Is 30 over the hill, or just the beginning? Too old?

August 31, 2011 6:31pm CST
So - does life begin at 30 - or is it over the hill? I have recently turned 30, and initially before turning I had the dreaded fear of no longer being in my 20's. Is it time to settle down, get a house, have a proper job, have kids, or time to still be free? Im about to move to Canada to work on a ski resort, barely breaking even on money, I love travelling too much, but dont have a solid career to fall back on. I never even did Uni, I dont have major direction and my girlfriend is 10 years younger, and sometimes I feel it. Am I having that mid/quater life crises, feeling I dont want to settle down and only now making the break to do all the things I should of done a long time ago (travel, work in foriegn countries) I still want to be out in the pub drinking with my friends but they are all settling down with kids and married, and slowly I am running out of people my own age, nights out are getting few and far between, but I dont feel I am ready. I also dont want to be the creepy old guy out in the pub with all the youngsters haha There is still so much I want to do! What are peoples views here? Older and younger?
11 responses
@peavey (16936)
• United States
1 Sep 11
Oh, goodness... you're just getting started at 30 years old. Don't worry about things so much. If you're not ready to settle down, you're not. There's nothing wrong with going out with people a little younger than yourself, if you can't find anyone your age who is still footloose. You won't be the creepy old guy if your friends are only a few years younger than you. Anyway, don't worry about it. Your time will come.
1 Sep 11
Haha no, we always used to laugh at the creepy old guys who didnt seem to be with anyone there own age. Yet now Ive grown up! ;) Im certainly no creep, but as I said, my girlfriend is 10 years younger, so I am hanging around with considerably younger people when I meet her social circle. On that point, Im ok with it as the age seems immaterial to us - but, just in a general, ill prob be the old one. Luckily I look alot younger than I am, so when Im 40 - Im gonna look ace haha :D
@peavey (16936)
• United States
1 Sep 11
See? You got it made! ;)
• United States
1 Sep 11
I want to start off by saying; I'm 25!!(I know half way mark) You should not feel guilty or obligated, to give up your about loving freedom.(that's why you have a younger girlfriend) The fact, that you want to travel, have new adventures(means your not ready to settle) Should not be deprived your feeling's nor should you feel pressured(by anybody, not parents, 22yr old girlfriend, friends). All your friends, as-well-as-mine. Would love to travel; do what the want, when they want. I know people with kids, would love to go down, to the local Watering Hole on a Monday night(But cant). Some of them love it; they love the whole security feeling. Where people NEED them, its safe. Kids yeah the love them, because they gave up on there own "life Conquering". So the want to help their children. I thinks it wonderful that you made it to 30 with NO KIDS. My father was 45, an my mother was 35. I'm more mentally stable, when a lot of my friends. Who parents, were in the mid 20's early 30's (they would tell me story how they, wanted to travel and wanted to do this or that.
• United States
1 Sep 11
I totally agree with you, I am female soon to be 30 and even when I am going to get married soon, by no means I am ready to have children, they are a huge responsibilities and I want to be able to enjoy my life with my husband before having kids, my parents also had me later in their life, and I am perfectly normal because I was born in a very stable household.
@cupkitties (7421)
• United States
1 Sep 11
Considering that there are people living to a little over 100 years of age , 30 is pretty dang young. How I see it is if 30 is old then so is 20 or even 10.
• United States
1 Sep 11
I am about to turn 30 in a couple of weeks and I have to tell you I don't feel old at all, everything in life is about balance, for example not having a clear career or path in life is not necessary something that happens because you are young it happens because of immaturity, everybody likes to travel but there is also a need to have certain responsibilities the majority of the kids finish college between 21-23, and they start working in their careers, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy life, go to clubs, you don't have to have children just because you are 30, maybe you are not a kid person, you are allowed to don't want to have kids, but if you decide to have them, it doesn't mean that you can't go to a club at any point in your life, as I said, I am about to turn 30 and I have masters degree, and a good career that I totally love and enjoy, but I also enjoy go to clubs with my soon to be husband, have drinks with my girlfriends and travel, however you do need to have a purpose in life, find something you like to do and make a career from it.
@Judy890 (1644)
• United States
1 Sep 11
If you keep worrying about your age you will be so stressed out, You're 30 that's young. when you hit 60 you'll be like "I remember when I was 30 and young I was stressing about how old I am but I'm really old now" lol
@ennylrak (30)
• Philippines
1 Sep 11
you're a guy. good news, 30 is way too young to be having mid life crises. but you might want to plan out your life, like building a solid career, something you can enjoy and make money out of at the same time.
1 Sep 11
Thats all very well, but in order to do that I need the qualifications and in order for those I need the time and money - of which I seem to have neither.... Im on my way, but not quite where I should be.
• India
1 Sep 11
I truly feel that age lies in our mind. We decide how and when we want to shape our life. Also, we decide how much success and settlement we want in our life. Some want to start early so that the later years are easier, others want to enjoy till 40 and then settle down, still some are just happy with their carefree life and never settled down. Friends can be made at any age with any age group…I’m sure you’ll find plenty of 40s and 50s and 60s enjoying their night out at pubs. Yes, it’s a mindset that post 30, you need to take life more seriously as a lot needs to be done with regard to stable job, own house, savings, family responsibilities!!! However, have a talk with yourself freely and frankly…don’t take any hasty decisions like settling down just coz everybody else is doing so… if you enjoy a free life then maybe that’s what you are made for! However, if that is your choice, then don’t expect a warm bed and hot soup in old age LOL whatever be it, first clear your own mind about what you really want to do and its long term consequences
• China
1 Sep 11
I think there are two kinds of age of us.one is the physical and another is mind,yes,when we get into 30s,our body starts to age year by year,and the ability of our body just degrade gradually,but actually our mind is still growing,the ability of the brain will get a maximum at nearlly 50s.30s is usually the watershed of the maturity.Many people just graduate from university and start their career at this age.so I think if you want to have a good career,this is just the beginning.
• Philippines
1 Sep 11
When I was younger I use to see people in their 30s to be old. But as I grew older I realize aging is all in how you see things, and how you dress.I salute the person who said that 30 is the new 20. Life has just begun whatever age you are in. I may feel a bit different the way my body has some aging related sickness from time to time since I am in my early 40s but I feel no different than when I am in my 20s.
@dlpierce (495)
• United States
1 Sep 11
Dear, thirty is by no means over the hill. I'm heading down the other side of 50 and that's when you begin to feel over the hill. I really regret sometimes not following my dreams at a young age. I love my family and probably would not have changed a thing if I could but I was a bride and a mother long before I was ready for it. Don't pressure yourself into anything you're not ready for. Just because it's right for others doesn't mean it's right for you. Follow your own heart and the rest will follow you.
• United States
1 Sep 11
Life starts a 30 am 32 and I feel just as good as I did when I was 20 I love it people who say turning 30 is over the hill don't know what they are talking about and no 30 is not getting OLD