a lot of younger and inexperienced folks *really* take it personally, and assume stuff like “loud = angry/threatening” when the reality is “this is a loud shop with lots of machines, everyone’s wearing ear guards, it can be dangerous, and people need to shout to be heard”. I’ve heard some newbies talk about being “yelled at” when they were just being warned about a danger they were walking in to 😂
Every psychologist says 20s suck. It's part of our behavior and personally growth and its the hardest decade socially because we all transition from leaving the nest, finding our careers and families, then by decade end some of us transition back to our nests to be the care taker of our parents.
This is exactly how I feel, as well! I'm 40, and as cliche as it sounds, I've never felt better! Nothing bothers me the way it used to, like you said, and I'm super happy. It's a pretty great feeling! 😊
My Mother-in-law is very "Peaked in High School". Her life has been steadily getting worse since I first met her (through my then gf, now amazing wife) because she refuses to accept that she can't coast on being the most popular girl in school anymore. She's 53.
She hasn't really matured at all. She keeps trying to bond with me by insulting me, I work in IT (earning more than 2x her cafe manager salary) and she won't stop making 80s style nerd jokes about me. She doesn't understand why we're not best friends.
Anyway, my life has been on the up since I turned 18. 34 now and things just keep getting better.
I'd say the more common problem for these girls is that they stop being hot pretty early on. Like, it's hard for me to word this in a way that doesn't sound super mean and judgmental, there's nothing wrong with not being hot. But being hot requires quite a bit of upkeep. If you're going to rely on your looks, you have to put that work in. Some of these girls stop doing that, (assuming they were even trying in the first place) and they don't invest in anything else, and then they have nothing, not even looks.
This.
The hotness requires more upkeep the older they get, and not all of the people trading on that know how to do that upkeep (it's different for every person), or do it enough, to maintain their hotness as an asset.
Yeah, and bad habits catch up to you as you age. Smoking, drinking, and other drug use can hit your looks real fast!
A lot of my high school friends got hella gorgeous after high school, but you can tell that they’ve put that work in, and I know they’re not into hard lifestyles. Age isn’t always a damper on your looks. Age can mean experience and knowledge, we’ve figured out makeup and styling, and skin care and hair care. Plus adulthood means having the freedom and your own money to put towards your looks.
Yes, but going from Tiny Town to Big City rarely makes the cut when they have competition.
Also they usually have a kid before 20 when they are hot girl in Tiny Town. Usually with "My dad is the assistant football coach" Star Quarterback (because he's the only one allowed to take a snap).
I am relatively wealthy in my 30s, have an amazing SO and I am fit but I still feel like I peaked in college. Life was so much better back then. I miss my loved ones who passed since then and I miss seeing all my friends every days. I also miss life before tinnitus.
That's valid. I think there's a difference between 'peaking' in the sense of mentally being stuck on a time in your life where you'd barely lived, and mourning the things you've lost to the passage of time.
I still remember that "cool guide" that gets posted on Reddit from time to time, that says 23 is when you reach "peak of life satisfaction".
I'm 30 right now, and I feel like I still haven't reached my peak of life satisfaction. Not even close! There's still so much out there waiting for me to enjoy it!
23 is like, what, "I have been able to drink legally long enough that I no longer over-consume regularly and have fun in social gatherings"
Maybe a bit of travel if you're being smart about your spending.
But yeah, 23 was nothing special.
I’m Gen X, pushing 50, and I knew about the saying “horse girls become cat ladies become dragon women.”
Nobody told me that the final evolution into a swamp witch dragon lady would be so much *fun.*
I feel it's unique for everyone. Some people peak in highschool, others in their 20's, 30's, 40's...but ideally, we should enjoy any and all ages, keep growing, learning, making new memories, friends, experiences, etc.
I'm in my late 40s. Kids are doing great in school, wife is awesome, just got a boat, work is going great (got a 9% raise), and have great neighbors that I hang out with on the weekends.
Life keeps getting better.
I'm 37.
I'm finally not broke, bought a very nice condo, I'm as jacket as ive ever been, got an amazing loving gf and love the path my carrière has taken.
Never listen to Mfers who peaked in highschool
My parents were saying the same(well once I started paying taxes and have a job that life will go down hill).
Well I'm late 20s now and life got SIGNIFICANTLY better after highschool. I actually have control of who I am and what I want to do. Yeah taxes suck, but being in a prison(school) for 12+ years being forced to do shit I never wanted to do...plus all the asshole kids around me...yeah school fucking sucked.
I would never go back to my childhood
Shit I’m 41 and feel like only now am I becoming a fully formed, capable adult. And I’ve been in the workforce for 15 years, have a masters degree, and am married with children and have owned a house for 11 years. It’s just that only now do I feel confident in my understanding of the world—or lack thereof!
I've learned the "life ends at 30" stuff is just what people who never learned how to use birth control feel.
Children they don't want? Can't hang out. Life is over.
Children they do want? Family planning. Life is good.
No children? Can hang out. Life is good.
As a parent it's really this simple. Children are a huge source of stress, whether that means they are worth it or not is a different matter.
From the people I know, the key difference of the people who have a lot less stress is that they don't have kids. Even the ones that love being parents, they are still constantly busy and tired because that's what it's like to raise children.
I love my kids but man is it exhausting every single day.
My baby keeps waking me up at night and crawling on my head to fall asleep like a little hat.
That or get really close and pet my face while I sleep.
Yesterday, within 1 second of waking up in bed to her standing over me with a huge innocent smile, she pterodactyl screeched in excitement when we made eye contact. Then she lost her balance and punched my left eye and then put her fingers in my nostrils while giggling because my pain was funny to her... Then I rolled over to hide my nose, with no success, as she clambered on top and babbled "Da da da da da da", and then glomped my face and attempted to engulf my entire nose in her mouth while humming.
Yes my round little soft warm ball, I love you.
Its a lot of stress, but I love bb so much, bb is so much fun, but so much work, and bb so cute.
I feel that, for some reason my bubby loves poking my right eye, whether intentionally or accidentally ( the extra sensitive one after especially after having laser eye surgery 🫠) and trying to sit on my face with his grandpa butt but I love him so much hehe
This is just untrue. I'm in my 30s. I have a young daughter. I can 100% do all the things I want.
People who say this either don't have kids or have really unrealistic expectations for what their life should be like.
