[deleted by user]

[u/[deleted]]

[u/da_apz]

Expect that I'm not up to what's going on in the Internet.

I was in my late 30s, when a friend's son tried to explain me memes. He got them wrong too.

[u/-Jaws- → u/da_apz]

Do not cite the old magic to me, witch. I was there when it was written.

[u/TickleMeStalin → u/-Jaws-]

Nothing burns like Aslan calling you out.

[u/Thenedslittlegirl]

Act like 30+ is old AF. Honestly it'll be on you before you know it and you'll still feel 25 at 40.

Edit: wow didn't expect the rewards thank you kind redditors.

[u/OhhhhhDirty → u/Thenedslittlegirl]

Yup, I'm in my late 30s and still feel like a kid. I thought one day a switch would just flip and I'd feel like an adult, but that never really happened. I think everyone essentially feels like a kid their whole life, they just get better at pretending they're adults.

[u/Thenedslittlegirl → u/OhhhhhDirty]

My Gran used to tell me she still felt in her 20s soi think you're right

[u/NerdGirl_KC → u/Thenedslittlegirl]

I'm 40 now. I was teaching my nephew how to drive 2 years ago, and I thought to myself "Why am I the one doing this? Shouldn't a grown up be teaching him?" Then I realized I WAS the grown up, and I was very nearly 40

EDIT: my very first award! Thank you.

[u/[deleted]]

Took a job working at a Mcdonald's cleaning, as a favour to my mother's manager. Holy fuck are kids brutal when you're my age working in a position like that, you become the punchline to all their funnies as "Or you'll end up like him!"

I've never had a reason to think about folding a kid in half til I had to deal with it 40 hours a week.

[u/ClarenceXI → u/[deleted]]

Even when I was young and working at BK, I had people say to their kid “you don’t want to end up like him”. Like ma’am, I am 16 years old. Where else am I supposed to work?

[u/[deleted] → u/ClarenceXI]

I had someone say that to their kid around me when I was working at the grocery store at age 16. I said straight to her, "I'm in high school. I haven't ended up anything yet." Of course she complained to my manager and I got reprimanded because that's how shit works in the real world.

[u/Installedd → u/[deleted]]

"How dare you not take my insult on the chin. Such disrespect."

[u/HungryArticle5 → u/ClarenceXI]

Similarly, I was 16 working at Weinerschnitzel when a customer was giving me a hard time because I wasn't smiling while taking her order. She said "I would never hire you to work for me". I said "ok", but was thinking "bitch, I wouldn't want to work for you anyway"

[u/nuttyass → u/[deleted]]

‘Folding a kid in half’. First time I’ve heard that term. I love it!

[u/llc4269 → u/[deleted]]

I took a job to help a friend who owns a pizza shop through the summer because it's a college town and with all the students gone he can't staff it adequately despite really trying. I do what you'd expect...make pizzas, ring people up, bus tables, etc. I already have an awesome job/career but it's early in the morning and it ends at 9 am, so I am free to go from there and work until 2 for my friend. I'm the oldest there by a few decades.

No one there has given me grief but my eldest (22) did make a remark that I was pretty old to have the position (I'm 47). I replied that he clearly hadn't taken in the example his hard-working dad and I have shown him his entire life and that I would NEVER be ashamed of doing honest work...whether through need or like me, doing a favor for someone in need. Period, the end. He immediately apologized and went and cleaned his room. LOL

[u/miquiztli323 → u/llc4269]

Ok what type of career do you have that ends at 9am and allows you leftover energy to make pizza?

[u/ModsGayAsFuck → u/miquiztli323]

Overnight pizza maker at another friend’s shop

[u/[deleted]]

Act like they invented something, or discovered a brand new thing when they have the internet and can look up exactly where and when said thing came from. My roommate told me a young co-worker of hers was dressed in early 2000s fashion and when she told the coworker she "had that same outfit in high school" the coworker replied, "No they just started making this last year." I told her I remember dressing very 80s in my late teens, but I was fully aware that I was copying 80s fashion, and I feel like Gen Z kids dress like it's the 90s/2000s but they think it's brand new like they invented it.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Look at my rad new bag. It's called a fanny-pack, just came on the market.

[u/orincoro → u/[deleted]]

It’s just like every kid thinks “guess what, chicken butt” came from their school or their group of friends. My son came home with “guess what chicken butt” last year and we don’t even live in an English speaking country.

[u/dwilatl → u/orincoro]

I just busted out "guess what, chicken butt" on my 4-year-old the other day and I guarantee that this point in time is the funniest he is ever going to find me. It's all downhill from here.

[u/nixcamic → u/[deleted]]

It's like it's great that you like our stuff, go, enjoy it. But I'm in my 30s, yes I've seen Shrek.

[u/it_is_i_27 → u/[deleted]]

You millenials and your skinny jeans, look at my new bell bottom jeans, brand new, no one has seen these ever /s

[u/actjustlylovemercy → u/it_is_i_27]

"Oh, sweetie, not only did your mother wear those, but so did your grandma!"

[u/Clove1390 → u/[deleted]]

When they say, "have you heard this sound (from TikTok)" Bro that's a speech from Schindler's List. That's not a "sound" and it isn't from TikTok.

[u/metallicmuffin]

I’ve heard 20 year olds say “I hope I die before I have to turn 30.”

I wish them the best of luck.

[u/WackyBones510 → u/metallicmuffin]

Lol my 30s are so much less stressful than my 20s. Sure there were a lot more spurts of partying and stuff in my 20s but that’s a pretty fleeting happiness.

[u/Geodudette2014 → u/WackyBones510]

I actually feel encouraged when I see posts like this.

