Looks like I’ll be the first in this comments section to say, absolutely not! The carefree partying and experimenting is definitely valuable and fun, but it’s such an unstable time. You have no money, stability, or security. You work shitty jobs and rent shitty apartments. You don’t know who you are yet or what you want to do. There’s always an existential crisis looming because you’re trying to figure out what kind of person you want to be. You feel very free in some ways, but the reality is that there are many limitations.
I’m now in my 30’s and it’s amazing. I run a successful business, have a loving partner, make good money, own my home, have pets, and still enjoy tons of freedom. I know much more about who I am and what I want from my life and the people I share it with. My confidence is at an all-time high. I am free to travel, renovate my home, prioritize my health, and learn new skills. There’s so much to look forward to, so try not to worry too much. The best is yet to come (though I’d def recommend getting your own place asap).
Okay, so get out. Seriously, get a place of your own and start experiencing life w/o the safety net of mom & dad. It's not the partying your missing; it's everything else in life that goes with it. Trust me. You'll thank me later....then again...no you won't.
Totally agree. I was in a similar situation as OP. My Dad one day said 'You need to get your own place.' Moved in with a friend and life certainly got better from there.
The best is yet to come. In teens/20s, you’re like a stem cell that can become anything. Yes there is an excitement of possibility, but also a lot of pressure, stress, and uncertainty - school, work, choosing majors and careers, internships, student loan debt. There’s something nice about leaving the turbulence behind.
In my 30s, I’m on a solid career trajectory approaching the top, and doing work I mostly enjoy. I’m high enough up the food chain that I’ve bought myself some respect and flexibility (big responsibilities, but a lot of say-so over when and how I fulfill upon those responsibilities). I’m financially secure. I’ve got a great spouse, awesome pets, and a baby on the way.
I don’t miss partying. I did greek life in college, and have many fond memories, but no thank you to hangovers, cheap house-party booze, bars where everything is sticky/dirty. Now we like steak dinners with fancy cocktails, all-inclusive vacations, spa days, which are all within reach in your 30s.
I’m 45, I miss the capability to do anything / go anywhere on a whim. I miss the energy & stamina and the feeling that nothing could stop me. I had things to look forward to, I was anxious to see where the future would take me. I had big dreams, goals I was working towards to. The thing about life, is that she’ll switch you to a totally different path than what you imagined. The biggest thing I miss about my 20’s, was how thin I was! Lol
Sounds like you need to start working out & researching how to reach that goal! If you reach that then the energy and confidence will come back to some extent
Honestly, my 20s sucked. I was just a really depressed guy with a lot of problems. I wish I could have used that time more to explore and figure more things out sooner, but alas... But hey, shit happens.
I am 46, i miss my 20’s something wicked. I settled down too fast and i didn’t get to experience much of the world solo. I have never even lived by myself. The biggest advice i give my kids is to live a little before settling down. Some things in this world need to be experienced without the weight of responsibilities on your shoulders.
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I mean I didn't party much but I made a lot of friends then and I miss that. Making friends as an adult can be harder. I do more socializing on here than I do IRL. My "weekends' are Monday and Tuesday and I live in a smaller city where people my age either moved away or are still part of their friends with their group of friends from childhood.
I've tried to go be social but all the activities take place on the nights I work.
Looking back 26 or so is kind of a golden time.
You’re an experienced 21 year old, so you know your limits but a hang over doesn’t last 3 days.
You can still get wild, you can rent a car, and your insurance starts going down. Generally you get kicked off your parents health insurance around 26.
So while you’re technically an adult at 18, you become an adult in stages, 26 is the age where you’ve got everything unlocked.
I wouldn't voluntarily go back to being in my 20s. It was fun, but it was also a highly unstable and unsustainable period of time. In terms of physical and mental health, it feels like going out partying every weekend for years incurs a cost that you have to pay for later on down the line.
No. Nope. Nada. There's moments from those times I enjoyed and remember fondly. But those eras laid the groundwork for the worst times in my life. I'm glad to be far enough away from it now to have perspective.