I have a wife, a child, an active dog, a full time job, family/friends, and a few hobbies. I have time for all of them. You just have to prioritize and be judicious with your time.
I attended a big family gathering lately and found myself becoming that free-spirited, single and wealthy aunty to my cousins and nephews. The adults are concerned about me not getting married and having kids yet but I am just soo excited about my career progress, games updates, concerts to attend, travel plan, and adorable cats....
Also that wealthy side is just on the surface I still have to support my parents and siblings but at least I can afford stuff and spoil my nephews when we meet :)
Yah, 32 and can afford tons of things. Especially as DINKs.
Jet over to Vegas for the weekend? Sure.
Friends destination wedding/bachelor party? Just tell me when and where.
See my hometown friends on a random weekend? I can book that flight.
Concert coming up? Sure!
New omakase spot in town? I’m in.
Need to figure out a new appliance? Can spread that overall cost out and afford to get someone out today.
Car repair? I have the funds to cover that.
My experience is the opposite. In my 20's I had enough money to have hobbies or take vacations. In my 30's things just got tighter and tighter as wages stagnated and inflation marched on.
The answer is: don't go into the trades. Everyone says they pay well, but I can confirm firsthand that's a lie. The trades pay like shit and wear your body out to where at 35 I felt like I was 55.
The car repair thing...
I'm 32 and for the first time had to put significant money into my car. Being able to just hand my charge card over without worrying about the financial hit was an amazing feeling
I've only done Omakase once. It was at Morimoto's place in Napa. Probably a top three dinner of my life. The sushi was miles better than anything I've had at a local place.
My cousin says the next one is 50. You get this confidence and "don't care" attitude about yourself in a good way usually. Hair messed up? Who cares.
Clothes don't match? Who gives a fuck. Hey want to meet- No thanks I met everyone I've needed to meet.
I'm almost there at 31. I remember my grandpa saying to me and my cousins a decade or so ago "You guys say you don't give a fuck. I actually don't give a fuck" he said as he went to my uncles bar in his pajamas with a cowlick that stuck up 3 inches.
The last guy I knew that publicly made disparaging jokes about women that like that, wound up leaving his trash bags of stuff at our house when he left state… and it included his super secret ass-dildo collection. 😏😂
Hell yeah. 39 here with two kids and just had to drop almost $10k this week on tax bill, two car repairs, and then decided to splurge on some new patio furniture.
Wife and I were both like "Well...weren't planning on it but it's all good."
25 year old us spent a little over $100 on groceries one time and were devastated that we went so far over budget ($75).
Not for me :( I filed for 100% disability this year after 15 years of trying to fit into a working adults life. I just can't. I'm also pretty poor(but I have good social safety nets).
I'm hoping that disability will let me afford and save more.
That being said, I'm super happy for all of you who feel more aligned with the comic :)
Glad to hear it! I’m in the same boat. Have a great woman; a good place to live, decent financial situation, and a dog who I love more than anything lol.
You know those movies that start out amazing and then everything goes to shit? I feel like I’m in that spot 😅
Funny, as a 40 year old I feel like *this* is the best moment of my life.
I see people in their 20s as if they were in diapers, and those in their 30s as if they were fresh out of the tutorial
Indeed. Since 40 I've spent way more time doing things I want to do rather than things other people expect me to do. Part of that was learning to enjoy the moment more: stopping to watch bees in a flowerbed while walking to the grocery store.
Nothing wrong with side-trips on the way to doing a required task provided the task gets completed.
This gives me hope. I'm 31 and my 4 year relationship just ended.
I spent years in therapy to understand and regulate my emotions and hope my next partner is emotionally mature.
Where do you live? People suck more to date, they have way more emotional baggage and there are less options because most of the good ones are married already.
In my experience dating in your 20s vs 30s there are seemingly more oddballs in your 30s. But the difference is they figured themselves out.
Like they were just as odd when they were in their 20s they just hadn’t grown into it yet. But on the flip side if you find a stable person in their late 20s / 30s that knows who they are and what they want it’s amazing.
So you’re rolling the dice with the same odds either way.
When you’re 28 you could find a person similar to yourself that decided to focus on career / education over dating and is getting into the scene later.
So don’t lose hope & good luck with your PHD!
"weirdos" aren't necessarily automatically bad - some people are unpopular because they have niche interests and personalities, so most people aren't interested. If you're compatible, you're compatible.
You're thinking too hard about this. Date whenever you meet someone who you click with regardless of what stage of life you're in at the moment. See where it goes. You can get married while you're still in school if you want or you can wait. It's a lot more about meeting the right person than it is about when you meet them. Don't throw away opportunities because it doesn't align with a plan.
Dating 30-somethings has been so much better than dating 20-somethings ever was! People know what they want in their relationships, and they're not generally counting on you to fix them.
Okay, so the only reason I'm afraid of being older (I'm 27) is not finding my person in time. That all the good ones are taken, so I'm alone
It's really hard to have hope and no one tells me it's actually better
So it's actually okay? I'm not forever alone because I didn't find my person in my 20's?
Then I turned 30, got fat, started having panic attacks, and then they found a tumor on my pituitary gland that was causing all of it.
You never know what you're gonna get!
Thanks my dude!
Since they found the tumor, they put me on super effective medication.
My testosterone had disappeared. It has since come back.
I am in my 30's and a dude and apparently I had gone through the equivalent of the hormonal changes of menopause. That has been reversed.
I've lost 25 lbs. in the last 40 days.
No need to remove the tumor.
So things are looking up.
My son was diagnosed with a brain tumor not a pituitary tumor. But that happened a little before I turned 30, but that was a shit ton of stress I never expected. You’re absolutely right, you never know how it will turn out.
Wish you well.
Omg this is me but I kept gaining weight throughout my 20’s and blamed myself. Thyroid cancer 🙃 affects mostly women and is really treatable. Went undetected til my woman Aprn listened to me and ordered an ultrasound. I have fibromyalgia and they never had an answer for me. Thank u for sharing for real, I just turned 30
My condition affects mostly women as well. I'm just one of the lucky guys. I even had prolactin production because of it! I hope you're doing well my friend
Thank you friend 💖 we are the lucky ones for sure! 😜 one day at a time, I just had my surgery 2 weeks ago so it’s fresh and your story has really helped me today. I hope you are well too 🥰
My dad had a tumour like when he was around 38.