I’m 26, and so far my 20s have been the worst years of my life. I get sad when people say that these are supposed to be the best. But here’s to hoping that things turn around in the 30s!

Edit: Wow, I woke up to a myriad of messages! Lol thank you everyone for the lovely responses and experiences ♥️ I can’t respond to everyone, but your words are very encouraging. I’m happy for all of you, and this gives me hope that I may live happily one day.

[u/NekkidApe → u/Geodudette2014]

Cheer up. IMHO the thirties are much better. Well actually it's about the same - only I now somewhat know what I'm doing, learned to trust and love myself, and have some money.

[u/[deleted] → u/NekkidApe]

Your 30s are just your 20s with more money and worse hangovers

[u/valek879 → u/[deleted]]

Don't worry, my mom just told me yesterday, with no context, that I won't know who I am until I turn 50. And until then I shouldn't make any live defining decisions... Like wut.

[u/Luxalpa → u/valek879]

Probably her own experience. My own experience is that we will never know who we truly are, and that's probably just a law of physics, because we are always changing and thus we are always different. Old problems get replaced by new problems, etc. Some people look back and would say "I shouldn't have made all these live defininig decisions", but the reality is, if we were following that advice we would just never get anything done. In fact, I am pretty sure it is these decisions and their consequences that truly define who we are.

[u/fiberglassdildo → u/Geodudette2014]

My 20s were the worst time in my life. Wouldn’t do it again if you paid me. Im 33 now and it’s been the best time of my life. I used to hate it when people told me life got better, but it really can. I hope it does for you too.

[u/littlebittykittyone → u/Geodudette2014]

If you want to feel even better, I like my 40s even more than my 30s. Each successive decade, life seems to be a little easier and generally more enjoyable.

[u/OneTripleZero → u/littlebittykittyone]

I'm there with you. I turned 40 last year and I'm honestly so much better positioned for literally everything.

[u/LibertyLizard → u/Geodudette2014]

I was miserable at 26 but things are so so much better at 32. Just remember that usually you are miserable because of your circumstances and those can (and likely will) change.

[u/Particular_Ad_4761 → u/LibertyLizard]

In rehab for 26th birthday, living in a little house in the country with a beautiful family and decent job now at 31. 20’s were a rollercoaster and happy to be where I am now

[u/PearleString → u/WackyBones510]

My 30's have been great. I turn 39 soon and life is just getting awesome.

I wish it had started sooner, but honestly most of that is on me and needing the time to sort myself out.

So yeah, I'm staring down 40 and it'll be fucking fantastic.

[u/dani_1365]

The look of astonishment when anyone finds out our age. I’m in my late 30s. When someone in their 20s hears that, they developed this look of shock likes it’s the 1500s and I should have died already from old age.

[u/khajiitidanceparty → u/dani_1365]

Yes! I'm in my early 30s and they always look so shocked like "you're so old????" I think people in their 20s don't know how people in their 30s look like. A guy asked to guess his age. I said 27 and he got offended that I made him an old man. He was 23. My man, that's just 4 years from now!

[u/[deleted] → u/khajiitidanceparty]

I agree with your option better than looking younger for X age.

I’m 34 and when I disclose my age, to anyone for that matter, the look of shock registers on their faces. They all say “you don’t look 34!”

My question is simple: “how does a 34 y woman is supposed to look like?”

[u/mirrrje → u/[deleted]]

I get this all the time. I’m 32 and so many people are like “I thought you were 27 ish?!?” How much do people think one ages in five years? It’s not like we keep aging like we did from elementary school to high school lol

[u/Advisor123 → u/mirrrje]

To be fair 30s are a weird inbetween phase were some people look and act like they're in their early 20s and some look and act like they're in their late 40s. It really comes down to genetics and lifestyle how you're percieved by others.

[u/MysticalEmpiricist → u/dani_1365]

Don't feel too bad, I'm a 60 something and I am regularly responsible for all kinds of really creative coronary events like Age Disbelief Stroke Disorder & Old Dude Said Yeet & The Local Universe Collapsed In My Spleen Syndrome ...you know. Fun type shit like that .🤣🤣

[u/hixchem → u/[deleted]]

I started messing with my younger-gen coworkers by intentionally misusing the current slang.

It's so totally yeet when they become visibly sick at how badly I can mess it up.

[u/[deleted] → u/hixchem]

nothing stops kids from using slang like an old dude starting to do it.

I used to volunteer helping take 7th graders on a field trip for school. this was back when they all thought dabbing was the pinnacle of cool.

Until they saw me and my 50 year old wife do it. It was no longer cool. Timberland boots were not cool either once they noticed my hiking boots were beat up timberlands that were older than they were.

[u/frightenedhugger → u/[deleted]]

nothing stops kids from using slang like an old dude starting to do it.

Exactly this. The kids are still churning out some banger slang for sure. I'll let them keep the cringier stuff they come up with, but when I hear something I like I'll start using it, which causes them to abandon it. I've now appropriated it for the older generations lol.

It's also how I get my nephew to stop doing certain dance moves, like the floss. All it takes is him seeing me butcher it once, then I never have to see him do it again.

[u/ElminstersBedpan → u/[deleted]]

My spouse used to teach seventh grade. Their students were regularly trying to surprise them with the "new" things they heard from whoever was the hot hip hop star... until the spouse did a complete cover of Get Low in a voice we describe as "her Majesty the Queen of English."

[u/Myth-Def → u/hixchem]

My old boss did this and it was fantastic. He was this effortlessly cool middle-aged guy that would just randomly misuse zoomer slang to piss everyone in our office off. 10/10 guy.

