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30 Relatable Moments When People Came To Understand They Are ‘Officially’ Not Young Anymore

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With days passing at the speed of a hadron collider, it’s easy to forget how fast time flies. It seems just yesterday you were listening to Smashing Pumpkins on your Walkman sipping on Capri Sun, and now you’re dragging a bunch of grown-up people responsibilities in what feels like an ultra marathon.

But even then, we often remain totally unaware of the fact that hey, we are not kids anymore. So when Redditor u/spp25 asked “When did you realise that you are officially 'not young' anymore?” the answers started rolling one after the other, with people sharing all too relatable moments.

From realizing Avril Lavigne falls under the category of what teens call “dad rock” to medical emergencies that happen only when you age, like dislocating your jaw while yawning, these are some of the most telling responses that make you go, “wait, this is me.”

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#1

When I saw a smoking hot redhead on the subway, and instead of thinking "wow, she's smoking hot" I thought, "I hope she uses lots of sunscreen because she's vulnerable to skin cancer."

msty2k , Tom NewbyFollow Report

Final score:

326points

Night Owl 3 years ago

That's smart, practical and empathic. You grew up to be a good person

104points

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#2

When a song I loved as a teenager appeared as an oldie on the radio.

LucyVialli , Tal Atlas Report

Final score:

295points

JuJu 3 years ago

Heard kids talking on the bus about this really cool oldie...they were talking about "Wonderwall"

76points

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#3

When I opened a new pack of sponges for dishwashing and became all excited to use a fresh sponge.

tuxedo_cat_commander , Eden, Janine and Jim Report

Final score:

288points

SentimentAndBadJokes 3 years ago

Nope. I'm young, and opening a new anything is always exciting!

51points

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Bored Panda reached out to the author of this thread, Redditor Spp25, who said the idea to ask people “when did you realize that you are officially 'not young' anymore?” came while he was busy doing chores. “Basically I was doing some cleaning and I dropped something and it broke,” Spp25 recounted.

“Instead of swearing I said the word 'ratbags.' I laughed because this is something my mam used to say around us children growing up and I always thought it was an old person's thing to say,” the author explained.

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#4

When I went to a nightclub last weekend and everyone looks like children...

smegly87 , Maurício Mascaro Report

Final score:

241points

Brendan 3 years ago

If I went to a nightclub now, security would call the nearest Alzheimer's ward to ask if they were missing a patient.

117points

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#5

I felt a sneeze coming on while I was bent over and legitimately thought, "I have to stand up straight for this if I want to keep my back."

Symnestra , cottonbro Report

Final score:

237points

LeighAnne Brown-Pedersen 3 years ago

I prep every sneeze by crossing my legs…

175points

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#6

30 Relatable Moments When People Came To Understand They Are 'Officially' Not Young Anymore When I only got 4 hours of sleep before work and felt like I was literally going to die. Ten years ago, I would drive 5 hours after work on Friday to see my SO, we’d party all weekend, then I’d leave at 1am on Monday, drive all night and go to work Monday. And i was exhausted but fine. Now, just one night of not enough sleep… I got old.

SafeWord6 , Jaymantri Report

Final score:

222points

Vicky Z 3 years ago

Just five years ago i was working with one day off per week and during this off i was going on tours, going to the beach, eat out and go for a drink at night too! Now i need two offs per week, i do almost nothing and still trying to pull myself together the next day at work!

24points

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As for the responses, the Redditor was surprised by how many stories were the same. “People with back issues, for example. It was nice knowing we aren't going through aging alone. Another one was how people who were aging had to really work to keep up with all the types of new slang!”

#7

When I hated loud music, wanted to go home early and wanted my neighbors to keep the noise down. I am now Squidward.

Strong-Discussion564 , Markus Kniebes Report

Final score:

221points

Tracy Wallick 3 years ago

I've been like this since I was a teenager. It's not exclusive to "old" people.

52points

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#8

When I started getting excited for 9pm bedtime.

itisee899 , Ketut Subiyanto Report

Final score:

220points

Michelle M 3 years ago

Believe me, after having a long day, most people would get excited for an 8pm bedtime

46points

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#9

Saw some neighborhood kids messing with a stop sign while driving home. I slowed the car down, rolled down a window and said,

"Hey... I think maybe you shouldn't be doing that."