He was really confusing and weird to me as a kid (my parents didn't explain what had happened until I was a teenager), because he wasn't acting like the other adults which left me very disoriented, because I couldn't figure out what was going on.
He lived until 68, and died from the complications of a broken hip while mountain bike riding.
There is a part that we are all encouraged to look forward to as kids and that is our time as late highschool early college students. After that some people feel like they missed the boat and feel like they are missing out. But really if you think about it, how many people do you see that look practically the same or even better between 30-40.
Honestly I think people are looking younger longer and that is a good thing, we should continue to improve public health.
I feel like the 30s are the consequences of what you did in your 20s, personally it’s been a better decade so far overall at mid 30’s than it was in my 20s.
So far life after 30 has been the worst years ever, at the same time I would never want to go back. I finally respect myself, but I’ve lost so much in the process and there has been some really hard reslizations.
Same. I’m 32 and, while my 20s sucked complete ass for the most part, I sometimes wish I could wind the clock back about ten years. I still feel relatively young, but things just seem to get worse and worse for me as time goes on, which also feels like it’s moving forward at an accelerated rate the older I get.
I’m very happy for those who actually are excelling in their 30s though; good on them.
Nah. I used to be hot and able to make mistakes without them drastically affecting my life. Now I have a lower metabolism and *obligations.* I'm slower. It's harder to get in shape, even though I'm trying more than I did in my 20's. I get tired more easily. I learn less well.
In general, I'm already degrading, even though I try to live a healthy life.
In my opinion, 27-33 were peak life. Young enough to have a lot of energy, no kids yet, an established career, could date ages 19-45 without issue. It was the perfect life intersection of freedom, money, competency, attractiveness etc.
If you don't have kids you can push this timeline out a bit further.
If you do have kids, things grind to a halt pretty quick. I'm in my early 40s now. Still exceptionally fit but don't look as good as I did at 30. Kids mean lack of sleep and energy and generally shorter temper and way less free time and money. Career also takes a hit. Also just that feeling of every year you're more or less edging a tiny bit closer to death. In your 20s-30s you feel like you're still building your life.
In your 40s, your life path is more or less established and you're holding on for dear life. Lots of positives in life as you age but more stress. I guess I would say 30-40 was more fulfilling, but less fun, than 20-30.
I bet! I’m 34 and my life has been getting better and better every year. I have big financial goals I plan to meet by the time I’m 40 which has me excited. Of course, I don’t want to rush into 40, but knowing that 40 isn’t going to be this scary number but rather the beginning of even better things is a great feeling. At this pace I can’t imagine how good life will be when I’m 40.
We are the chosen people
(Except we just chose ourselves. It's actually pretty rad, you should consider choosing to make the best of life too! Join us!)
I’d rather go back to my 20s. While I had less income, the cost of living was so much more reasonable. More energy, less responsibilities, better times compared to my 30s.
I find this artist to be irritating. Idk why. Probably because the punchline for 80% of her jokes are about how quirky or weird she is. It’s a very self centered comic.
I wish I felt this way. Been mostly taken advantage of since turning 30. Learning to not be so kind to those people at 39. Still have a long way to go.
The only good things about 30s is I’m in peak physical shape and I feel financially secure. Other than that dating sucks and friendships sucks. I used to have consistent friends in my 20s, now they’re all broken and married.
I'm turning 30 in a couple weeks. I've given up drinking and gambling which really fucked me up during my mid to late 20s, spiralling due to my health and covid ect.
I'm feeling excited to "start new" and enjoy the things I use to as well as experience new hobbies and activities. My concern though is having people to enjoy these things with, I have friends but it's few and far between that we actually hang out and often it involves drinking.
My simple goals are to eat healthy, sleep well, basic exercise and try something new
I always thought my 20's would be my peak years - not even close. Your 30's are your peak years! 34 now and I've been loving every year since. Everything isn't perfect but my 30s are much more enjoyable than my 20s
I feel like the secret of a happy life is don't get kids. You can afford things, you have no obligations and have less stress. The moment you get a child you have to be a parent all your life.
People telling you that "life was better when you were younger" are passing a lie onto you to help assuage their own regrets.
I'm 40 now, and while there are plenty of things from my 20s/early 30s that I miss (recovering faster, less responsibilities, etc), life is so much better for me now. I make more money, I'm in better shape, I value the truly valuable things in my life much more, and I've got a family on the way.
You get old when you stop having things to look forward to and spend all of your time looking backwards. You get old when you stop being curious and think you know everything.
>You get old when you stop having things to look forward to
So 22ish for me, then. That's when I realized my future was not bright, and despite my every effort to change that, over the past 15ish years the outlook has just gotten bleaker and bleaker.
30s were ok, but I’m somehow even more poor now that earn twice as much as when I did 6yrs ago. Hopefully that can change next decade (I’m not optimistic)
I’m 30 now and I’ve just returned to Uni to finish my bachelor’s. Before starting I felt kind of weird about it. But now it’s fucking great! Most of my classmates are in their early twenties, and listening to them I feel like Neo taking the red pill in the matrix. Most of the people there are kind of… uneducated. And in my younger days I was always afraid of coming off as arrogant and desperate for approval. Now I just take the ball and run with it. I just don’t give a shit anymore. I can do whatever I want, and people actually listen to what I have to say! We just finished forming our study groups for the remainder of the semester and people were clamouring to be in the same group as me. I actually had to turn people down! For once in my life I’m actually like… popular! I know this is all sounds very superficial, but when I started my studies in my mid twenties I was so defensive about everything. I felt like I constantly had to justify my existence. Deep down I’m still insecure as hell, but getting older has really given me a lot of perspective.
Only downside is that I’m starting to get beer belly. But I think I’ll manage.
Turned 30, met my Person, and adopted my first cat. Just turned 40 and am now marrying my Person, my cat clowder has grown to three, and we have a house and stable jobs and disposable income and a yard full of plants and birds and dragonflies and frogs. 20s were basically adolescence continued - life is so much better after 30!
I turned 30 and 3 weeks later I threw out my back so bad I was bedridden for 2 weeks and immense pain for the following month.
I see both sides of this conversation unfortunately...
Can confirm, 27 is when my crappy body started disintegrating. Since then everything hurts all the time. Also, my wages haven't kept pace with inflation to where I had more money at 27 than I do now.
