Old soul in a young body

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I've always been like an oldie, too sensible for my own good. I never was a teenager, never suffered with that teenage angst that you're supposed to get, sulking in your room and being obnoxious. I was a pleasant natured girl-woman, no matter what was going on in my life. At 39, you'd think my actual age would have caught up, but now I feel like I'm in my early 20s, in some ways, and still that old sensible person, in others.

My daughter's the same. She's really sensible and wonders why kids are silly, cheeky or destructive. Yet, she's also a baby in other ways. She says she wants to be a baby until she's 10, then a big girl until she's 20, then a grown-up. She doesn't ever want to be a teenager, as she sees them as the ultimate in stupidity (apologies to teenagers on here, but she doesn't mean you anyway).

I remember feeling like I was 20 going on 70 when I turned 21.

I feel I am ''too old'' to be 22, if that makes sense. I look down upon people that dress up and go out to bars. I admire young people who would rather spend their week-ends doing more benefitial things with their lives.

My special interest is bus-drivers, and most elderly people who get on the bus become more friendly and familiar with the bus-drivers (especially the older ones), and youngsters who get on the bus don't even acknowledge the bus-drivers, maybe some do but only if they know them from somewhere else before or something.

Also I fancy older men. I prefer to date an older man. I feel that boys of my age have higher standards and find me too ''boring'' to date. I seem to get along better with older men. Plus they're easier to flirt with too.

It's a wonder I don't sit and watch Emmerdale Farm every Friday night. But if I had to choose between Emmerdate Farm and s**t like Britain's Got Talent or Strictly Come Dancing, I'll choose Emmerdale Farm anyway. (By the way it's just called Emmerdale now but Emmerdale Farm makes it sound more old-fashioned).

What she doesn't like is people who throw rubbish on the ground, instead of putting it in the bin. I don't know what it's like where you stay, but every lunch time near to high schools around here, you would think everyone in the place had gone out and emptied their bins in the street. We have flocks of seagulls which stay here, awaiting the feast. That's the sort of thing that my daughter sees and does not want to be. Of course, not every teenager does it and some other people do it too, but I have stood at my parents window (they live beside a couple of high schools) and watched crisp packet after chocolate wrapper being tossed to the ground, by many, not just a few. I'm not exaggerating. Scotland is a fairly nice place to stay, but this is one area in which we are lacking. I must add that I've been to other countries and this has not been the case. The other thing she doesn't like is the apparent obsession with looks. Teenage girls here go to school wearing mountains of fake tan and false eyelashes and more make-up on than I'm going to be wearing this weekend, to a Halloween party. Yet again, it's not just a few, but many, probably most.

Its the schools fault, not the kids.
We dont have litter anywhere in New Zealand schools, I never see it


Our gubbermint has just reduced minimum wage for under 19yr olds
They now get paid less than someone slightly older, while doing the same job...

The local issues you mention are in no way authentic to youth, but a cultural imposition conditioned into them, by adults unwilling to address these shortcomings.

Look at Japan with boys day and girls day. Also China pays homage to their youth....

Many NZers say stuff like our youth are useless spoilt brats.
Divisions within our societies are widened by this type of rhetoric
Which is ageism
Like sexism and racism




Fanning the flames of teen hate since
ages ago

How is it the fault of the school? They have no say in what the school kids do when they leave their premises. The littering happens in the morning before school and after they go out, not just at lunchtime. I don't know if there is any punishment in place, but I don't see how the teachers could know who littered and who didn't. And locals are not going to confront them, that's for sure. I know someone has to take responsibility for it, but why can't they take responsibility for it themselves? I certainly did, when I was their age, and my daughter does just now, at just 6yrs. Why do they need to be taught this or punished, when they should already know it's not acceptable. They knew what to do when they were at primary school (no litter around those), then suddenly forgot when they went to high school. But, it is a cultural thing, I agree, I haven't seen it anywhere else. No matter who's to blame, this is what my daughter sees as a representation of teenagerhood. That's why she'd rather not be one.

