23 Signs You’ve Gotten Old
You’re cruising through life, relishing your youthful freedom, until something unexpected jolts you into reality, making you realize you’re not as young as you once were. These moments often feel cruel, but you’re not alone.
Once we reach a certain age, we’ve all faced the harsh epiphany that we’re not so young anymore.
1: Not the Target
When you suddenly realize you don’t understand an advertisement for something young and hip, it becomes clear you’ve aged out of the target demographic. Unfortunately, you may now realize you can relate to advertisements for other things, like laundry detergent and reading glasses.
2: The Endless Scroll
Services that require you to scroll to find your birth year can be especially insulting to anyone over 35. The seemingly infinite scroll can definitely make you realize you’ve grown old.
3: Grocery Store Jams
They used to play your songs on the radio’s hit station, at the bar, and at the club. Now, you’re dancing in the produce aisle.
4: Comfort Over Style
The moment you look at a young person and think they must be freezing with that short of a skirt, you’ve reached a new level of aging. Now, dressing for the weather is more important than fashion.
5: Just Need Sleep
As a youth, many things seem more exciting than sleep. Maybe you stayed out dancing, drinking, or spent the night getting frisky with a partner. As you get older, sleep becomes the priority.
6: It’s Coming Back
Fashion has a way of returning. Seeing the clothes you wore as a tween or teen back on the racks is a sure sign you’ve grown significantly older. That said, your old style might not be as old as you think since the fashion cycle is getting shorter.
7: Looks of Concern
There’s an unspoken rule that if you fall and everyone laughs, you’re still young. If you fall and everyone around you looks concerned, you’ve grown old.
8: Tying Shoes
When you realize tying your shoes is a difficult task, you’ve probably aged more than you want to admit. Another sign of getting old? You seek out shoes without laces to avoid the issue altogether.
9: Beds Matter
As a kid, you could sleep on an air mattress, a couch, the floor, or just about anywhere else without a problem. Once you hit a certain age, though, the wrong mattress is bound to leave you sore and grumbling the rest of the day.
10: Misunderstood
When you mention something you assume everyone knows, but instead, you’re met with confused looks, it’s a clear indicator that you’re getting older. You might think George Foreman grills, Nirvana songs, and VHS tapes are still relevant, but the younger generation will quickly remind you they know nothing about any of it.
11: Lack of Big Memories
As a young adult, every year is filled with memorable moments because each year often contains the first time you did something. As you get older, though, routines begin to set in and you might find you don’t have any major memories that differentiate 2024 from 2023.
12: Say What?
Nothing will make you feel old like hearing the lingo of the next generation. “No cap, this burger is bussin’,” a young coworker might say. Suddenly, you feel like an old-timer.
13: Holiday Hard Times
When you’re young, the holiday season often means no school, no responsibilities, lots of presents, and endless feasting. You tend to realize you’re old when you’re the one paying the bills, wrapping the gifts, and preparing the food.
14: Your Kids Outpace You
For a while, keeping up with your kids was easy. Challenge a toddler or an elementary kid to a footrace, and you’ll probably win. However, the day your child can beat you in an athletic competition is the day you might feel like an old person.
15: It All Falls Down
Something about the size and scope of big buildings makes them seem eternal. At least, as a child, you’re fairly sure they’ll outlive you. But then, one day, you see them tearing down the department store you shopped at as a kid, and you realize you’re not so young anymore.
16: Store Closures
Certain stores and brands seem like a piece of society. If they close, you might feel older than you saw yourself.
Stores like Toys “R” Us, Mervyn’s, and Gimbel’s used to be American staples. Now, if you remember shopping at them, you’ll be met with perplexed looks from younger folks.
17: Glasses For Every Occasion
When you have to switch between car glasses and reading glasses to read a restaurant menu, you’re bound to feel old. According to the National Institute of Aging, you might also lose your ability to distinguish blue from black as you age, which will make getting dressed oh-so-exciting.
18: A Pain Pill for Every NeedÂ
When you realize your car’s glove box, purse, or gym bag has become a small drug store, you’re probably older than you want to admit. Tylenol, pain medication, tissues, and skin-firming cream aren’t things young people typically carry.
19: Appliances Spark Joy
Young adults don’t find excitement in vacuums, washing machines, and furnaces. The moment you realize purchasing these things makes you happy, you might feel ancient.
20: Senior Discounts
Receiving a discount is great. That is, unless you get a senior discount without asking. Nothing will make you feel older than when the movie ticket seller assumes you’re over 65.
21: High School Reunions
The invitation to your ten-year high school reunion is sort of fun. But when you get one for your twenty, thirty, or forty-year reunion, you start to feel very, very old.
22: The Last Century
“Hey mom, what was it like in the 1900s?” your child asks one day. And that’s the moment you suddenly feel like a museum piece.
23: Explaining Newspapers
Having to explain things that were commonplace when you were a kid or young adult, like newspapers, cassette tapes, or even DVDs, will absolutely make you realize you’ve gotten older.
The Aging Myth
There’s a reason they say older people have wisdom. But wisdom isn’t the only positive thing that comes with age.
Neuroscientists believe the human brain remains plastic throughout one’s lifespan. What does that mean for us as we get older? Physical and cognitive training can improve our chances of staying sharp so we can continue sharing all our wisdom.
14 Things Americans Realize as They Get Older
Some people fear aging, but at least one good thing often comes with it: The wisdom not to do things that sound like a good idea but aren’t. These are some of the valuable lessons many Americans have learned once they have several decades under their belts.
14 Things Americans Realize as They Get Older
15 Things From the ’50s and ’60s That’ll Make You Nostalgic
People who lived through the ’50s and ’60s will (mostly) appreciate remembering these forgotten things from the era that deserves a shoutout.