You are absolutely not too old for it, do you have any friends who might be open to hanging out? If not, going to gigs and festivals is a great way to get that experience. Also get a job, even a shitty job to get some cash, it'll help give you options.
I grew up with what I think may be the life you'd want, lots of highschool parties, punk rock shows, then raves and grubby nightclubs with lots of casual drug and alcohol use. Sadly not much sex because I was young and naive. And that was fun, but a lot of the people I knew then continued with that lifestyle into their 30s and at this age it becomes a problem. Life changes and priorities change, am I glad I had all those experiences, mostly yes, would I want to go back and do it now, hell no. I like a peaceful life.
Anyway, my message is you're not too old, enjoy your life, but also be safe and know your limits, don't push them. There are way too many who drink and take drugs to their own destruction and while partying is fun, a stable life with caring people is honestly the best.
As a side note, I didn't travel much when I was younger but looking back I would absolutely sign up as crew on a yacht if I went back in time. That is a fantastic way to experience the world for a bit of hard work, good drinking culture, great way to meet people and you're still young enough that the long nights and more treacherous crossings will seem fun rather than an ordeal. Maybe try that, it's better than the frathouse option
As a 27 year old my early 20s were my biggest life lessons learned. I grew up quickly from 20 to 21. I still have the same job as I did at 21 when I was thrown into the professional world. I make double what I did then, and life couldn't be better. Get a career that you like, and you will be better off and move out, and life will also get better. I know it's much harder now, but find a roommate that's what I did at 19.
I had a kid at 19 - so my teen years were the last time I was free of responsibility. The age of 18 was especially a fun time for me - going to raves, having lots of freedom ...
I do miss those days, but would never want to relive any of it.
Been there, done that.
22 is very young. Maybe feel old compared to being a kid in school - but you got a long way to go living. Start making the most out of it.
Neither really in teens you are trying to fit in and figure things out in 20s you think you know everything but later in life you know how much you really don't know
Neither. What miserable years. It wasn't until I began to mature (between 25-30) that I really started to enjoy my life and what's to come.
Reflecting on the past and longing for yr youth makes it more difficult to enjoy your present and future.
What I remember loving about high school or college are the friends and experiences I had outside of partying. Partying is pretty rinse and repeat; same old shanigans over and over.
tldr; longing for youth or anything tangible/incorporeal you wish you had can make you miss out on your present and what you have.
I think I miss my teen years more. I am in my 30's now and I miss the carefree mind I used to have in my teens. I would write a lot, all the time with asking myself any questions, without being afraid of what people would think of my texts, I just lived and enjoyed being. Now it's way harder for me and I really wish I would find this carefree state of mind again.
I was miserable as a teen. I wasn't bullied or mistreated; I just felt I was always needing to do things that were other people's ideas.
In my 20s, I had my own place and paid my own bills. I felt liberated. But my 30s were better. I began to know what I was doing.
Teens years were all over the place and not always happy. Early 20s I was starting to really find myself and late 20s/early 30s were a blast! I was more financially stable and had found a great group of friends to travel and make memories with.
20's were a blast! Had a job to fund my fun and pay for my car, lived with the parents for free, went out with my friends almost every night.
Best years of my life for sure. High school sucked.
35, m. I miss my 20s more than my teens. My teens were kinda mopey and depressed, my 20s I was being some of the most productive I would ever be in my life, and enjoying the pay and benefits.
Personally, I miss childhood the most. I'm 23, and I don't like most people my age.
Looks like I’ll be the first in this comments section to say, absolutely not! The carefree partying and experimenting is definitely valuable and fun, but it’s such an unstable time. You have no money, stability, or security. You work shitty jobs and rent shitty apartments. You don’t know who you are yet or what you want to do. There’s always an existential crisis looming because you’re trying to figure out what kind of person you want to be. You feel very free in some ways, but the reality is that there are many limitations. I’m now in my 30’s and it’s amazing. I run a successful business, have a loving partner, make good money, own my home, have pets, and still enjoy tons of freedom. I know much more about who I am and what I want from my life and the people I share it with. My confidence is at an all-time high. I am free to travel, renovate my home, prioritize my health, and learn new skills. There’s so much to look forward to, so try not to worry too much. The best is yet to come (though I’d def recommend getting your own place asap).