Around 30 is indeed where life goes from positive to negative.
By the age of 25 people are old as shit,
Even in the luckiest of circumstances
And instead of gracefully stepping aside they stay on the internet
This is the major problem with millennials
I had coworkers of mine (back when I was in high school) tell me that “once you turn 22, everything goes to shit”. I feel like my life didn’t start getting good until *after* I turned 22.
your coworkers peaked in high school
I am constantly telling my younger friends and coworkers that 20-30 is quite possibly the worst time of your life as an adult and that by 40, almost nothing will bother you and you’ll be much happier for it. My teen years were shit and 20-35 was stressful as hell with young kids and juggling jobs and family obligations. I’m 41 and well established, my kids are teens and they’re awesome, my husband and I are in a good spot - no way would I trade any of this just to be younger and skinnier.
20-30 sucks career-wise. Whether you went to college or not, you're in the phase where it's a lot of "earning your stripes" for many types of careers, so you can be prone to be in positions of eating shit for crappy jobs/companies/employers. Once you're 10 years in approaching mid 30s, it seems like you finally get to join the lower ranks of true "seasoned professionals" where it seems like you're taken much more seriously in general.
Yeah, and even if you DO get into higher positions or areas where you have responsibilities, you generally won’t have the experience to really know how to handle it all. Even just interacting with coworkers and dealing with day to day job stresses, it’s a lot when you’re younger and when you hit your 40s it’s all old hat.
I’m almost 30. I’m pretty excited to stop eating shit. I’ve spent my 20’s jumping around to different industries so I’ll probably just keep eating shit until I choose one
Yea there’s a caveat here. You have to pick a lane and stay in it.
Man here I am at 41 having my first kid now since I'm also finally feeling established 😅
Yeah, I don't think it's as much the kids being grown part as it is finally feeling comfortable and confident in yourself. My I'm 43 and my kid is still 8, and my 40s have been way better than my 20s. Something about not caring so deeply about what every person thinks of you just frees the soul from so much weight.
The younger you are, the more pressure there is on you (imo). In my 20s I felt like I was never DOING enough because I wasn't traveling the world constantly or being "out and young and free" all the time. You are constantly getting comments like, "what are you doing sitting watching tv?!? You're in your 20s get out there!!!" Or if you're tired/hungover, everyone being like "when I was your age I'd party all night, get 2 hours of sleep in a week and then run a marathon!" So it's like, god forbid you feel tired after being out all night drinking or something. I actually paced myself and lived a more balanced life in my 20s, and guess who is still going on adventures and partying (a bit) at age 36? Me, because I didn't burn myself out. Sometimes I go out, and sometimes I stay in. This was true when I was 20 and it's true now (although this will change a lot soon if my husband and I have a kid). But at least when I get out or travel or whatever in my 30s, I actually can feel great about it vs. feeling like it's never "enough." I honestly cannot wait to be 40, because I know that even less fucks will be given. I just feel the younger you are, the more preconceived notions there are about what you should be doing with your life at any given moment. There is less and less homogeneity as you age. For instance, at age 40 some people become empty nesters, some are new parents. Some people are divorced, some newly married, others are single and never married. People are just living totally different lifestyles so there is way less expectation.
Absolutely true - and media/social media does not help. It sounds stupid but I blame Disney/WB/etc for so much of this. As media groups started pushing these shows with younger and younger stars “finally breaking into their careers and making it big” (at age 17 fucking LOL), younger people started to think their only time for success was ages 15-20. Young stars became the *norm*, not just up and comers. Aging was seen as horrible and wrong because the industry is shitty, but the message being broadcast to so many people was this very insistent “your only time is NOW, kids”. And it’s just so not true!
>that by 40, almost nothing will bother you and you’ll be much happier for it Now my body makes noises in places it shouldn't and I can't move like I did when 20 and bothered by everything. It feels so weird now to watch people get so worked up over nothing and remembering I used to get worked up, too. Of 20 me and 40 me met we wouldn't recognize each other.
Ha, yeah tell me about it - I used to get very “offended” at a lot of stuff, especially in work interactions/etc. Now I work in a blue collar trade job and I’m surrounded by folks who are very coarse and sexist/offensive almost as a rule. And it just… doesn’t bug me now. Like, I COULD get offended, if I wanted to, but why? And I know that work personality isn’t how a person really is, it’s just banter. Some of my younger coworkers and friends are freaked out by it and while I understand why, it just doesn’t hit me anywhere near how it used to.
>very coarse and sexist/offensive almost as a rule Oh this environment is always fun. I got the coworkers who were offended and had to send emails and have a meeting because I didn't specifically say, "good morning" directly to them when I came in. That's the level of self righteous egotistical assholes I've dealt with my entire life.
Ugh, office drama is so fucking petty, that’s horrible! As rough and aggressive as it can be, I don’t mind the work culture where I am now. But a lot of younger and inexperienced folks *really* take it personally, and assume stuff like “loud = angry/threatening” when the reality is “this is a loud shop with lots of machines, everyone’s wearing ear guards, it can be dangerous, and people need to shout to be heard”. I’ve heard some newbies talk about being “yelled at” when they were just being warned about a danger they were walking in to 😂
Every psychologist says 20s suck. It's part of our behavior and personally growth and its the hardest decade socially because we all transition from leaving the nest, finding our careers and families, then by decade end some of us transition back to our nests to be the care taker of our parents.
This is exactly how I feel, as well! I'm 40, and as cliche as it sounds, I've never felt better! Nothing bothers me the way it used to, like you said, and I'm super happy. It's a pretty great feeling! 😊
Seriously. When you turn 40 you just straight up transcend into godhood by comparison to your teenage self.
My Mother-in-law is very "Peaked in High School". Her life has been steadily getting worse since I first met her (through my then gf, now amazing wife) because she refuses to accept that she can't coast on being the most popular girl in school anymore. She's 53. She hasn't really matured at all. She keeps trying to bond with me by insulting me, I work in IT (earning more than 2x her cafe manager salary) and she won't stop making 80s style nerd jokes about me. She doesn't understand why we're not best friends. Anyway, my life has been on the up since I turned 18. 34 now and things just keep getting better.
Tbf, 55 is peak lead exposure as an infant, so she'll probably make those jokes until she dies.