Which in my mind meant cut it out before an adult catches you.

But these kids look sheepishly at the ground and give me an ok like I was the adult in the situation. Which I was, gently chastising children for fooling around with public property.

Well, either that time or when I buried my father and realized I was the oldest living male in my family. That was more sobering than fun.

Ralfarius , mwabonje Report

Final score:

202points

SentimentAndBadJokes 3 years ago

I can't imagine that ever being fun

36points

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When asked whether our society overestimates age and aging, Spp25 said we actually underestimate it. “I suppose what the thread has taught me is that it's a different process for everyone and happens at different times.”

“You can be in your 20s and feel in the prime of your life then someone will say something and knock you off your perch! I have a good relationship with it.”The Redditor said he's at peace now since “I've accepted the fact I now have a role,” he said. Moreover, “I'm an uncle who tries to embarrass his nieces and nephews and if I want to know what the new slang is, I google it. I will do it with pride,” Spp25 concluded.

#10

When a 22 year old offered me their arm to get down steps. I'm not old, I was just tired you little punk!!

the_last_werewolf , Mike Hauser Report

Final score:

190points

Susan Green 3 years ago

That was thoughtful of them, though.

112points

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#11

I’m scared of teenagers now

-thegay- , Rich Smith Report

Final score:

178points

Michelle M 3 years ago

I'm actually in awe of teenagers. I'm twenty this year and I see some 14 year olds doing things I can't even dare and 18 year olds building empires. Awesome

34points

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#12

When I realized having a one in front of my birth year is all anyone needs to know I'm old enough to purchase alcohol. I don't know why but that dumb fact just hit me like a ton of bricks.

InvaderMiz69 , Harrison Fitts Report

Final score:

171points

Jo Johannsen 3 years ago

It used to be that 30 was supposed to be the traumatic birthday. Well, for me it was 25...when I realized it wss a quarter of a century.

32points

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#13

When my daughter asked to listen to oldies. Like nirvana, pearl jam, foo fighters. I'm thinking no they are not oldies.

wyecoyote2 , LadyArtisma Report

Final score:

169points

Lauren Caswell 3 years ago (edited)

Foo fighters? 😟 aw I am old, dagnabbit

37points

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#14

When i stopped healing as fast as i used to.

CrimsonGamerKing , Diana Polekhina Report

Final score:

162points

Lauren Caswell 3 years ago

Mystery bruises aren't from partying anymore, it's probably from gently brushing against something

83points

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#15

When the check knee light came on

SirCoughAGuy , Terry Shultz Report

Final score:

161points

Jo Johannsen 3 years ago

I've burned out a dozen of those bulbs.

22points

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#16

I just bought a new mop and was really excited to go home and use it :( I mopped the whole apartment in absolute bliss. I finally decided that I will not fall for the Swiffer commercials again.

Subbend , Pixabay Report

Final score:

156points

lunar eclipse 3 years ago

I think this has to do with the person. I’m 18 and I get excited about new cleaning products because I love cleaning

30points

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#17

We went to a trampoline park for a friend's birthday. I pulled a muscle in the first ten minutes.

RichardStinks , obeeze4 Report

Final score:

155points

Michelle M 3 years ago

Happens to the young, old and immortal.

24points

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#18

Neighborhood kid next door, must be 22 or so calls me sir. First time it happened I was like “sir? Dude I’m like….okay a lot older than you.”

genericusername0176 , Henry Burrows Report

Final score:

149points

Life is ? 3 years ago

When you are 29 you are a year older than twice the age of 14 year olds. It's so hard to believe.

25points

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#19

When my best friend and I were planning for a concert next month and for the first time in our lives we were like "Do we... want to buy seats instead of standing in the pit?".

Nyx_Fallweather , Nathan Fertig Report

Final score:

140points

Brendan 3 years ago

By "seats", do you mean a nice, cosy armchair in the comfort of your living room? Then yes I do.