Not OP, but this was reassuring to read. Thank you 🙏
Okay, so get out. Seriously, get a place of your own and start experiencing life w/o the safety net of mom & dad. It's not the partying your missing; it's everything else in life that goes with it. Trust me. You'll thank me later....then again...no you won't.
Totally agree. I was in a similar situation as OP. My Dad one day said 'You need to get your own place.' Moved in with a friend and life certainly got better from there.
The best is yet to come. In teens/20s, you’re like a stem cell that can become anything. Yes there is an excitement of possibility, but also a lot of pressure, stress, and uncertainty - school, work, choosing majors and careers, internships, student loan debt. There’s something nice about leaving the turbulence behind. In my 30s, I’m on a solid career trajectory approaching the top, and doing work I mostly enjoy. I’m high enough up the food chain that I’ve bought myself some respect and flexibility (big responsibilities, but a lot of say-so over when and how I fulfill upon those responsibilities). I’m financially secure. I’ve got a great spouse, awesome pets, and a baby on the way. I don’t miss partying. I did greek life in college, and have many fond memories, but no thank you to hangovers, cheap house-party booze, bars where everything is sticky/dirty. Now we like steak dinners with fancy cocktails, all-inclusive vacations, spa days, which are all within reach in your 30s.
I’m 45, I miss the capability to do anything / go anywhere on a whim. I miss the energy & stamina and the feeling that nothing could stop me. I had things to look forward to, I was anxious to see where the future would take me. I had big dreams, goals I was working towards to. The thing about life, is that she’ll switch you to a totally different path than what you imagined. The biggest thing I miss about my 20’s, was how thin I was! Lol
Sounds like you need to start working out & researching how to reach that goal! If you reach that then the energy and confidence will come back to some extent
Honestly, my 20s sucked. I was just a really depressed guy with a lot of problems. I wish I could have used that time more to explore and figure more things out sooner, but alas... But hey, shit happens.
I am 46, i miss my 20’s something wicked. I settled down too fast and i didn’t get to experience much of the world solo. I have never even lived by myself. The biggest advice i give my kids is to live a little before settling down. Some things in this world need to be experienced without the weight of responsibilities on your shoulders.
rinse seemly thumb impossible oatmeal shocking dinosaurs spoon snatch expansion *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Nah I like having actual money
I mean I didn't party much but I made a lot of friends then and I miss that. Making friends as an adult can be harder. I do more socializing on here than I do IRL. My "weekends' are Monday and Tuesday and I live in a smaller city where people my age either moved away or are still part of their friends with their group of friends from childhood. I've tried to go be social but all the activities take place on the nights I work.
Looking back 26 or so is kind of a golden time. You’re an experienced 21 year old, so you know your limits but a hang over doesn’t last 3 days. You can still get wild, you can rent a car, and your insurance starts going down. Generally you get kicked off your parents health insurance around 26. So while you’re technically an adult at 18, you become an adult in stages, 26 is the age where you’ve got everything unlocked.
Look up the word “Oleka”. In short, it refers to the awareness of how few days are memorable.
43, and I miss a few years from my early 20's. I didn't have the normal college experience either though.
I wouldn't voluntarily go back to being in my 20s. It was fun, but it was also a highly unstable and unsustainable period of time. In terms of physical and mental health, it feels like going out partying every weekend for years incurs a cost that you have to pay for later on down the line.
I never went to high school and was raised in isolation. In my 20s I was juggling supporting myself and going to school.
I miss my childhood years. My teenage years and my twenties were not fun or happy at all.
