An informal survey ...

[veronica_rich]

I just want to know, whether you're a man or woman (and please identify yourself as such), two things:

If you're over 30, what do you find to be the worst thing(s) about getting older? It can be anything - stiff joints, deeper debt, poor career choice, aging brain, etc. Feel free to relate your answer to your particular circumstances in life if you like.

And for anyone of any age (if you're young, this works best if you're in your early 20s; if you're older, reminisce a bit): What was the worst thing about being in your early 20s? Nobody taking you seriously? No money? Limited education? Elaborate.

I'm writing something and just want some general ideas, is all. Gracias.

Comments

[pigeongirl99.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm female and 23yrs old, and what I find is the worst thing, even more than the crippling debt and lack of education opportunities, is how I'm expected to be both a child and an adult simultaneously- half the time I'm not taken seriously and spoken down to, the other half I'm expected to be able to deal with the 'adult' features of my life with no guidance/advice at all, whether it is something I've dealt with before or not (for example tax forms, and general paper-work-y type things).

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I remember feeling like that - mine started at 18. I was working part-time to put myself through college to supplement my scholarship. I sure felt like an adult, but wasn't really treated like one (although 15 years later, I can honestly say I knew nothing, LOL. I still don't; it's just that the older you are, the more aware of your own stupidity you are).

[the-dala.livejournal.com]

Can I go with "all of the above"?

Really, though, the money is a crucial issue. Not spending money because I've got a crappy minimum wage job for that, but the money I know my parents don't have for the rest of school. Also, it sucks to either not know what you want to do with your life, or to know what you want but feel like it's going to take forever to get there.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it sucks more, but I have had a career (am still halfway into it), sort of lost it due to a multitude of factors in my particular profession, and am trying to figure out what else I CAN do that will contain elements of what I WANT to do. I don't really want to give up the old profession entirely, but then again, I'd like to make some money at SOME point in my life.

The bad part is I'm 32. You think when you get out of college and get that first successful career-type job that you've crossed the biggest hurdle ... but you don't see the other high ones down the road.

[nobleplatypus]

I am a woman, and I'm 21 years old. :)

The worst thing about being in your early twenties? I don't feel like an adult at all, but I feel like I should feel like an adult. Basically, I'm worried that I'm immature for my age.

I also worry that I may be forced to smash my roommate. PLATY SMASH!

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I thought you got rid of your roommate ... except that I don't remember and now I'm thinking you maybe said you were getting rid of her for next year instead ...

[nobleplatypus]

Yeah, it's for next year. For now, I still get to deal with her having ridiculous boy-related misadventures and then rehashing them to me for thirty minutes at a stretch. And I'm not even exaggerating about the time. I almost missed my shower this morning because I was trying to be polite and listen. -_-

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

The worst thing about getting older? The fact that I can still do most of the things I did 20 years ago, but it takes four times as long to recover!

The worst thing about being in my early twenties was that I hadn't figured out how to do the things I wanted to do with my life; I had a job I wasn't suited for, a couple of failed relationships (I ran away to Switzerland to get away from one of them), and didn't have a clue where I was going.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Sounds suspiciously like me (except for the failed relationships part, but I can identify in a job sense - I've had a couple of jobs that were almost as bad as a personal relationship!). At 32 I still don't know what I want to do with my life ...

[smtfhw.livejournal.com]

Should have added I'm female, and 46 years old...

[finding-neo.livejournal.com]

You know my stats.
The worst thing about getting older is keeping the mind of a 23 year old in a 40 year old body. The physical stuff can get depressing because nothing tells you you're getting older like aches and wrinkles. I did one of those Quizilla things or whatever they're called on *mental age" and mine seriously came out as 23. I believe it especially when there I am watching ER the other week and during the love scene between the 2 characters (Nila and is it Michael? I don't remember his first name) I recognize they're playing "Novacaine" off Green day's latest album. How many 40 year olds are going to know that? I'm either very pathetic or very cool - not sure which the fuck.
In my 20s the worst thing was not knowing what I wanted to do - I knew I wanted to get out of poverty, which had been my growing up experience and although I'm in debt and have a shakey job situation I'm not worrying about becoming a bag lady, so I guess I accomplished that. Then again I can say I feel like I have wasted my potential.
There is no age at which anyone is truly happy with their life, IMO. So the key is to be happy in the moment. The Power of Now is real. We agonize over a past we cannot repeat and a future we cannot foresee. It's pointless. Deal with Now, not yesterday and not tomorrow. That's 40 year old wisdom for you.

[captsparrow4evr.livejournal.com]

Yep, that's me in the icon with the dog. Female and 41. Worst thing about getting older? The aches and pains. Arthritis everywhere, headaches, and just generally feeling fatigued all the time.

Worst thing about being in my 20s? That I was so f*cking stupid that I didn't _DO_ anything. I could have been saving money, I could have been writing seriously, I could have . . . Aw, crap, it doesn't matter now.

Hope this helps.:)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what you mean about wasted time. I'm almost 33 and even I feel like I've wasted years NOT writing publishable fiction ... or at least finishing what I've started.

Oooooh, pretty doggie ...