Well, I can see that this is a very common characteristic. And here I was, thinking that it was just me.

Thanks for the input, everyone! I also like historical towns, and exploring what is called 'Old Town' in coastal towns in Oregon. I love photographs of older buildings, and it's a trait that is rare for people my age, except for my formerly close friend Rachel......but I don't need to go there. Bad emotional topic.

Absolutely agree! For a long time, I've felt older than I was. Starting around 11 years old (when I started growing), people would mistake me for a young teenager because of the way I talked combined with my height. Ever since then, on average, people would guess I was about 4-5 years older than I actually was. When I was in a Freshman in high school, I made friends with a group of Sophomores and Juniors. About four months after we started hanging out, they were shocked to realize I was only a Freshman... They thought I was a Junior that they simply hadn't met! It was funny, but was upsetting my Senior year when my closest friends had already graduated.

I had a boyfriend a few years ago who told me his favorite thing about me was how I could be as carefree as a child or as responsible as an adult, depending on the situation. I definitely think it makes life a lot more fun when you can approach things with a child's curiosity and an adult's knowledge/skills!

Even just this past week I realized that my favorite person at my new college isn't any of my classmates, but one of my professors. He's in his 50's/60's, but when we talk after class we're clearly on the same level. Similarly, my boyfriend is 30 while I'm 23... and we're at about the same place, maturity-wise.

I think of wisdom as being the ability to learn from others' mistakes, without having to make those mistakes, yourself. That requires strong powers of observation, of course, so I don't think that's far off. When an observant 14 year old watches classmates do something stupid and become hurt by it, the observant 14 year old learns a lesson. What I don't understand is why more people are incapable of learning said-lesson. If you watch your neighbor try to skateboard down a stairwell and they break their leg, why is it that other teens (who also watched) STILL want to try it?! Or how about a teen that grew up watching older family members struggle to quit smoking, hearing them cough as though they're about to lose their lungs, dealing with the health problems associated with it, knowing damn well just how addictive cigarettes are even if you only try them a few times... and yet they STILL think it's a good idea to try it! I don't think I will ever, for the life of me, understand this.

Yeah that sounds about right.

i feel like a young inexperienced soul in an old body that's been around the block a few times too many. i'd rather be an old experienced soul in a younger body.

It's very common for autistic people to get along better with older people rather then their own peer groups.

I personally like to fly remote control airplanes and I did volunteer work at a flight museum over the summer and it was all old people...I don't think I have ever got along with people as well as I did there. I also like to spend time at home where everything is peaceful and quiet. I think going out and partying is a waste of money and I just don't get why I would waste money just for the memories of these useless social gatherings. Don't understand parties, bars or concerts...they are too loud and too dark and to chaotic.

I feel young and naive around people my age but I feel old and wise around well old and wise people.

I've been of the "GET OFF MY LAWN!" mentality since I was ... like.... 11.

I'm like the permanent, eternal grumpy old git.... and it has only got worse as my body has started to decay (and yet I'm only 29, as of next week).

i never really got along with people my own age.

What an interesting topic. When I was a teenager and in my early 20s, I felt and looked older, maybe because I was so serious and conscientious compared to my peers. I tried a little bit of alcohol and decided it wasn't for me, I hated drunken, loud parties, I disliked pubs and clubs. My favourite outing with friends was always the cinema. Now I feel and look younger - go figure.

I often got along better with older people and spent a lot of time talking with teachers in primary and high school. Conversely, I got along with some younger people too.

QFT! i don't feel younger, but i know that i don't appear similarly as other people of my age, all of whom have paunches and wrinkles and gray hair. something to be thankful, i suppose.

Once again, I'm glad to see that this posting inspired a lot of discussion. So many people don't understand this about us. Has there ever been a character on television or film who accurately portrayed Asperger's? I think if they did that, there would be more understanding.