A few weeks ago I was struggling to understand a new app, which is something I hadn’t really struggled with before. As I worked through its functions and settings, someone said, “You know what this is? You’re getting old.”
I laughed it off, as any 18-year-old would do, but it stayed in the back of my mind. I couldn’t be getting old, could I? Of course we're always technically getting older, but I was still hip. I was still cool.
The following couple of weeks I found myself mentally disapproving the music on the radio, going to bed earlier than I remembered and testing out a larger font on my phone. I won’t lie, this freaked me out. As ridiculous as it may sound, I started to believe what the person had told me. I was becoming an old woman trapped in the body of a young lady. I was behind on everything going on, I was wasting my youth by living in the past. At this rate I would have five cats and a knitting circle by Christmas.
Eventually, I concluded that I was being crazy, which is something anyone could have told me. I obviously didn’t have the mind of an old woman, but I was beginning the process of “getting old.” Not a good thing or a bad thing, just something that happens when you start to become independent.
Here I’ve compiled a list of the tell tale signs of getting old in hopes of preventing as many irrational crisis as I can. Trust me, you know you're getting there when:
1. You’re way too good at Facebook.
You document all of your accomplishments and family vacations on Facebook, you catch up with your mom's friends via the comment section on Facebook, you share cute animal videos on Facebook… Facebook consumes your life.2. You prefer to listen to your old iPod Nano than what’s new on the radio.
Now, this could be because of a more recent nostalgic obsession many millennials are facing, but also, what the heck are they playing these days? The kids are not only listening to it, but enjoying it, too? Sheesh.
3. Everyone around you is getting married.
Your cousins, friends, coworkers, classmates, it seems that everyone is tying the knot. Oh, and that gives you another thing to do on Facebook: stalk everyone’s wedding photos. Big fun.
4. You have a greater appreciation for the things your parents did for you (because now you have to do them yourself).
See, you actually have to do things now. Summer used to be a free-for-all, but now it’s a question of how many online classes to take before they conflict with your work schedule and/or internship.
5. You’re more interested in the world than you were before.
You can see this one resonate in everyone around you. Suddenly, everyone has a sudden drive to go travel and experience other cultures or simply watch a documentary. You finally realize how much the things you do could have an impact on the world, which is a pretty cool feeling.