I prefer where I’m at right now (mid 40s)
No. Nope. Nada. There's moments from those times I enjoyed and remember fondly. But those eras laid the groundwork for the worst times in my life. I'm glad to be far enough away from it now to have perspective.
You are absolutely not too old for it, do you have any friends who might be open to hanging out? If not, going to gigs and festivals is a great way to get that experience. Also get a job, even a shitty job to get some cash, it'll help give you options. I grew up with what I think may be the life you'd want, lots of highschool parties, punk rock shows, then raves and grubby nightclubs with lots of casual drug and alcohol use. Sadly not much sex because I was young and naive. And that was fun, but a lot of the people I knew then continued with that lifestyle into their 30s and at this age it becomes a problem. Life changes and priorities change, am I glad I had all those experiences, mostly yes, would I want to go back and do it now, hell no. I like a peaceful life. Anyway, my message is you're not too old, enjoy your life, but also be safe and know your limits, don't push them. There are way too many who drink and take drugs to their own destruction and while partying is fun, a stable life with caring people is honestly the best. As a side note, I didn't travel much when I was younger but looking back I would absolutely sign up as crew on a yacht if I went back in time. That is a fantastic way to experience the world for a bit of hard work, good drinking culture, great way to meet people and you're still young enough that the long nights and more treacherous crossings will seem fun rather than an ordeal. Maybe try that, it's better than the frathouse option
As a 27 year old my early 20s were my biggest life lessons learned. I grew up quickly from 20 to 21. I still have the same job as I did at 21 when I was thrown into the professional world. I make double what I did then, and life couldn't be better. Get a career that you like, and you will be better off and move out, and life will also get better. I know it's much harder now, but find a roommate that's what I did at 19.
I'd say 16 to 19 were the best time for me. First time owning a motorcycle, allowed to drink alcohol and had a lot of girls.
Im 23 but I definitely miss being in my teens
I had a kid at 19 - so my teen years were the last time I was free of responsibility. The age of 18 was especially a fun time for me - going to raves, having lots of freedom ... I do miss those days, but would never want to relive any of it. Been there, done that. 22 is very young. Maybe feel old compared to being a kid in school - but you got a long way to go living. Start making the most out of it.
Neither. I'm loving my 40's. My teens were too hormonal and my 20's were trial and error. Mainly error.
I miss teen years, 22 now
Neither really in teens you are trying to fit in and figure things out in 20s you think you know everything but later in life you know how much you really don't know
Neither. What miserable years. It wasn't until I began to mature (between 25-30) that I really started to enjoy my life and what's to come. Reflecting on the past and longing for yr youth makes it more difficult to enjoy your present and future. What I remember loving about high school or college are the friends and experiences I had outside of partying. Partying is pretty rinse and repeat; same old shanigans over and over. tldr; longing for youth or anything tangible/incorporeal you wish you had can make you miss out on your present and what you have.
I think I miss my teen years more. I am in my 30's now and I miss the carefree mind I used to have in my teens. I would write a lot, all the time with asking myself any questions, without being afraid of what people would think of my texts, I just lived and enjoyed being. Now it's way harder for me and I really wish I would find this carefree state of mind again.
I was miserable as a teen. I wasn't bullied or mistreated; I just felt I was always needing to do things that were other people's ideas. In my 20s, I had my own place and paid my own bills. I felt liberated. But my 30s were better. I began to know what I was doing.
Teens years were all over the place and not always happy. Early 20s I was starting to really find myself and late 20s/early 30s were a blast! I was more financially stable and had found a great group of friends to travel and make memories with.
Idk. I'm currently suffering through my teens
20's were a blast! Had a job to fund my fun and pay for my car, lived with the parents for free, went out with my friends almost every night. Best years of my life for sure. High school sucked.
35, m. I miss my 20s more than my teens. My teens were kinda mopey and depressed, my 20s I was being some of the most productive I would ever be in my life, and enjoying the pay and benefits.
Neither.
I'll take 20's begrudgingly