78points

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#20

It hits you when you’re 36. That’s the year you could’ve had a child at age 18 who would become 18 and possibly have a child, making you old enough to be a grandparent.

crewthsr , freestocks.org Report

Final score:

140points

troufaki13 3 years ago

My grandma became a grandma when she was 44. I'm 45 and childless

51points

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#21

When I dislocated my jaw lying in bed yawning. Didn't even think it was even possible.

purpleowlie , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

139points

crazy_cat_notAlady 3 years ago

s**t! that's a possibility? i dislocated my toe trying to adjust the blanket once though.

49points

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#22

When one of my younger coworkers took it upon herself to explain to me who Cardi B was. I already knew who she was and was familiar with her music. Apparently I just looked like I needed to be supplied with this info.

Ok_Clock_8658 , wikimedia.commons Report

Final score:

137points

Nicky 3 years ago

Who is Cardi B? (I'm old.)

43points

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#23

When I started viewing guys on motorcycles with concern instead of awe… damn kids gonna get himself killed vs. oooh look at that hot rebel.

Prize-Trifle-9537 , Person Lin Report

Final score:

131points

Julie C Rose 3 years ago

Read about Bikers Against Child Abuse and you can still look at bikers in awe. :)

48points

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#24

"reasonably recent" references are met with dead silence and confusion by young adults/teens.

Kids call you "sir" or "that man over there"

Body aching the morning after moderate physical activity.

Food starts to give you problems while you used to eat tons of it with no repercussions.

Kalle_79 , Tim Samuel Report

Final score:

129points

WillemPenn 3 years ago

Yes! "Reasonably recent." I will hear that Hollywood is doing a remake of a movie and I'm like "but that just came out!" Yeah, 25 years ago when I was in grad school.

30points

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#25

30 Relatable Moments When People Came To Understand They Are 'Officially' Not Young Anymore 7/23/2021 I was drying off after a shower looked down and realized... I am 40 and now have graying pubes. I actually wrote this on my calendar.

FlexMiniSystem , Olya Kobruseva Report

Final score:

126points

chi-wei shen 3 years ago

...and when I was 50 I had to slightly bend over in order to see my gray pubes below my belly.

52points

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#26

One day my back decided to leave a memo

northernskies2015 , Karolina Grabowska Report

Final score:

110points

Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 years ago

Yep. At age fourteen I fell into a 4 meter deep well and just walked it off. Last week I cricked my neck by laughing too hard and was sore for two days...

49points

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#27

It was when I went to casually step off a 4 foot drop.

I had one foot of the ledge and my brain screamed Danger, I had to stop reset and prepare myself to absorb the impact and make sure I bent my knees.

20 year old me wouldn't have thought at all about that.

I was in my mid thirties at the time.

Bitter-Edge-8265 , Tim Green Report

Final score:

104points

Nicky 3 years ago

You're old when people don't laugh when you fall down. They ask if you're ok.

93points

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#28

I got "ma'am"ed by a random twenty-something. Broke my heart

GreenAppleLady , Ivan Samkov Report

Final score:

104points

Nicky 3 years ago

I teach kindergarten and a kid asked me how old I was. I asked her, "How old do you think I am?" She replied, "12?"

52points

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#29

I took my fiancé back to the University I attended and we went for a drink at my old favorite bar. Ordered a margarita & the waitress said, “Do you want the well tequila that we serve to everyone or like…. adult tequila?”

alwittenberg , Tara Winstead Report

Final score:

97points

Johnny 3 years ago (edited)

That's one of the benefits of getting old, you can afford (and appreciate) the "adult tequila" - no more drinking what ever is cheapest just to get drunk. In college, Tequila was only for margaritas or shots, not for sipping and enjoying.

40points

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#30

30 Relatable Moments When People Came To Understand They Are 'Officially' Not Young Anymore Looking in the mirror. I'm in my mid 20s, but within the past year I've noticed that my reflection has reasonably changed and I definitely wouldn't be mistaken for a teenager anymore.