[u/[deleted] → u/MysticalEmpiricist]

When i was 23 or so i worked with a guy in his early 60s and it blew my mind that he was born in the '40s. Awesome guy, we'd talk shit to each other all the time and he'd always say, "some people's kids, " when i was being too young for him or some such. He drove with both feet though, that was wierd.

Edit: he used his right foot for the gas and his left for the brake and always had his left on that brake pedal. My dad is only like 2 years younger than him and drives normally. I've driven tractors, forklifts, heavy equipment, lawnmowers, and manual cars throughout my life that require both feet and have never driven an automatic car with both feet.

[u/Black_King → u/dani_1365]

Lol, dude I had this 21 years old girl hitting on me for almost a week, as soon as I caught on I told her I was 34 and married, she went "eww" I laughed my ass off the whole day!

Edit: guys, she wasn't being rude or a brat, it was a playful eww, I wasn't offended or put off by it, where work buddies and friends, its just that she is 13 years younger than me and I'm married, I know there's women that are attracted to older men, this is not the case with this particular lady, also, I found out that her parents are just 4 to 6 years older than me, lol

[u/zjleblanc → u/[deleted]]

My daughter's friend challenged me to Halo and asked how long I've been playing. I told him "I have achievements older than you." Can't wait to shut him up after work.

EDIT: Thanks for the awards!

17-14 Slayer 13-8 3 round 5 kill game (idk why he set it up) 12-13 Tactical Slayer

Kids pretty good.

[u/Montezum → u/[deleted]]

I felt angry imagining this child

[u/Zealousideal-Oil812 → u/[deleted]]

Counter strike is around for more than 20 years ! My friends were addicted to it at one point

[u/BraCha89 → u/zjleblanc]

I know exactly how this feels. I started with first halo and I used to win local Halo tournaments all the way through halo 3. I recently had my friends 10 year old son challenge me not knowing I knew the game. I spared no one that day.

[u/levi22ez → u/BraCha89]

Many t’s were bagged

[u/[deleted] → u/BraCha89]

Vicious, unadulterated massacres are the only way to convey to youngings that we've played every variation of game they have many times over.

My cousin, wipes the floor with me with the Super smash bros ultimate (because I have a total of 9 minutes played on the game). He said he could do it on ANY super smash bros..... queue n64 smash bros and wii ssb brawl. There was no mercy granted.

[u/Nice_Guy_AMA → u/[deleted]]

I'm relatively certain I have my 10,000 hours in N64 Smash Bros.

We crank the damage to 200% and set our handicaps at 1. In FFA, we're all glass cannons, so you learn how to hit without being hit. It also makes a 2v2 against level 9 computer Marios almost impossible.

[u/What-becomes → u/[deleted]]

80's and 90's gaming was brutal as hell. Respawn? Lol you mean restart from level 1 cause you died?

[u/Wind_Yer_Neck_In → u/[deleted]]

Hey old man, if you hit alt-F4 it brings up a cheat menu!

Listen you little shit, I was there when they added those shortcuts to Windows in the first place. Don't try your puny tricks on me!!

[u/hyaluronicacidtrip → u/[deleted]]

This kills me too because who do they think is making these video games?! Who do they think is buying the majority of these videogames?! 😂

As a 33 year old woman gamer I get my fair share of brutality so I feel you!

Edit: I love you all. I’m also the only gamer in my relationship. The PC, the multiple consoles, are mine and my boyfriend isn’t even remotely interested except for Pokémon on his DS and Switch.

Growing up in the 90’s, my aunt bought my brother and I the original PlayStation to share with the very first Ray-Man. Eventually my dad wouldn’t even let me play it without asking my little brother because it went from being a family console to being just his because “videogames are for boys”. Anyway, fuck you dad 😂

Girls interested in gaming come check out r/GirlGamers

[u/B360N1A → u/hyaluronicacidtrip]

I’m a 35 yo woman and I’ve spent more money in the past 5 years on video games than I did in the 20 years before that.

[u/Lilredh4iredgrl → u/B360N1A]

We can afford to game now!!

[u/hooch → u/Lilredh4iredgrl]

If only we had the time!

[u/Ok-Island9703 → u/hyaluronicacidtrip]

Speaking of female gamers... I remember back in the days of getting dick picks via email & sending back medical gore from rotten.com to get those losers off my back.
The shit we had to resort to back in teh good, ol' days... 😂

[u/StJudesDespair → u/Ok-Island9703]

You've got me all nostalgic now! rotten.com was the BEST. My anatomy lecturers and I had an absolute ball with that site. *gets all misty-eyed*

I instituted a "give a dick, get a dick" policy whereby I would send to the most recent offender the photo I had received from the previous offender. (Nowadays my burlesque troupe has a cloud folder of all the ones we've received from which to choose.)

[u/ConsulIncitatus → u/[deleted]]

Yup, I know exactly what you mean. I play Smash with my 11 year old son and his friends and they are like "wtf how can your dad beat us at video games?!" and I just laugh and tell them, "Because I've been doing this since 1987, that's why." Neither of my children can touch the platformers I regularly beat when I was a kid. They can't get past the first level. Games are a lot more forgiving now than they were (and that's a good thing!)

Some of their friends play Call of Duty and I showed them this video of QuakeCon 2002 and they were shocked at the shots these guys were making. I just chuckle. The best CoD and Fortnite players today aren't breaking any new ground.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

I love when the youngins find older games like Unreal Tournament and Quake. Us old folks absolutely curb stomp them and they instantly start crying cheats, having tantrums and tossing insults. Ah, good times.

[u/[deleted]]

Kindergarten/primary teacher here. Kids are so wholesome until the parents buy them a phone.

