30 People Shared Exact Moments When They Realized They Were Actually No Longer Young

People shared precise moments when they understood they were grown-ups.

Filip

• Published in Funny
• April 8, 2022

"Time flies". An extremely common expression in our everyday communication with other people.

Even if you miss one day to mention this phrase, you'll likely hear someone else say it in a market, store, on the street, et cetera. It's a pretty "usual thing" to say.

But, do we actually think of the meaning of it? Whether we take it seriously or it has become an ordinary phrase that we unconsciously utter?

The second most used term is "life is short". Well, yes, we are all aware.

But, when you are in your 20s, you don't think of it. And why would you when life has just started to be interesting and funny?

And we came to an interesting matter: What time is the right time to realize that time flies and life is short? Probably, there is no right time, you get up one morning, and you just know it.

It's like reality hit you in the face while you were sleeping, even if you didn't ask for it or think of it. It is an actual phenomenon.

There is an unknown line between carefree childhood and responsible adulthood. If someone has ever set a boundary where a kid becomes a grown-up person, surely it would be much easier for us.

This way, we have to discover it ourselves when we become ready. The Reddit user called for some explanations with his inquiry, "When did you realize that you are official 'not young' anymore?" and triggered an avalanche of responses.

People were thrilled to share their revealing moments, and we gathered some of the bests.

Painful question?

1. The moment he started seeing women differently than he used to.

"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 sunscreens because she's vulnerable to skin cancer."

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

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

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

5. When health started to matter.

"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."

6. When enough sleep became a necessity.

"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 1 am 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."

7. Loud music began to bother him.

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

8. "When I started getting excited for 9pm bedtime."

9. Teaching neighborhood kids about right and wrong.

"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 to 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."

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!!"

11. "I’m scared of teenagers now"

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."

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

14. "When i stopped healing as fast as i used to."

15. "When the check knee light came on"

16. When cleaning the house brought her joy.

"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."

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

18. When someone calls you 'sir'.

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

19. Buying seats for the concert.

"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?"."

20. "It hits you when you’re 36"

"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."

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

22. When a coworker accidentally points it out.

"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."

23. Started to worry about things he used to like.

"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."

24. Simple... many reasons.

" '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."

25. "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."

26. "One day my back decided to leave a memo"

27. When the word 'danger' took on meaning.

"It was when I went to casually step off a 4-foot drop. I had one foot off 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."

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

29. Adult tequila.

"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'."

30. When mirror reflection tells you.

"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."

It's not a long path between being a child and becoming an adult. When you look back on your past, you easily can realize that everything has passed fastly.

Life is like a marathon. So, enjoy every moment, even if you are an adult person, and take care of the child in you.

Filip