[Annabear]

I posed myself this question on the train ride home today. Whats my scary age? What do you hope to have achieved or acquired at/by this age?

I remember when I was still in high school, probably around 16-17yrs old, I remember having this idea in my head, as me and my friends talked about it, that I would want to have a boyfriend for at least 1-2yrs when im 24 and have a 2yr engagement then be married by 26.

Im not even close to this, as my 27th birthday is just looming around the corner, less than 2 months to be exact. And I had just ended a 7 month long engagement to a guy who I was with only 6 months before we got engaged.

By scary age, I mean the age where you hope to have most or at least one of the goals you've set yourself, i.e, a family, a house, a career or anything "grown up", i guess it i call it scary cos I will panic if i have none of those by that age.

I hope to have my own house, or be married, or have a child (even through adoption, or any other means where a man doesnt have to be involved if it came down to it), by the time im 36. I figure if I dont have at least one of those by that age, its when i'll panic.

I guess there are those goals that no matter how hard you pro-actively work at it, you just have no say in it, like love/relationship. While materialistic things you can easily achieve more, like I know I can achieve the buying my own place thing by the time im 36 cos I can easily save up for that. Maybe "easily" isnt the right word, but you get my drift, its something you can definitely do if you really work towards it.

Just curious to know if some of you out there had all these ideals when you were younger and how close are you to that?

[coreancc]

Mine was 30. When I was 16, it seemed utterly impossible to accomplish (I was pretty messed up, then)... I basically gave up on my dreams for a while. But it happened... come to think of it. Your question really hit me, actually - I never thought about it quite that way before - but I now have the things I dreamed of as a 16 year old. Crap, I hope I didn't just jinx it by realizing that.
Amazingly wonderful wife, two absolutely indescribable daughters, a good job doing what I love, a home... heck, even a dog.
It's 3 years later now, and I can see that time is flying by. I just turned 33... sigh... <watches leaves fall off tree outside window>
Now I have a new set of dreams... something involving my whole family. We'll see how that goes.

[7thprincess]

I'm still young, so I am still dreaming big. But hopefully by/before 30 everything is good. I'm not sure what good is, yet, but I'll know.

[watcher]

from what i wanted back in college, i'm almost exactly where i wanted to be. nowadays though, i see so many options that i don't mind which situation im in. as long as i have my health, my smarts and energy to do something... i feel everything will be just peachy.

[tinasarangg]

My scary age is 22.
At this point I should be graduated and working for my DMD.
But...I dunno--that's only two years away and I dunno.

[chinkboye22]

21 is my scary age, 24 is my panic age which means i have 3 years left..

[je_amourx]

25 is my 'panic' age and 30 is the *dun dun dun* scary age. It's the other way around. At 25, I hope to at least accomplish 'somethings' and 30 is the age where I 'should' accomplish all if not most of the things I want in life, if not I am DOOM.

.... bleh! Heck, age ain't nothin' but a number!

[~ BunnyliciouS ~]

After I had my 25th b-day, I don't like celebrating my b-day anymore, it reminds me that i'm aging T_T
But I still like getting gifts *grin*

[coreancc]

After I had my 25th b-day, I don't like celebrating my b-day anymore, it reminds me that i'm aging T_T

But I still like getting gifts *grin*

Wow, you're feeling that way already? At least I made it to 30 before I hated b-days.
All you people with some age less than 25 as your scary age... whew... 30 is going to hit you hard, because that is about when you realize there were other things in the back of your mind that you expected to be/do by the time you were 30. You never even knew you had those expectations, but when you turn 30, they start crawling out and tormenting you. Live and learn - let go and flow.

[Bamidele]

My scary age would be when I turn 30 years old. I used to say by 25 I want to be married and have my first kid at 27 years of age. I think as I grow older I realize plans unravel and you cannot estimate what the future will bring you...you kind of just have to move towards what you want in your life and hope you get it at a decent age.

I will be graduating in May from Uni at 21...so by 30 I would like to have finished law school and be working in a law firm, God-willing I would like to also be married and have one-two children. This is my ideal situation at 30 years old. The way my path is going I think I will finish school but meeting someone and having kids seems like it won't happen by then...but who can say how the next 9 years of my life will unfold. As long as I am alive, healthy, and happy I will take whatever comes at my "scary age"

[derrek]

I'd say 30 originally was my "goal" age. But I've learned not to compare myself with anyone, and just strive as hard as I can and try and enjoy the ride. I feel very comfortable this way!

[fragment]

mine would prolly be 27. six more years to achieve everything that's important to me & society!

[crayon851]

To be honest, I don't even see myself hitting the age of 25!

[Wayves]

The good news is that when you hit your present scary age, you realize that it isn't so scary after all, and you mentally "reset" to a new scary age to look forward to.

[jshat4]

30 I guess. I would have graduated from my second degree by then AND done all the post-grad training. And I would ideally be married by then.

Personally though, 26 because that's exactly when I graduate and I better be in a relationship by then lol. That gives me...4 years? Not bad...AND I would have decided on a specialty!

[HERMIT]

At 40, I think I've past my 'scary' age. If I had any to begin with.
Anything I haven't accomplished, I've reconciled and come to terms with it. I'm content.
Besides, I'm also aware that anything can happen at any time so it's kind of pointless to fret over a perceived deadline.

[pepprmint]

the only thing i want to accomplish is being financially dependant and living on my own. which i better be by 24.
i feel thats ample time after college to stable myself. because if i hit my mid-20s and im still living in this lame basement/studio and working retail, im going to start going through a midlife crisis....

[Aerolite]

I'm going to say that my scary age is going to be about 26 or 27. I'm still thinking of gradschool sometime shortly after I get my bachelor's, which should make me 24 before I need to run around and get my career going. I remember wayyy back in high school when I was thinking that I'd be married at 25 and having my first child at 28. I'm almost 22 and seeing that I originally 'planned' to be married in about three years is already scaring me.

[inthesoul-k]

My scary age is 25, by than I need to have a steady job and have saved enough of a down payment for a house hopefully around $200,000 - 230,000, I'm 20 now so thats in 5 years, also during that time I would like to travel to Japan atleast once every year, so we'll see. I still have 1 year and a half of school left and plan to join my dads business afterwards. Mostly I'm wondering how big of a downpayment I will save??? As for relationships not really worried or care much, just making friends is fine for me. I dont want to get married....

[Tuffcore]

To be honest, I don't even see myself hitting the age of 25!

For me, i don't even know where 25 went. Has anyone seen it? Please give it back to me if found, thanks!