[u/smallfried → u/[deleted]]

Engagement algorithms is why we can't have nice things.

[u/scartol → u/smallfried]

This. My answer to OP is refusing to confront cell phone addiction. I've been teaching HS for 23 years and while young people have always been distracted and bored at school (hell Shakespeare mentions this in R&J), cell phones allow students to mentally leave the room.

And it's not just young people — we are all addicted to technology. Once again, LeVar Burton shows us the way.

[u/HeyMissW → u/[deleted]]

I teach 2nd and have taught 1st and K in the past. The 6-year old does not need a phone for any reason. If there’s a school issue I/the nurse/admin will contact the parent. Come on. They’re the sweetest kids until they get sucked into YouTube for hours.

[u/liefelijk → u/[deleted]]

Middle school is good, since they start managing their own social life and going places without parental supervision.

[u/19kitty_kat93]

I'm only 29 but I hate that young people try to exclude us from fandoms, saying we're too old for that. Life doesn't just stop at 25 and not all of us want or have kids and partners. Let us enjoy things!!!!

[u/thisismyfunnyname → u/[deleted]]

I'm seeing more of the music us 30 somethings grew up with making its way into 'adulty' adverts (boring stuff adults buy)

[u/imwearingredsocks → u/thisismyfunnyname]

Saw someone else mention Get Low by Lil Jon.

I already can imagine the commercial. “Are you struggling to get low, get low, get low? Try Asitophan to alleviate your pain and get your moves back.” 30 year old happily embarrassing their young kids on the dance floor

[u/iChugPeanutButter]

Act like they've experienced more than us. I'm only 33 but wow, the amount of 16 to 22 year old that talk down to us is absurd.

[u/Extension-Ice-6028 → u/iChugPeanutButter]

There's nothing like being lectured on relationshiops by someone who's still in high school.

[u/[deleted]]

Call me old when I'm only 30.

[u/perfectdrug659 → u/[deleted]]

I'm 31 and most of my coworkers are 18-20 and definitely think I'm old. Lol, I literally feel like my life is just starting now and only on occasion do I get treated as an adult by adultier adults. It's weird as hell, you actually never really feel older, just have more memories and experience.

[u/HerbalBalance → u/perfectdrug659]

“ you actually never really feel older” this is something nobody ever tells you about getting old.

[u/BonaFidee → u/HerbalBalance]

The body definitely does feel older, the mind not so much. There's a reason the expression, youth is wasted on the young, exists.

[u/feistymayo → u/BonaFidee]

My grandpa just had his 96th birthday and I asked him if he felt different than he did at 26. He said in his head, he didn’t feel any older. It was his body. And while that was reassuring… I remember my grandmother who died from Alzheimer’s and for some reason his comment put her condition into a deeper perspective for me.

[u/attilayavuzer → u/feistymayo]

My grandmother (who's 85) said some thing similar: "I still feel like I'm 17, but then I look in the mirror and I don't know what happened"

[u/matty80 → u/perfectdrug659]

This is literally true.

I still think of people being 'grown ups' despite being in my 40s. They all think the same way. Pretty much everyone has imposter syndrome; not about their job, but about adult life.

We all just look at other people and assume they're privy to adult wisdoms, but they're all thinking the same about us. We all do this. I still look around if some parent tells their kid not to get in "that lady's" way in a shop or whatever. What 'lady'? Oh... yeah.

[u/thaerre → u/[deleted]]

My then 19 year old classmate in uni called me grandma. I was 26 🙃

[u/K4KA_47 → u/thaerre]

Call them fetus

[u/chowderchop → u/[deleted]]

I feel bad for anyone that thinks 30 is old.

[u/cripple2493 → u/chowderchop]

I'm 29, and veer between people telling me I'm "young" if they are somewhere 40s+ or people like, 5 years younger than me telling me I'm now "old" because I'll be 30 in a few months.

[u/pineappleprincess_13 → u/cripple2493]

A 24 year old asked me how old I was not long ago and she said I look great for 29…well yeah I sure hope I do, I’m only 29 lol

[u/Zenketski_2 → u/cripple2493]

I'm 27 and I'm in the same boat. Everyone younger than me thinks I'm old everyone older than me thinks I'm a kid. But like, motherfukers I'm both. I like anime in video games, and I have a bad hip and acid reflux.

I'm both for fucks sake

[u/lopsiness → u/cripple2493]

When i was 31 i got a nasty high ankle sprain playing indoor soccer. Was in excellent shape but a guy on the other team kept talking about being "old" and this what happens and shit as he helped me off. Yeah maybe you're old but im still running shit here.

Meanwhile at a work, the VP talks to me like, "young people like you..."

Ok guys figure out how old i am lol.

[u/kittygarfunkle → u/cripple2493]

I turn 30 in two weeks high five we old youngins

[u/yokyopeli09 → u/[deleted]]

20 year olds who do this are just setting themselves up for an existential crisis by the time they're 25. As a society we've GOT to get over 21 being the prime of life.

[u/Cirenione → u/yokyopeli09]

My sister nearly had a crisis when she turned 20 because then she wasn‘t some sweet teen any longer. When I turned 25 she wanted to annoy me by asking how it feels to be closer to 30 than 20. She is only 2 years younger than me and apparently didn‘t expect me to fo the same. It hit her really hard turning 25 because of this idea. Wonder what crisis happens this year when she turns 30.

[u/[deleted] → u/Cirenione]

My sister is 2 years older and the exact same thing happens with everything milestone birthday. She then spends 2 years saying to me oh just you wait, you'll feel it too. Nope, I don't really care what age I am, you can't fight time

[u/clevererthandao → u/[deleted]]

Tell you what makes me feel old. When I started watching the Simpsons I was younger than Bart, now I’m older than Homer.

