To think being young was just amazing

[Icouldsmellspringabitthismorning]

I’m not old, but I’m 45 and currently watching Totp and thinking about being a kid and a teen, even up to 30’s really, it was so much easier? So much to look forward to and I never really worried/had any worries.
My childhood wasn’t perfect and my Dd has a much more magical one filled with more love…but..I wish youth could last forever 😔

I don't think I enjoyed most of my 20s. I don't have many fond memories and just feel regret at things I didn't do and shame about things I did do. I met Dh at 29 and my 30s were a whirlwind of projects and babies and lots of laughter. My 40s are physically and mentally challenging but in general I'm happy.

I honestly don’t get the ‘youth is wasted on the young’ thing. I didn’t waste my youth, I made the absolute most of it and loved (almost) every minute of it. I bloody loved being young and I’m just bewildered as to how I’m suddenly approaching 50!

I was thinking recently if I was in my 20s I bet I’d be right into “be kind” and gender ideology even if I didn’t personally feel comfortable as I would be too worried what people thought, whereas now I couldn’t give a stuff.

Unironically highlighting another age old quote of as you get older you turn more conservative.

Wisdom and experience aren’t as important as pain-free spine and knees, unfortunately.

YANBU!

It's a worldwide phenomenon that has existed for centuries, your anecdotal of loving 'almost' every minute of it probably why you don't get it.

It isn't a slur, It is a digital acknowledgment of what has happened for centuries and what this corner of the internet has become. It isn't that deep.

I recently turned 50 and just felt completely MEH about it. I just feel a bit dead inside these days. I used to be such fun!

I wish I could go back to being 20 for a year so I could get all the piercings and tattoos like my daughters have got.
Be able to get clothes as easy as they do now with all the online shops we never had.
Also go clubbing a few times.
And get a few qualifications so I can get a job now Its getting nearer to going back to work after being a SAHM for 20 years.

I would like to have the mindset I have now (late 40s) when I was in my 20s. I look back at pics and regret wasting so much time never liking myself, thinking I was fat and ugly. Never daring to even look at a bloke I liked-he’d never like me. I obsessed over wanting to be “pretty”.
Now I’m probably objectively less “pretty” but I feel much more attractive and that nothing can stop me or get me down and I realise how attractive confidence is.

I miss feeling really excited about things. Anything can happen feeling. I wish I had realised how quickly being young zooms by. 0 - 20 years is such a small part of life. Then, when you have kids, that all zooms by and in a blur.

And yet, large amounts of my time, I spent wishing I wasn't in double maths. 😫🤷🏻‍♀️😀

I didn't waste my youth either, I squeezed every last drop out of it.

But I did spend far too much of it basically limiting myself in order to please various men. Curbing my opinions, overthinking what I looked like, toning my personality down in various ways and pretending to be less intelligent. Failing to take up interesting opportunities which would have taken me away from a pointless man. I actually turned down the opportunity travel abroad for a year because I had a boyfriend in the UK. No prizes for guessing which would have been the more worthwhile goal.

One of the glorious things about being in your 50s and being past reproductive age is that it no longer matters what men think of you and you don't have to endlessly curtail your activities and opinions in order not to upset them. It's so liberating. The sad thing is reflecting on how much better my life would have been if there were no men in it whatsoever. But you can't change the past.

If youth is wasted on the young

maybe wisdom is wasted on the older

as they are too old to just the wisdom as well as a younger person could !!

so either way you’re screwed

Every time we drive past college I feel the same way OP. I see them all and I sort of feel a little sad / envious.

I don't think I'm missing my younger age. I'm missing the era itself.

There’s one particular period of my life that I get really nostalgic about, my early-mid 20s when I lived with my first ever cat in my first ever flat, only had myself to please (I did have a great relationship but it was a LDR at that time so best of both worlds in many ways); had a fantastic group of friends; not wealthy but with enough money to eat out cheaply / go to the theatre / buy books and music as I wanted, and none of the health issues or general life worries I have now. And the music! 90s indies..Blur, Oasis, Pulp, Suede, Sleeper, Stone Roses, Elastica, Echobelly…it was just the best!

I know it wasn’t perfect and I don’t have regrets about where I am now - and that great relationship lasted and we’ve been married over 20 years now - but looking back it felt so carefree, and now I’m a lot more careworn.

I miss my body when everything didn't hurt and could bounce back from everything and could function on minimal sleep.

I don't miss the abuse,the fucked up relationships, how fucked up I was ,low self esteem, anxiety,panic attacks,depression, chaotic and toxic behaviours/coping mechanisms which in turn made me more vulnerable to further abuse and on and on it went.

My body might be falling apart now, but mentally I'm in a much better place now . I definitely feel much safer now.

I miss the potential of what was to come - essentially the year or two before my children were born. I was happily married / had some disposable income / free weekends to do a city break or just lie in and go for brunch at 11. But we would sit and dream of what was to come (without the exact realities of it!). I didn’t realise I was on top of the world - I wish I had been able to fully appreciate it. Hoping my time will come again once children are a bit older etc!

I wouldn’t go back, too much angst. And I think it’s even worse now for younger people.

I did the exact same !! I'm 41

I prefer being older (I am 40 now). I am much more confident in who I am and what I want from life - I have greater autonomy, more financial security and a much better understanding of how the world works (and how to best make it work for my family). Yes, I would probably prefer all of this in my 20 year old body, but it doesn't work like that unfortunately.

Oh I loved being young and I’m so sad that I’ll never be young again.

Weirdly, in my dreams almost every night I’m young and lovely again. I love the dreams but they do make me sad when I wake up.

I know I’m really lucky with my lot…I’m healthy, in decent shape, got amazing kids but if only I could go back to being 25 for just a week or two! It was just so much fun and I was so bloody gorgeous and everything seemed exciting and there was sooooo much to look forward to.

I’m with you op.

Yeah as others have said, I don’t want to go back to being young in today’s world, it’s that specific time period in my life I miss, not being that age per se.

I don’t think I am more conservative. I just don’t believe human beings can change sex and I’m not going to pretend they can in the name of “kindness”. I’m still a big old socialist

When did “humans can’t change sex” become a uniquely conservative mindset?

Completely disagree. Yes I have some health issues I didn't have in my twenties (I'm 38) BUT I now have more financial freedom and less worry about debt, due to having my children in my early twenties they are now getting older and life is more chilled and I get more sleep, having had my children early I am now skipping through promotions at a majorly increased rate, I finally realised that I can be single and happy and no longer care about what others think as much, I don't let men dictate my entire being. I suppose it's all relevant but for me I am loving my late 30's and only think my 40's will be better!

I also completely disagree.

I had a comfortable upbringing, but insecurity, FOMO and competitiveness were such a big feature of those times for me and everyone I knew, and I wouldn't want to revisit it again.

I had DCs in my late 30s and I really think life improved for me immeasurably since then - I found unexpected rewards in not putting myself first all the time.

I'm a very contented early-50s now.

I had a baby when I was 18. No carefree youth for me! I wouldn't change it though.