Life is (hopefully) a long journey, filled with joys and sorrows, victories and defeats. So often we look back on some former stage of life, or look forward to a new one, but how often do we take honest stock of where we are?
That kind of introspection took place on a grand scale when user _red_roof_ took to r/AskReddit to pose the question:
People chimed in from all across the age spectrum. Many didn’t mention their actual age, but some did, allowing us to construct a timeline of sorts.
Here, according to the people of Reddit, is exactly what sucks about these 10 stages of life, in chronological order.
1. Early Teens
I’m 13 turning 14 in June.
I hate people telling me i’m to old for things like Easter egg hunts, playing with dolls, or i’m too big to love on my parents.
Like i don’t think i asked for your f*cking opinion.
– IEatKidsForLunch
2. Late Teens
I’m not sure if this happens with all people my age, but I’m 18 and people (specifically my parents and close family members but not limited to them) will use the “you’re 18, you’re legally an adult you need to be doing these things on your own” whenever it will work in their favor then immediately go back to “you’re still just a teenager/you’re still my kid” whenever I try to be even the slightest bit independent.
– Marsey12
3. Mid 20’s
Worst part is that your mid 20’s feels like where you make it or break it.
Some of my old friends are absolutely killing it making 6 figure salaries, have houses, nice cars, pets all that.
While here I am scr*ping by feeling like a complete failure because I took way longer to take life seriously and get through school.
Now I am way behind in the corporate ladder and feeling like I really screwed up somewhere.
– shmehh123
4. Late 20’s
I’m 29.
5 couples from my friends circle are expecting a child or recently got married, a few others have built a solid foundation in their career and are buying houses (most of us grew up in apartment buildings, so it feels fancy to own a house at 30 where I’m from).
Meanwhile I’m currently a student and broke.
It feels like everyone’s so far ahead in life that they’ll always be a step further and I’ll never catch up.
– MedbGuldb
5. Early 30’s
The early 30s is that weird age where you’re just old enough to be out of touch with what’s cool, but not yet old enough to be fully progressed in your career to be sitting on enough stacks to not care about that.
Getting there at least.
– slowhand88
6. Early 40’s
Being 40 and still looking younger than I am but always reading on Reddit and various other places how women have no value at my age.
– SpaceJetta
7. Late 40’s
49 year old here.
The menopausal hot flushes etc are not a problem but putting 4 stone in weight on in 8 months is f*cking awful
– whistleboxfart
8. Late 50’s
Nearly sixty.
I forget things all the time. Easy to remember old things, hard to remember new things.
I once loft my card in an atm twice in one month. all my passwords have to be written down somewhere, as do the birthdays of my lids.
I constantly get fatter, even though I don;t eat any more.
I haven’t had regular sleep patterns for 20 years.
Every day I’m a little more tired.
– TheDevilsAdvokaat
9. Late 60’s
Being retired, the two things that really suck are:
Watching good friends pass away yearly.
Having to push through the aches and pains of old age to do the things you enjoy.
But I realize that I’m luckier than many of my friends who have had hip, knee or shoulder replacements or open heart surgery.
– intransit47
10. Early 70’s
At 73 I am reminded daily… by my body… that I’m not 25 years old anymore.
– genehil
Pretty insightful and interesting, if a little bleak. Someone should hop on this subreddit and ask the opposite: what’s GREAT about being your age? I’d very much like to read through those answers as well.
What’s great/sucks about being your age?
Let us know in the comments.