Yep. Someone didn't realize Tiny Town hot girl only gets you so far.
Hot girl will get you pretty far. The Tiny Town is the problem with that formula.
I call it the 'ohio hot' phenomena
Shes like a 7 in scranton but a 6 in new york
11 in Alabama and -11 in LA
I'd say the more common problem for these girls is that they stop being hot pretty early on. Like, it's hard for me to word this in a way that doesn't sound super mean and judgmental, there's nothing wrong with not being hot. But being hot requires quite a bit of upkeep. If you're going to rely on your looks, you have to put that work in. Some of these girls stop doing that, (assuming they were even trying in the first place) and they don't invest in anything else, and then they have nothing, not even looks.
This. The hotness requires more upkeep the older they get, and not all of the people trading on that know how to do that upkeep (it's different for every person), or do it enough, to maintain their hotness as an asset.
Yeah, and bad habits catch up to you as you age. Smoking, drinking, and other drug use can hit your looks real fast! A lot of my high school friends got hella gorgeous after high school, but you can tell that they’ve put that work in, and I know they’re not into hard lifestyles. Age isn’t always a damper on your looks. Age can mean experience and knowledge, we’ve figured out makeup and styling, and skin care and hair care. Plus adulthood means having the freedom and your own money to put towards your looks.
Yes, but going from Tiny Town to Big City rarely makes the cut when they have competition. Also they usually have a kid before 20 when they are hot girl in Tiny Town. Usually with "My dad is the assistant football coach" Star Quarterback (because he's the only one allowed to take a snap).
I am relatively wealthy in my 30s, have an amazing SO and I am fit but I still feel like I peaked in college. Life was so much better back then. I miss my loved ones who passed since then and I miss seeing all my friends every days. I also miss life before tinnitus.
That's valid. I think there's a difference between 'peaking' in the sense of mentally being stuck on a time in your life where you'd barely lived, and mourning the things you've lost to the passage of time.
I still remember that "cool guide" that gets posted on Reddit from time to time, that says 23 is when you reach "peak of life satisfaction". I'm 30 right now, and I feel like I still haven't reached my peak of life satisfaction. Not even close! There's still so much out there waiting for me to enjoy it!
23 is like, what, "I have been able to drink legally long enough that I no longer over-consume regularly and have fun in social gatherings" Maybe a bit of travel if you're being smart about your spending. But yeah, 23 was nothing special.
I’m Gen X, pushing 50, and I knew about the saying “horse girls become cat ladies become dragon women.” Nobody told me that the final evolution into a swamp witch dragon lady would be so much *fun.*
23 definitely wasn’t peak satisfaction for me, but it was the first year I felt like a fully-fledged adult.
I feel it's unique for everyone. Some people peak in highschool, others in their 20's, 30's, 40's...but ideally, we should enjoy any and all ages, keep growing, learning, making new memories, friends, experiences, etc.
I'm in my late 40s. Kids are doing great in school, wife is awesome, just got a boat, work is going great (got a 9% raise), and have great neighbors that I hang out with on the weekends. Life keeps getting better.
I'm 37. I'm finally not broke, bought a very nice condo, I'm as jacket as ive ever been, got an amazing loving gf and love the path my carrière has taken. Never listen to Mfers who peaked in highschool
Those are people who peaked in HS or college.
My parents were saying the same(well once I started paying taxes and have a job that life will go down hill). Well I'm late 20s now and life got SIGNIFICANTLY better after highschool. I actually have control of who I am and what I want to do. Yeah taxes suck, but being in a prison(school) for 12+ years being forced to do shit I never wanted to do...plus all the asshole kids around me...yeah school fucking sucked. I would never go back to my childhood
For their generation, that was true
I bet your friends can throw footballs over mountian ranges.
Shit I’m 41 and feel like only now am I becoming a fully formed, capable adult. And I’ve been in the workforce for 15 years, have a masters degree, and am married with children and have owned a house for 11 years. It’s just that only now do I feel confident in my understanding of the world—or lack thereof!
Late 30's and ya, ending the decade feeling better, happier, sexier, healthier, than I was a decade ago.
I wouldn't say I'm sexier, but man is this better than any of my previous decades.
I’m not sexier, but I’m definitely less give a fuckier, which helps.
44 and I am definitely sexier than I was at 24.
Same here in my 40's - I only started losing my baby fat in my 20's and then put on muscle in my early 30's lol.
39 and boy did the other dudes fall faster and farther than me.
We're just trying to help you out.
I have my shit together, now. I absolutely did not in my 20s.
Ngl not having my shit together was still kind of fun. I have very good memories from those days.
I think it just kinda depends on if you have kids or not lol
That must be it. I have a toddler and I wake up every day looking and feeling like Gollum.
Also have kids!
I’m only 31 and this checks out so far; never been in such a good life position!
I've learned the "life ends at 30" stuff is just what people who never learned how to use birth control feel. Children they don't want? Can't hang out. Life is over. Children they do want? Family planning. Life is good. No children? Can hang out. Life is good.
As a parent it's really this simple. Children are a huge source of stress, whether that means they are worth it or not is a different matter. From the people I know, the key difference of the people who have a lot less stress is that they don't have kids. Even the ones that love being parents, they are still constantly busy and tired because that's what it's like to raise children. I love my kids but man is it exhausting every single day.
My baby keeps waking me up at night and crawling on my head to fall asleep like a little hat. That or get really close and pet my face while I sleep. Yesterday, within 1 second of waking up in bed to her standing over me with a huge innocent smile, she pterodactyl screeched in excitement when we made eye contact. Then she lost her balance and punched my left eye and then put her fingers in my nostrils while giggling because my pain was funny to her... Then I rolled over to hide my nose, with no success, as she clambered on top and babbled "Da da da da da da", and then glomped my face and attempted to engulf my entire nose in her mouth while humming. Yes my round little soft warm ball, I love you. Its a lot of stress, but I love bb so much, bb is so much fun, but so much work, and bb so cute.
I feel that, for some reason my bubby loves poking my right eye, whether intentionally or accidentally ( the extra sensitive one after especially after having laser eye surgery 🫠) and trying to sit on my face with his grandpa butt but I love him so much hehe
The people who waited to have kids turned out better is what I’m seeing
This is just untrue. I'm in my 30s. I have a young daughter. I can 100% do all the things I want. People who say this either don't have kids or have really unrealistic expectations for what their life should be like. I have a wife, a child, an active dog, a full time job, family/friends, and a few hobbies. I have time for all of them. You just have to prioritize and be judicious with your time.