MayBeAPossum , Max Vakhtbovych Report

Final score:

73points

Chris Hills 3 years ago

Wait until your brain is still telling you that you're still young and people are thinking, "what is this crazy old person thinking?". That was me. Talking to my neighbor like she as an old lady and I was still the hip younger neighbor. I said something that offended and she barked back, "we're just about the same age you know?" My brain screamed, "NOooooooooo". Then I knew.

49points

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#31

30 Relatable Moments When People Came To Understand They Are 'Officially' Not Young Anymore I went for a motorcycle ride with 4 of my friends and stopped at the gas station for a picture. The first picture was all of us gasing up the bikes and the second was from behind. I was not wearing my helmet and saw the top rear of my head. I was balding at the age of 28 and had a spot so shiny that even the camera didn't know WTF happened.

bankai04 , David HilowitzFollow Report

Final score:

39points

d bradley 3 years ago

when reading lists on Bored panda is about as much of a workout as I can handle without a nap

12points

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#32

This year when multiple SONS of American football players I watched growing up got drafted into the NFL.

Chilidogdingdong , Alan Kotok Report

Final score:

35points

Nicky 3 years ago

Or when the NFL stars you watched are now all getting CTE (dementia caused by career collisions).

8points

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#33

When my daughters friend referred to me as "blah blahs dad" instead of my name. I was shook.

susejrotpar , Andrew Neel Report

Final score:

35points

DC 3 years ago

Poor daughter ... Blah Blah isn't that nice of a name ... why did you do this to her?

9points

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#34

Threw my back out on my 30th birthday

QueenOfTheAbyss_ , Kindel Media Report

Final score:

33points

Michelle M 3 years ago

Welcome to the thirties.

5points

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Liucija Adomaite

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Justinas Keturka

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

I'm the Visual Editor at Bored Panda, responsible for ensuring that everything our audience sees is top-notch and well-researched. What I love most about my job? Discovering new things about the world and immersing myself in exceptional photography and art.

What do you think ?

Hannah Edwards 3 years ago

Making that grunty noise when getting up out of a low chair

37points

AnnaBanana 3 years ago

Yep. Getting up from anywhere will elicit many strange noises from me...

3points

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Grady'sRaider 3 years ago

My dad's knees sounded like he was shelling peanuts

2points

Mama Penguin 3 years ago

And when sitting down after being on your feet for a while.

1point

ADHORTATOR 3 years ago

My children hate that :-)

1point

Jos Tiguidou 3 years ago

Dad noises (check out letterkenny for the reference)

0points

J Rob 3 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dCDbHjpuuY

0points

Brendan 3 years ago (edited)

When everything is "too". Too loud, too cold, too late, too far, too old for this s**t.

32points

AnnaBanana 3 years ago

Ha! My favourite saying is "I'm too old for this s**t!"

11points

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Pernille Dyre 3 years ago

When everybody in a store politely is waiting for the (older) Lady to be served.... i'm waiting with them - only to find out that everybody is waiting for me 🙈🤣

27points

Vicky Z 3 years ago

😅😅😅😅that's so funny and cute

6points

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Hannah Edwards 3 years ago

Making that grunty noise when getting up out of a low chair

37points

AnnaBanana 3 years ago

Yep. Getting up from anywhere will elicit many strange noises from me...

3points

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Grady'sRaider 3 years ago

My dad's knees sounded like he was shelling peanuts

2points

Mama Penguin 3 years ago

And when sitting down after being on your feet for a while.

1point

ADHORTATOR 3 years ago

My children hate that :-)

1point

Jos Tiguidou 3 years ago

Dad noises (check out letterkenny for the reference)

0points

J Rob 3 years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dCDbHjpuuY

0points

Brendan 3 years ago (edited)

When everything is "too". Too loud, too cold, too late, too far, too old for this s**t.

32points

AnnaBanana 3 years ago

Ha! My favourite saying is "I'm too old for this s**t!"

11points

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Pernille Dyre 3 years ago

When everybody in a store politely is waiting for the (older) Lady to be served.... i'm waiting with them - only to find out that everybody is waiting for me 🙈🤣

27points

Vicky Z 3 years ago

😅😅😅😅that's so funny and cute

6points

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