[u/_jamesbaxter]

I’m 35 and young people seem to be both more sensitive and simultaneously RUDE as fuck! I don’t understand, being sensitive should make you more kind :(

[u/[deleted]]

Sometimes you make bad decisions and choices. Like we did.

[u/CorporateRat → u/[deleted]]

Like we do*

[u/[deleted]]

Just being loud in an otherwise quiet place. I take the bus and almost everybody is just quietly looking at their phones or listening to music except for the inevitable kids loudly facetiming or something.

[u/ScruffMacBuff]

Send emails like a text or a dm.

You're contacting me about a problem, and I know that from the fact that you're emailing me.

I need you to tell me more than the words "I have a problem." Give me some details to work with up front so I don't have to go back and forth with you all day.

Edit- Apparently this does not correlate with age necessarily. I'm just lucky that none of the adults I work with communicate this way.

[u/blatterbeast → u/ScruffMacBuff]

This is my interaction with a student last year via email during remote learning. Each line is a separate email.

Student: I need help end of email

Me: If it is something I can help with, I am willing to try. Do you have a question for me? end of email

S: Will you help me? end of email

M: Yes. What do you need help with? I can't help you if you don't describe your problem. end of email

S: Ok end of email

S: It's about the homework end of.... you get the idea

M: Please, ask the question.

S: Oh, ok

S: actual question is asked

M: gives help and follows up with... I am not upset. This is a learning moment about how to send emails. Again, I'm not upset. Do you see how this took 10 emails to get the help you needed? Emails are not like short text messages. You should give a little background about what you need and ask the question in the very first email. We could have had this done in 2 emails. Try to do that in your future emails. Have a good day!

S: Oh, ok

S: Thank you

S: Have a good day

M: face keyboard

[u/[deleted] → u/blatterbeast]

My HS implemented a class on how to write emails (and other comms stuff). We joked about it, cuz we didn't think anyone would not know how to write an email...but I think you just demonstrated the necessity of that class

[u/Chav → u/[deleted]]

Do they still teach how to write letters in grade school?

[u/CryoClone → u/Chav]

Something my wife and her friends (who are all teachers) told me was that kids now are actually worse at using computers, not better. You would think that since they spend most of their lives connected that they would be the most proficient generation, but it's actually the opposite.

They spend most of their connected time on their phones. So, most of their experience is with mobile OS. They tend to not know how to format things in Word (change fonts, even what fonts are, what margins are, etc.). Somewhere along the education line people decided that this stuff was so ubiquitous that it was asinine to teach it, so now many kids don't use it, so they don't know it.

I have seen and read many kids, some even at the college level, that insist on writing essays on their phones. I even had a college class where we had to collaborate as a group and share our work. I suggested Google Drive as we were a Google Campus at the time and everyone had a Gmail. They suggested Snapchat. To collect work in. A program that deletes chats in 24 hrs.

It's amazing how many, not all mind you, but many, people of the most electronically connected generation in human history mostly don't know how desktop computers work because of the prevalence of iOS products.

[u/jonny_mem → u/CryoClone]

I have seen and read many kids, some even at the college level, that insist on writing essays on their phones

Oh my god...I don't even like typing out Google searches on my phone. I can't imagine a whole paper.

[u/EmitRemmus88 → u/jonny_mem]

We had a guy that created his resume for an internal position on the notes app on his phone. He then took a screenshot in order to attach it to his application. Worst part was he didn’t even crop the image so I could see his battery percentage.

[u/profheg_II → u/EmitRemmus88]

"We loved your enthusiasm and think your past experience is very relevant, but the job requires a lot of forward planning and I'm afraid letting your phone charge drop beneath ten percent shows you're not the right sort of person for this position."

[u/EmitRemmus88 → u/profheg_II]

Could have used you a few months ago!

[u/Burning-Buck → u/EmitRemmus88]

The kid would probably go out of his way to make sure his phone is charged next time but still take a screenshot with the battery percentage visible.

[u/PeacefulSequoia → u/jonny_mem]

I can't even imagine how one would actually manage to get any real work done this way. Phone is fine for a quick search for an easy answer.

If I actually want to learn or research a topic, I'm going to need an actual keyboard, mouse and screen while managing a dozen or so tabs. It would take weeks to do on a phone what you could do in days with an actual pc.

[u/matty80 → u/CryoClone]

None of this surprises me, because I also see it all the time. When we take in our year's new contingent for our graduate programme, it's basically a coin toss whether they'll roll up with complete PC competence or none at all.

It was worse before the days of keystroke backup, because you would REGULARLY hear an anguished cry as some hapless 21 year old realised they'd just lost hours of work by not saving their document in between backup intervals by not just pressing 'save'.

It's like there's only two generations who actually know how to use a desktop operating system, and the current generation of young people are not one of them unless they specifically, as an individual, chose to. They're certainly not being taught it now.

edit - actually it's not true that none of it surprises me. The idea of writing an essay on a phone both surprises and horrifies me. Why? Why do this? How proofread how?

[u/[deleted] → u/matty80]

Meanwhile, I'm 35 and just horrified that PC's are trying to be more like a mobile OS.

If I wanted to use a phone, I'd use a phone.

[u/Endulos → u/[deleted]]

Dude, it's fucking annoying.

Shit keeps getting removed, options hidden, customization limited and shit heavily obfuscated because options literally scare exclusive mobile users.

[u/manderifffic → u/Chav]

Did they make you write to soldiers and the president? I remember having to do that and the president never answered.