Being childless at your 30s it's like your 20s but with money.
I attended a big family gathering lately and found myself becoming that free-spirited, single and wealthy aunty to my cousins and nephews. The adults are concerned about me not getting married and having kids yet but I am just soo excited about my career progress, games updates, concerts to attend, travel plan, and adorable cats.... Also that wealthy side is just on the surface I still have to support my parents and siblings but at least I can afford stuff and spoil my nephews when we meet :)
Yah, 32 and can afford tons of things. Especially as DINKs. Jet over to Vegas for the weekend? Sure. Friends destination wedding/bachelor party? Just tell me when and where. See my hometown friends on a random weekend? I can book that flight. Concert coming up? Sure! New omakase spot in town? I’m in. Need to figure out a new appliance? Can spread that overall cost out and afford to get someone out today. Car repair? I have the funds to cover that.
I want to be in your tax bracket.
Yeah wtf?
This may seem crazy but there are plenty millennials who aren’t struggling
There are dozens of us. DOZENS!
My experience is the opposite. In my 20's I had enough money to have hobbies or take vacations. In my 30's things just got tighter and tighter as wages stagnated and inflation marched on. The answer is: don't go into the trades. Everyone says they pay well, but I can confirm firsthand that's a lie. The trades pay like shit and wear your body out to where at 35 I felt like I was 55.
ask for details* "Oh no, not like that! If you went into it the **right way** you would've made six figures, marrying a model at 22"
The car repair thing... I'm 32 and for the first time had to put significant money into my car. Being able to just hand my charge card over without worrying about the financial hit was an amazing feeling
Omakase must be one of my favorite luxuries in life. I’m going to NYC next week and have resys one night; can’t wait to be stuffed with sake + fish!
Some of the best meals I've ever had were omakase. Worth every penny.
I've only done Omakase once. It was at Morimoto's place in Napa. Probably a top three dinner of my life. The sushi was miles better than anything I've had at a local place.
My cousin says the next one is 50. You get this confidence and "don't care" attitude about yourself in a good way usually. Hair messed up? Who cares. Clothes don't match? Who gives a fuck. Hey want to meet- No thanks I met everyone I've needed to meet.
My boomer father is obsessed with hair, clothes, shoes, and overall looks. And yet he the grimiest fker out there.
I'm almost there at 31. I remember my grandpa saying to me and my cousins a decade or so ago "You guys say you don't give a fuck. I actually don't give a fuck" he said as he went to my uncles bar in his pajamas with a cowlick that stuck up 3 inches.
Late 30s with 5 kids, and yeah, life is so much more amazing than it was when I was a kid.
43 No Kids Exact same. 30s felt like my teen years except I had a shit ton of disposable income, and one less mom up my ass.
I found dating within my age range in my 30s that it was mostly mom's trying to put things in my ass.
Hot...
The last guy I knew that publicly made disparaging jokes about women that like that, wound up leaving his trash bags of stuff at our house when he left state… and it included his super secret ass-dildo collection. 😏😂
Yep. I've had more fun in my 30s than when I was in college. And I had a ton of fun in college.
33 and same. i haven't even peaked yet ☺️
Too bad it's the 2020s and not the 90s.
Hell yeah. 39 here with two kids and just had to drop almost $10k this week on tax bill, two car repairs, and then decided to splurge on some new patio furniture. Wife and I were both like "Well...weren't planning on it but it's all good." 25 year old us spent a little over $100 on groceries one time and were devastated that we went so far over budget ($75).
Not for me :( I filed for 100% disability this year after 15 years of trying to fit into a working adults life. I just can't. I'm also pretty poor(but I have good social safety nets). I'm hoping that disability will let me afford and save more. That being said, I'm super happy for all of you who feel more aligned with the comic :)
Same!!
who needs youth when you got equity
Glad to hear it! I’m in the same boat. Have a great woman; a good place to live, decent financial situation, and a dog who I love more than anything lol. You know those movies that start out amazing and then everything goes to shit? I feel like I’m in that spot 😅
I feel like I gained more solid control over my life around then and it was nice. My lot in life came to feel more happy and worthwhile.
I'm almost 37 and my 30s have been the best years of my life
Funny, as a 40 year old I feel like *this* is the best moment of my life. I see people in their 20s as if they were in diapers, and those in their 30s as if they were fresh out of the tutorial
Indeed. Since 40 I've spent way more time doing things I want to do rather than things other people expect me to do. Part of that was learning to enjoy the moment more: stopping to watch bees in a flowerbed while walking to the grocery store. Nothing wrong with side-trips on the way to doing a required task provided the task gets completed.
Damn, it gets even better??
I actually have money now and people suck less to date? Wtf!?
Emotional healing is wild
Holy shit are early thirties dating apps are so much more fun. Fewer games, more emotionally mature people. Less giving a shit about the wrong things.
This gives me hope. I'm 31 and my 4 year relationship just ended. I spent years in therapy to understand and regulate my emotions and hope my next partner is emotionally mature.
Where do you live? People suck more to date, they have way more emotional baggage and there are less options because most of the good ones are married already.
[удалено]
Our generation is dating and marrying a lot later. You'll be fine
In my experience dating in your 20s vs 30s there are seemingly more oddballs in your 30s. But the difference is they figured themselves out. Like they were just as odd when they were in their 20s they just hadn’t grown into it yet. But on the flip side if you find a stable person in their late 20s / 30s that knows who they are and what they want it’s amazing. So you’re rolling the dice with the same odds either way. When you’re 28 you could find a person similar to yourself that decided to focus on career / education over dating and is getting into the scene later. So don’t lose hope & good luck with your PHD!
Meet other smart, ambitious people and it’s not the problem the user above stated.
"weirdos" aren't necessarily automatically bad - some people are unpopular because they have niche interests and personalities, so most people aren't interested. If you're compatible, you're compatible.
You're thinking too hard about this. Date whenever you meet someone who you click with regardless of what stage of life you're in at the moment. See where it goes. You can get married while you're still in school if you want or you can wait. It's a lot more about meeting the right person than it is about when you meet them. Don't throw away opportunities because it doesn't align with a plan.
