Anyone else miss being 18-25?

[Rolaskatox]

I live in Manchester city centre and just on my way home, young people out in their hoardes to the clubs. I was out pretty much every weekend at that age.
I'm only in my 30s but most of my friends are married and/or have kids, meeting for a coffee needs to be arranged about 3 weeks in advance.
That age has its downsides for sure. I now have more money, I've got more life experience, I've learned a lot, and I'm happy in my looks.
There's just something about having it all to come, going to uni etc.

I must say at 53, that hasn't been my experience at all. Most of the people in my life are in the 20s/30s, socially and professionally, and generally age isn't relevant. When it does come up, bands I saw, things I experienced that for them have a legendary quality, generally they treat me as the height of cool, which makes me feel a bit of a novelty and special!😊
I try very hard to avoid othering myself by saying I'm too old for this or that or adopting a maternal role, but generally I just think I'm very fortunate and realise I might be a lot less 'age positive' if I experienced this sort of thing.

My son is 18, at Uni and having a wonderful time. Yep I’m jealous!

Not so much 18_25.
25 to 40 was awesome.
45 to know (57) is fabulous
I had a few bumpy years but co.e back happier, still with Dh, and an I testing life.
18 to 25 was a bit aimless getting pissed and not much purpose for me.

Not even slightly.

I must say at 53, that hasn't been my experience at all. Most of the people in my life are in the 20s/30s, socially and professionally, and generally age isn't relevant. When it does come up, bands I saw, things I experienced that for them have a legendary quality, generally they treat me as the height of cool
Absolutely this.
I think it helps if you stay genuinely interested in current culture rather than being stuck in the 80s.

I went to uni and did it all, met my husband whilst I was there, started my career, then had my first child at 29, second at 31. It's nice to reminisce but I like my life now. I don't want to go back if that makes sense.

I lived with my now besties but I can't imagine being in a shared house which is somewhat dirty etc. I love the house we bought, I made it my home.

Did anyone watch Everything I know about Love? I found that a really poignant series as I came of age in the same era. It's not actually remotely the life I lived at that age, but still found it really poignant! And I knew lots of women who did.

No definitely not, I don’t think I really started enjoying my life until I was late 20s. It was all very much a struggle up to that point.

I'd love to go back knowing what I know now. Actually being that age and so unworldly was dreadful. I think of all the dangerous situations I put myself in 😳

I miss being young so yes.
I still get told I look 19-24 even though I am 37 but it's embarrassing and just means I look like a kid still, nothing complimentary about it.
The thought of turning 40 makes me feel incredibly anxious.
I was insecure when I was young but I still am now so nothing positive has happened with age.

God no. I don't miss dressing up in tiny dresses and freezing my behind off one bit 😂 not to mention the countless hangovers!

I don't drink anymore or go out out I don't miss it one bit.

No but I like seeing dc get to that age - they’re happy etc and opportunities open up

It was fun having that open feeling back then but now is great

God no. Being young and fresh-faced doesn't mean anything when you're not happy enough to make the most of it. I didn't really come into my own til after university. 24-34 was probably the sweet spot of having fun while gradually working out who I was and what I wanted out of life, then doing it.

But I don't even miss those years too much because while the amount of wild parties has gone down, there's still one every so often to scratch that itch, plus so many more ways of having fun now. More importantly the older I get the more confident and settled in myself, and the less anxious, I feel. In terms of mental and physical health I've never been better than in my late 30s so it'd be odd to miss my early 20s just for the sake of a more youthful face.

It was fun at the time but I wouldn’t go back, no.

I'm 27 but those things don't appeal to me.
I miss when I was up to 24 and I'd stay in my room all day playing fifa on the PlayStation.
Well more nostalgia I think.
But now I love being a dad and watching my son having fun.

No not all. I was raising babies, getting started in my career and was completely skint. Life seemed very hard between 18-25. I'm 39 now and have loved my thirties. Very apprehensive about turning 40 but good to see lots of good comments here from here.

I drop my 20 year old off at clubs, warehouses, the airport etc and feel very happy waving her off to enjoy her twenties but have no longing to repeat it!!

18-25 was good, and I have great memories, but i was never into clubbing or big nights out. It was more about studying, then saving as much as possible - for a deposit, then a wedding.

25-30-odd was all about amazing holidays, hobbies, eating out, etc. It would be great to live that again for a week.

However, I suspect that when I am old, the time I would choose to re-live is now - with primary age children, still massively excited for family things like Xmas and holidays.

No. I enjoyed it at the time.
My sixth form years were 1989-1991 (16-18y( were great fun, meeting lots of new friends some of which I still see today. Plus started dating my now dh.

18y-22y were me University years (1991-1996) were also fun. Lots of partying and clubbing, new friends, living away from home for first time.

After university, aged 22y, it was getting our first home and starting to settle down (1996-1998). Moved in with now dh, first proper jobs, got engaged, bought our first house and then got married in 1998, aged 25y. Was a lovely time. Initially some clubbing and nights out but this quickly reduced - work commitments, less disposable income, etc. and our priorities changed to having a nice house, meals and quiet drinks out with friends, holidays, etc,

But no matter how much I enjoyed those times then, I wouldn't go back. Less independence, less money, less security, and all that.
I'm now almost 50y and have a really nice life with dd and a 20y daughter. We are enjoying life as it is now.

Mixed. I struggled a lot with depression & anxiety and lost my mum at 22 so while I did have a lot of fun, they were very painful years too. I had my eldest child at 25 and don't feel I missed out.

God, no 🤣

Yep. All the time. I'm grateful for the experiences and knowledge that come with age, but I miss the days when I had bugger all responsibility and the energy to do whatever I wanted.

No, it was an awful time! By 26 life was better though.

I think it’s your friends OP, not the age

Yes. And particularly when I'm out on a Saturday morning and I see young people out and about and meeting up. It reminds me of when me and all of my many friends were living in flatshares all over London and we would arrange to "go round" to someone's house and just sit about, then out to the park or a pub, then the whole day would stretch on into the evening and maybe some of us would crash at the other house, get up in the morning, "brush teeth" with a finger and do it all again. We had jobs and a little bit of money and no responsibilities and London was our oyster. I have huge pangs about that.

HELL no!
Been there, done that, moved on!