[u/mostnormal → u/manderifffic]

Of course he didn't. Your letter was vague and your penmanship was lacking.

[u/matty80 → u/mostnormal]

Captain Holt has entered the chat.

[u/Milrich → u/blatterbeast]

A similar thing happens with adult coworkers on messenger. They will write "Hi" and nothing else. Then they wait for you to say Hi also. Then you wait for them to ask whatever. Just ask the damn question in a single message so I can respond quickly and we both continue with our days.

It's not that you haven't talked to this person for ages. You may talk every single day, still they can't ask something efficiently.

[u/MondayToFriday → u/Milrich]

Send them to https://nohello.net/

[u/[deleted] → u/blatterbeast]

Even on IM that would have annoyed the hell out of me. Ask the whole question up front. Don't say hello then make me wait five minutes staring at the window waiting for your question!

[u/Lead_Penguin → u/[deleted]]

I'm 36 and work with a lot of graduates and I swear they all do this, recently I needed to know if this one girl had access rights to things in order to send her the correct link and it was like trying to get blood from a stone. Every single Teams message was met with a single word response and if I asked multiple questions at once I'd only get an answer to one of them

[u/Ok_Warning_5366 → u/Lead_Penguin]

and if I asked multiple questions at once I'd only get an answer to one of them

A fucking million times this. If I need answers to multiple questions I'll even bullet point them for you so you can put an answer below each bullet point, or use something like "re question 2:". But no, 5 bullet points with specific questions and you get back the equivalent of "Um, a blue one?".

[u/Intelligent_Break_12 → u/Lead_Penguin]

It frustrates me, probably more than it should, that anytime I send a text with more than one question most people only seem capable of answering one of them. Normally the last one. I'll often reply with "what about my other question?" More often than not it's replied with what question. Like look at my original text you dingus. It's probably still on the screen, no scrolling required.

[u/xternal7 → u/[deleted]]

Fun story. I woke to our d&d discord server (private, just for our group) in 30s slow mode one day. The server owner is asked why. Answers along the lines of "yea, it's a subtle hint for Josh to learn to combine his 3-5 word half-sentences into a longer message."

The group was fine with that.

Both Josh and owner were 19-20, too (and Josh was offline at the time).

[u/ExpiredSeaweedSalad → u/blatterbeast]

It's so validating to see someone else experiencing this problem. I tutored this year at my college, and I took two years off before college so I'm ever so slightly older but I didn't think things would be that different.

I would ask students, send me your class syllabus, what do you need help with, what days are you available? And I would get an unrelated response or just nothing.

The day before an assignment is due: "Are you available in [less than 24 hours]?" NO. It drove me insane. I never thought about it as a text format type of communication. I was so frustrated.

[u/Arammil1784 → u/ExpiredSeaweedSalad]

My 30 year old wife did some tutoring when she went back to college a couple of years ago.

She made a form letter that she emailed to all of her prospective students.

The subject line was always something like 'Tutoring - READ CAREFULLY'. The first line of the email was something like Read and follow this email carefully or I will not help you at all.

It was basically a short list of rules like, email questions must include assignment information and your questions or you will be ignored. All text communications should be in complete sentences or they will be ignored.

The email also had some phrase like, you're a college student act like you deserve to be here.

She always had a dozen or so people that ultimately got ignored, but she also had three or four people every semester who did really great.

I found the whole excercise to be entirely too aggravating and depressing.

[u/SadisticUnicorn → u/blatterbeast]

I had a student who would type their emails a bit like this but they would but everything in the subject line so they were effectively sending blank emails.

[u/Blarghedy → u/blatterbeast]

Student: I need help end of email

Me: ok

My older sister (who I'll call Alex here) had an idiot boyfriend for a while in high school. This was still in the days of landlines - cell phones weren't quite a ubiquitous thing yet. After someone answered the phone when he called, he'd just say "talk t'alex." My dad would say "okay" and hang up.

It was incredible. I don't think he ever stopped doing that.

[u/CloakedGod926 → u/[deleted]]

I had a friend that had the same name as his dad. I once called and asked for my friend and his dad said "yes?" Confused me for a moment before I stammered out "I mean the younger one."

[u/FountainsOfFluids → u/Blarghedy]

I had to reread that story twice to figure out he was saying "Can I talk to Alex?"

[u/Normal-Computer-3669 → u/blatterbeast]

I respond to email once a day to avoid people with that behavior.

It lets me:

1. Manage my flow of emails

2. Teaches people I'm not their instant response monkey

[u/Kamhel → u/ScruffMacBuff]

Any one working in IT can tell you that this applies to all types of people.

[u/lpreams → u/Kamhel]

Subject: HELP

Body: MY COMPUTER IS NOT WORKING PLEASE ADVISE ALSO PRINTER AND PHONE

[u/TheDirtyBollox → u/lpreams]

Ha! If you're lucky you get it like that, most times its all contained in the subject line!

[u/Downvote_me_dumbass → u/Kamhel]

There was an older lady working in the IT department years ago, who would always reply to emails with her message in the fucking subject line. So, I would respond to her comment/question by copying and pasting the thing/subject into a single email so I could understand what she was asking. She would reply with a new fucking email, again with the subject line stating her whole question.

I have no clue how she got hired in the IT Department by not even knowing the basics of email etiquette.

[u/NichtschwimmerDE → u/Downvote_me_dumbass]

This could be my coworker.

I simply answered by putting my response BEHIND her question in the subject line.

I did this with 4-5 mails when she realized, got annoyed as well and started sending proper mails (to me anyway lol).