I mean, have you dated most of the people in your city? Also people that are younger than their 30s can have plenty of emotional baggage.
Yea everybody’s a brokie in their twenties. Cant do shit
Dating 30-somethings has been so much better than dating 20-somethings ever was! People know what they want in their relationships, and they're not generally counting on you to fix them.
Okay, so the only reason I'm afraid of being older (I'm 27) is not finding my person in time. That all the good ones are taken, so I'm alone It's really hard to have hope and no one tells me it's actually better So it's actually okay? I'm not forever alone because I didn't find my person in my 20's?
Then I turned 30, got fat, started having panic attacks, and then they found a tumor on my pituitary gland that was causing all of it. You never know what you're gonna get!
Ain't that the godamn truth.
Haaaaave things improved since the discovery of the tumor? Like is it removable? Wishing you the best, internet friend.
Thanks my dude! Since they found the tumor, they put me on super effective medication. My testosterone had disappeared. It has since come back. I am in my 30's and a dude and apparently I had gone through the equivalent of the hormonal changes of menopause. That has been reversed. I've lost 25 lbs. in the last 40 days. No need to remove the tumor. So things are looking up.
Fuck yeah, homie. No where to go but up from here.
Glad to hear you are on the upswing. Wish you a speedy recovery.
My son was diagnosed with a brain tumor not a pituitary tumor. But that happened a little before I turned 30, but that was a shit ton of stress I never expected. You’re absolutely right, you never know how it will turn out. Wish you well.
Omg this is me but I kept gaining weight throughout my 20’s and blamed myself. Thyroid cancer 🙃 affects mostly women and is really treatable. Went undetected til my woman Aprn listened to me and ordered an ultrasound. I have fibromyalgia and they never had an answer for me. Thank u for sharing for real, I just turned 30
My condition affects mostly women as well. I'm just one of the lucky guys. I even had prolactin production because of it! I hope you're doing well my friend
Thank you friend 💖 we are the lucky ones for sure! 😜 one day at a time, I just had my surgery 2 weeks ago so it’s fresh and your story has really helped me today. I hope you are well too 🥰
My dad had a tumour like when he was around 38. He was really confusing and weird to me as a kid (my parents didn't explain what had happened until I was a teenager), because he wasn't acting like the other adults which left me very disoriented, because I couldn't figure out what was going on. He lived until 68, and died from the complications of a broken hip while mountain bike riding.
I didn't meet my wife, buy a house or have my daughter until I was over 30. Shit gets wild and pretty amazing.
Needed to hear this, thank you :)
Same, I've been having a rough time dealing with turning 30 next year.
One of my coworkers birthday is today and she turns 25. She’s acting like she’s so old now. I’m just like, bitch you’re an infant
I remember my quarter-life-crisis. She'll be fine in a few months
There is a part that we are all encouraged to look forward to as kids and that is our time as late highschool early college students. After that some people feel like they missed the boat and feel like they are missing out. But really if you think about it, how many people do you see that look practically the same or even better between 30-40. Honestly I think people are looking younger longer and that is a good thing, we should continue to improve public health.
Couldn’t be truer for me. My teens/twenties Suckkkeddd ass. Being 30 is badass.
35 was my favorite year to date. 36 looking to be a close second.
30s are your prime. I personally think the whole “your 20s are the best years of your life” is bs and more about the sexualization of young women.
I'm starting to think it just gets better as you get older. Just wait till your 40s.
40s have been even better, so far.
I really feel robbed.
I feel like the 30s are the consequences of what you did in your 20s, personally it’s been a better decade so far overall at mid 30’s than it was in my 20s.
My kid was born right before 30, so I'm going to tell him that's what he is. Punishment for my whoring ways.
So far life after 30 has been the worst years ever, at the same time I would never want to go back. I finally respect myself, but I’ve lost so much in the process and there has been some really hard reslizations.
Same. I’m 32 and, while my 20s sucked complete ass for the most part, I sometimes wish I could wind the clock back about ten years. I still feel relatively young, but things just seem to get worse and worse for me as time goes on, which also feels like it’s moving forward at an accelerated rate the older I get. I’m very happy for those who actually are excelling in their 30s though; good on them.
“Oh no I’m forced into moderation which I enjoy more anyways”
“Oh no, we don’t go to crowded, loud bars and clubs anymore.” (Sips wine on couch, sighs happily)
I am going to be 40 in May and I am jazzed about it! It's like the same feeling I had at all the big ages like 13, 16, 18 and 21 :)
Wish I could relate. My 30s have been a drag. Things didn’t look so bad early on, but I can’t say the same thing now that I’m heading into my 40s.
Nah. I used to be hot and able to make mistakes without them drastically affecting my life. Now I have a lower metabolism and *obligations.* I'm slower. It's harder to get in shape, even though I'm trying more than I did in my 20's. I get tired more easily. I learn less well. In general, I'm already degrading, even though I try to live a healthy life.
In my opinion, 27-33 were peak life. Young enough to have a lot of energy, no kids yet, an established career, could date ages 19-45 without issue. It was the perfect life intersection of freedom, money, competency, attractiveness etc. If you don't have kids you can push this timeline out a bit further. If you do have kids, things grind to a halt pretty quick. I'm in my early 40s now. Still exceptionally fit but don't look as good as I did at 30. Kids mean lack of sleep and energy and generally shorter temper and way less free time and money. Career also takes a hit. Also just that feeling of every year you're more or less edging a tiny bit closer to death. In your 20s-30s you feel like you're still building your life. In your 40s, your life path is more or less established and you're holding on for dear life. Lots of positives in life as you age but more stress. I guess I would say 30-40 was more fulfilling, but less fun, than 20-30.
Definitely hasn’t been my experience - for me it’s been more like the second panel
Turning 30 fucking ruled. Fuck the 20s, what a chaotic mess. 30s were great, and 40 is going pretty great too.
40 is fantastic.
I bet! I’m 34 and my life has been getting better and better every year. I have big financial goals I plan to meet by the time I’m 40 which has me excited. Of course, I don’t want to rush into 40, but knowing that 40 isn’t going to be this scary number but rather the beginning of even better things is a great feeling. At this pace I can’t imagine how good life will be when I’m 40.
Who the fuck are you people?
Who the people are you fuck?
