Wednesday, March 12, 2008

What's my age again?

Once again, we are here to speak on the subject of age.

When you go out to eat next, take a look around at the other groups that are there. During dinner it's often a group of friends, a family, or a couple. During the business lunch hour, however, just about everyone is grouped by age. You'll see tables of 20-30-somethings, middle-aged tables, and older tables. Even if it's people from the same office, they're all about the same age.

Except my table.

At my table, everyone is in their late thirties to early sixties.

Except me.

The token person in her early 20s.

It's weird! It doesn't feel weird, because I get along with these people. But it really does look weird. We're the only table at any restaurant we've ever gone to that has that kind of mix. I notice these things. I also decided that people probably think I'm their administrative assistant or something, because of my age. Which isn't true. It's even weirder when I go out with my building (rather than the people in the office I report to which is a building in a different city), because I sit with the older women who are in my same industry, rather than the guys my age that are in the shipping department.

I really do work in an industry that attracts a lot of older people. Most people in academia and libraries are definitely not in their 20s any more. I don't mind, really, as my youth is a very good thing. It just something that is really apparent every time we go out.

I apologize for the more rambling nature of this post, but it's just something I've been thinking about and needed to start formulating some thoughts on.

2 comments:

Heidi said...

Also you sometimes look younger, which doesn't help. Isn't it annoying? I think it's kind of funny, because I can just picture you at that table... :)

chosha said...

I'm kind of the opposite. I consistently hang out with people 10 or more years younger than me. I think it's mostly because I am still single, so as my friends got married and ditched all their single friends, I made new friends who were younger, but in the same life situation. I don't mind that at all, except that it means I tend to hang out with guys that are (or seem) way too young for me.