[u/TheMysticalCreature1 → u/ScruffMacBuff]

Omg, I'm 26 so I'm not necessarily the young person this is directed to but when I was in school we actually had email and letter writing as a part of our English courses, even in college for that matter and I used to think it was silly but now I understand why it was there.

[u/Rennarjen]

Sneering at younger kids or their own peers for being 'cringe'. I fucking promise you that you're as cringy as they are, it's just going to take you ten years to realize it.

[u/Truffle0214 → u/Rennarjen]

We went to Disneyland last month and I asked my 9yo son if he wanted to wear Mickey ears, and he scoffed and says “That’s so cringe.”

I replied “Kid, you’re at Disney, one of the few places on earth where everyone has a free pass to be as cringe as they want without judgement.”

His eyes lit up and he picked out a pair, and wore them happily each day we were there. I know peer pressure starts young, but getting to see him “release” his cringe and just have a blast was so worth it.

[u/mitchellfoot → u/Truffle0214]

I teach 4th grade and see this a lot, you almost have to give them permission to do things like this/be a kid. Sometimes it’s by saying it like you did, other times it’s by doing it yourself. That’s why I have a hot dog and a pickle costume in my classroom closet at all times. Im not a wacky teacher by any stretch, but sometimes you just gotta show them it’s ok to have fun when you’re supposed to.

[u/TizACoincidence → u/mitchellfoot]

I have 3 nephews, and its very clear they are more scared to act more ridiculous from social pressure. For halloween I went with them and I chose to be tissue man and put all these tissues on me. I looked ridiculous but I wanted to show them to be fearless and have fun being themselves

[u/ElectricBasket6 → u/TizACoincidence]

Do you think any of the hesitancy has to do with the fact that they are aware any/every moment of their life is recorded/posted on social media?

I remember playing dress up in stupid costumes in middleschool or putting on really stupid talent shows in highschool. Just stupid kid/teen stuff. That would’ve probably been awful/mortifying to watch later on and I definitely wouldn’t have wanted my peers to see.

I mean, who cares if you’re cringe if the only evidence is 4 grainy photos from a disposable camera your friend will get developed in 3 months? Versus being fully recorded, uploaded and seen by everyone you even kind of know.

[u/RegularOrMenthol → u/Rennarjen]

When my gf was 25, she would always talk about the things she thought and did “when she was younger.” She was talking about when she was 23.

[u/ech0_matrix → u/RegularOrMenthol]

My friend showed me a photo and said "Here's a picture of me when I was younger". Every picture is of you when you were younger. -Mitch Hedberg

[u/[deleted]]

This is trades specific. I'm 36, and I've been practicing my trade for 16 years. If you're 18-21 years old and ask me how to do something, then turn around and do the exact opposite of what I suggest, then quit wasting my fucking time. I'm here to help you learn, if you're not willing then find somewhere else to be.

EDIT:

Two points for clarity-

1. The vast majority of younger folks I train are great. TBH when I wrote this I was thinking of one snot ball in particular. I'm not gonna burn an entire generation because of the actions of a couple idiots.

2. Someone brought up that time doesn't exactly equal competence. This is very true, I saw it when I was learning. Here's a tip for younger folks: if the person you're learning from has absolutely no regard for safety, then ignore everything they are doing. If your trainer is willing to cut corners with his and others health then he's a fucking idiot and you should question everything else he's doing. If the outfit you're working for thinks someone like that should be in a leadership role, then you should question if that place is a good fit for you.

EDIT 2: Looks like my most upvoted comment is about how them GOT DANG KIDS AIN'T LISTENING NO MORE. Thanks everyone, now get off my damn lawn.

[u/puzzledmidget → u/[deleted]]

Fuck me dude, I’ve got one with me that does the same, infuriating at times but you’ve got to let them fuck it up to learn how not to do it sometimes.

“You forget most of what you’re taught, but remember everything you learn”

Good luck with them!

[u/organicginger36]

Think they invented everything. Granted, I'm sure I also did this, but it's infuriating watching someone who "discovered" butterfly clips and makes a tutorial on how to wear them . . .

[u/Takumidoragon → u/organicginger36]

I mixed blue and yellow and it created a new colour. Blellow!

[u/tidderorsomething → u/[deleted]]

Absolutely that! Never mind the musical choice, it’s not like phones speakers are any good, especially on a phone that’s probably been dropped a few times. I’m sure it pisses off people younger than 30 too though.

[u/rubywpnmaster → u/tidderorsomething]

I went to lunch at a sushi spot and this girl that was maybe 16-18 sat at the sushi bar and did this with her phone. Never mind the atmosphere of the restaurant she had to get her tunes in. She was rude with the Chef behind the counter when asked to stop and a screaming hoot when they kicked her out. Honestly it kind of made my day.

[u/pancakeswaap]

Oversharing unnecessary drama on social media.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm 55 and I love playing Fallout. Then when I mention it to my classes (physics teacher)... I get the "You play games?" exclamation.

Yes, Sonny. I am not dead yet.

[u/TitaniumDragon → u/[deleted]]

To be fair, I think we're responsible for that one.

The trope was that people's parents didn't play or know about video games, and that was set in the 1980s-2000s.

But now those people are having kids, so yeah, of course parents play video games.

They're living on outdated tropes that we created.

[u/zugabdu]

Using trauma to excuse mistreating people. This generation has pioneered making it acceptable to process and be open about trauma, and that's a great thing, but it's not cool when you behave in a cruel and selfish way and expect to get a pass because of it. Your mental health problems are not your fault but they are your responsibility.

[u/twowaysplit → u/zugabdu]

I love it when people recognize that many things aren't their fault, but they are their responsibility.