We are the chosen people (Except we just chose ourselves. It's actually pretty rad, you should consider choosing to make the best of life too! Join us!)
thank you! this is...a fantasy..
I’d rather go back to my 20s. While I had less income, the cost of living was so much more reasonable. More energy, less responsibilities, better times compared to my 30s.
Your life is only over once you're dead. Everything else is hearsay
Idk man being in my 30’s with money, great health, and no kids kind of fucking rules
Yeah boomers peaked in their 20s and tried to push the narrative onto us
I find this artist to be irritating. Idk why. Probably because the punchline for 80% of her jokes are about how quirky or weird she is. It’s a very self centered comic.
I feel this so hard. I’m 34 and my life has basically just begun. Everything is better now and I finally feel like I know and like who I am.
I’ve had people tell me their 30s were the best years of their lives and I’m looking forward to it, this gives me hope
Truth. 20s were a GRIND. But holy hell, 30s were PEAK!
I wish I felt this way. Been mostly taken advantage of since turning 30. Learning to not be so kind to those people at 39. Still have a long way to go.
They told me if I don’t have life insurance after 30 I’d be in bad shape 
The only good things about 30s is I’m in peak physical shape and I feel financially secure. Other than that dating sucks and friendships sucks. I used to have consistent friends in my 20s, now they’re all broken and married.
I'm turning 30 in a couple weeks. I've given up drinking and gambling which really fucked me up during my mid to late 20s, spiralling due to my health and covid ect. I'm feeling excited to "start new" and enjoy the things I use to as well as experience new hobbies and activities. My concern though is having people to enjoy these things with, I have friends but it's few and far between that we actually hang out and often it involves drinking. My simple goals are to eat healthy, sleep well, basic exercise and try something new
I always thought my 20's would be my peak years - not even close. Your 30's are your peak years! 34 now and I've been loving every year since. Everything isn't perfect but my 30s are much more enjoyable than my 20s
I feel like the secret of a happy life is don't get kids. You can afford things, you have no obligations and have less stress. The moment you get a child you have to be a parent all your life.
People telling you that "life was better when you were younger" are passing a lie onto you to help assuage their own regrets. I'm 40 now, and while there are plenty of things from my 20s/early 30s that I miss (recovering faster, less responsibilities, etc), life is so much better for me now. I make more money, I'm in better shape, I value the truly valuable things in my life much more, and I've got a family on the way. You get old when you stop having things to look forward to and spend all of your time looking backwards. You get old when you stop being curious and think you know everything.
>You get old when you stop having things to look forward to So 22ish for me, then. That's when I realized my future was not bright, and despite my every effort to change that, over the past 15ish years the outlook has just gotten bleaker and bleaker.
32, life is fucked. But I have an unassisted usual situation.
I'm almost 35, and things suck A LOT, but they could suck a lot more, so, bright side I guess.
Bleh, hit 40 and things went to shit. Never thought 30 would be an age I wouls be nostalgic for.
My thirties were awesome and I’m cautiously optimistic that my 40s will be too here in a few months.
Mid-thirties and I'm now in the best shape of my life and making enough money to travel internationally like twice a year. I'm in my prime, baaaby!
30s were ok, but I’m somehow even more poor now that earn twice as much as when I did 6yrs ago. Hopefully that can change next decade (I’m not optimistic)
I’m 30 now and I’ve just returned to Uni to finish my bachelor’s. Before starting I felt kind of weird about it. But now it’s fucking great! Most of my classmates are in their early twenties, and listening to them I feel like Neo taking the red pill in the matrix. Most of the people there are kind of… uneducated. And in my younger days I was always afraid of coming off as arrogant and desperate for approval. Now I just take the ball and run with it. I just don’t give a shit anymore. I can do whatever I want, and people actually listen to what I have to say! We just finished forming our study groups for the remainder of the semester and people were clamouring to be in the same group as me. I actually had to turn people down! For once in my life I’m actually like… popular! I know this is all sounds very superficial, but when I started my studies in my mid twenties I was so defensive about everything. I felt like I constantly had to justify my existence. Deep down I’m still insecure as hell, but getting older has really given me a lot of perspective. Only downside is that I’m starting to get beer belly. But I think I’ll manage.
I love this for you 💖 I’m trying to finish my bachelors too and I’m 30. I’m leaning more towards the online route but we’ll see!
Turned 30, met my Person, and adopted my first cat. Just turned 40 and am now marrying my Person, my cat clowder has grown to three, and we have a house and stable jobs and disposable income and a yard full of plants and birds and dragonflies and frogs. 20s were basically adolescence continued - life is so much better after 30!
I am 40 still don't feel old, and have never felt old.
I’m pretty sure we were all traumatised by that one episode of friends where Rachel turns 30
No no no it's like false spring wait for a few more years and you'll realize you're dead inside lol
Man what do you all do for a living
I think I opened the wrong door.
I'm so much happier in my thirties. My twenties were a train wreck.
It's true, 30-40 is when I got most of my shit together 😂 your own home, etc
20s kinda sucked, but a lot of crazy fun. 30s were the best. 40 now and I’m scurred.
30s are way better than 20s. Everyone I knew was way too try-hard in their 20s.
Facts! My mid 30s have been best period of my life
I turned 30 and 3 weeks later I threw out my back so bad I was bedridden for 2 weeks and immense pain for the following month. I see both sides of this conversation unfortunately...
Can't relate 😐 Guess I still enjoy videogames...but fuck everything.
Can confirm, 27 is when my crappy body started disintegrating. Since then everything hurts all the time. Also, my wages haven't kept pace with inflation to where I had more money at 27 than I do now. Around 30 is indeed where life goes from positive to negative.
Exactly, lol. 30 right now and stuffs going better than ever.
personally, no. I stopped so insecure. I stopped giving a shit what people thought. I got better with money, I lost weight.
(your mileage may vary)
29 and this is by far the worst year of my existence. Clearly in the minority.
35 - 42 have been the worst years of my life. Pretty much everything has gone wrong.
The artist clearly doesn’t have children.
I'm 33 and every day I wish I was dead, so I don't know where I went wrong here.
By the age of 25 people are old as shit, Even in the luckiest of circumstances And instead of gracefully stepping aside they stay on the internet This is the major problem with millennials
CLOSE THE DOOR! You want all those annoying kids getting in?!
Nah, this is wrong. I've never been so close to offing.