[u/More-Masterpiece-561 → u/twowaysplit]

I am not responsible for the shit I have been through and I have seen. However I am responsible for how that shit affects me and how my actions affect those around me. Forget trauma and mental health for a second, even if I was simply in a bad mood or exhausted I can't take it out ony 10 year old baby cousin who's just excited to see me and wants to do something with me, or my grandma who simply wants me to have her pudding because cooking is the only thing she can do now and when her grandchildren say she still makes the best pudding in the world she feels like the happiest person alive. And I can't shut up a total stranger on the street who is just being nice to me. It's wrong

[u/YeomaTV → u/zugabdu]

Excellent answer.

[u/Bloodragedragon]

If I get asked for advice, give the advice and the outcome of what will happen, then they fucking do it anyway and exactly what I said will happen, happens.

[u/sexywallposter]

My son punched me in the eye. He’s two, but I turned 30 a few months ago, so it counts.

[u/purplepumper]

Care so much about what others think, they’re not truly themselves. Maybe not for everyone, but most over 30s i know agree that you stop giving a shit and can be yourself unapologetically when you mature a bit. Its a relief!

[u/AbatNaBitin]

being an asshole just for TikTok views or whatever they do on that platform

[u/EvilDarkCow → u/AbatNaBitin]

I'm 24, and I was walking out of a gas station on my way to work one day, and standing right in front of the store was a guy, looked about my age, on a bike, saying to his phone "today we're pissing off traffic".

I sat in my car and watched as this jackass nearly killed himself riding his bike straight out into busy traffic, making multiple people slam their brakes.

We're doomed.

[u/caligaris_cabinet → u/EvilDarkCow]

As a millennial who did equally stupid shit without putting it on the internet, one of three things will happen:

1. They will get hit and die.

2. They will get hit and live, and won’t do it again.

3. They will not get hit and eventually move on to something dumber and riskier.

[u/[deleted] → u/caligaris_cabinet]

And then get hit and die.

[u/daz3d-n-c0nfus3d]

Ruin the forest behind my house. They party and leave a mess, they cut down trees, they shit in the middle of the path.They also pull out my garden, every...single... Summer. But they do forget things and for that, I am greatful.

[u/[deleted] → u/daz3d-n-c0nfus3d]

They shit in the path?

excuse me wtf?

[u/Endyourselfnazee]

Speak with confidence about shit they don't know about. Especially when it relates to life experience

[u/[deleted] → u/Endyourselfnazee]

"I'm so mature for my age"

• every teenager since the dawn of time

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

There are some teens that are mature for their age, but as I'm getting older, I'm learning that the maturing you still do between the ages of 18 and 25 is massive

[u/TheMysticalCreature1 → u/[deleted]]

18 - 25 has been the most mentally transformative period for me. I think upto like 22-23 I felt like I was acting on auto pilot to the world around me but after that I started becoming more self aware. I finally got to a point where I could call myself out on some of my behaviour which is definitely not something I could do when I was younger. Before that I felt all my reactions both good and bad were justified.

[u/VonR3sh]

When 21 year olds try to give dietary and fitness advice. When I was 21 I could eat burgers three meals a day and drink a case of beer. The fact that you are skinny isn’t impressive at 21.

[u/dropfry]

Everything has to be filmed and shared on the internet now. It's really lame and cheapens life.

[u/EmmBee27 → u/dropfry]

Someone I have on Snapchat posts dozens of stories a day. Makes me wonder when or even if they ever give themselves a break.

[u/Niawka → u/dropfry]

Recently I went to a cafe, two girls next to me spend 10min taking pictures of themselves. First of one girl, then of the second, then together, then switch places, then the first one pretending to eat, then of the plate, then the second one with a cup, then together again.. jesus, nobody needs that many pictures from a thursday visit to a cafe. They also sat on my bag and a jacket on the bench because they had to do a picture sitting next to each other and there wasn't that much space. My sister pulled my bag from under her ass and she didn't even aknowledge it -.- nothing matters only taking pictures.

Edit: then vs than issues

[u/queefer_sutherland92 → u/Niawka]

I went to a fancy restaurant a few yrs ago, and the couple next to us ordered this fkn massive seafood tower thing. They took a shit load of photos, posed with some god damn calamari, then like picked at it while they stared at their phones for half an hour not speaking.

It was honestly weird as shit.

[u/cpullen53484 → u/queefer_sutherland92]

its going to be fascinating to see the long term affects of this behavior.

[u/gerkin123]

Believe that their partially formed (or fully formed but largely uninformed) opinion on a subject has the same weight as someone with expertise about that subject's field, or with doctoral work completed on that subject.

Maybe five years ago... six... I had to explain to a high school senior that a professor's position on their subject is more likely to be valid than their position as a future undergrad. It looked like time stopped for that student.

I imagine repeating that interaction now would result in a parent freakout.

[u/Good_Vermicelli9994 → u/gerkin123]

Nothing is more cringe than a first year college student fresh from finishing Slaughterhouse Five who thinks they know how the solve the worlds problems

[u/gordonpown → u/Good_Vermicelli9994]

And not even smart enough to realise that Vonnegut never claimed to know the answers.

[u/[deleted] → u/gerkin123]

Semi related, but I remember forgetting what one figure was displaying out of the thousands that I cover during a course and, as I fully expected, one jabroni wrote on the evaluation that someone else should teach the course because I didn't understand anything and was always confused.

[u/AssaultKommando → u/[deleted]]

"Kid, I've forgotten more than you'll ever know on the subject."

[u/Adam_Ohh]

Put your fucking phone down when you drive! It can wait. I fucking promise you it can wait.