In mainland China, young people in their twenties are finding that their physical state does not match their actual age. Recently, a blogger shared that despite still being considered young by society, various signs in his life have made him feel “barely young.” This feeling has resonated with many peers, sparking discussions among those of similar age.
A mainland Chinese microblogger posted a video sharing that at 27 years old, he noticed his hairline receding, his six-pack turning into just one, and even his knees creaking when squatting. He found himself taking longer to fill out questionnaires, struggling to remember his birth year, and no longer being able to use exclusive youth discounts, among other things.
The blogger also mentioned starting to search online for information he previously had no interest in, such as retirement funds, what red marks on medical reports mean, and listening to music that was popular 20 years ago.
While out shopping, he realized he couldn’t recognize any of the popular anime characters or even the names of cartoons kids are watching these days.
Reflecting on how when the movie “Transformers” first premiered, many high school students may have just been born, but he is now older than many classic cartoon characters he watched as a child.
Moreover, he has developed habits and changes he never had before, like nose hair growing faster than when he was in college, needing to increase the font size on his phone and computer screens, finding himself reacting slower when playing computer games, no longer enjoying snacks, realizing sugar-free drinks are not that bad, and even starting to take dietary supplements regularly.
“It feels like life is a process of diminishing possibilities. I rarely take photos and upload on social media now. Looking at my high school posts, I see I used to make 200 posts a year. They say our body cells renew every 7 years, so the 20-year-old me is now a completely different person.”
The aforementioned post quickly became a hot topic on Weibo, sparking discussions among netizens. Many expressed realization about feeling not as young anymore, with work exhaustion becoming visible in their eyes, and that in their twenties, there’s not much time to waste, as by the age of 35, one’s health may start deteriorating.
Some netizens commented that the discussion about feeling “barely young at 27” is essentially a clash of intergenerational anxiety and self-identity. With the current challenges of earning money, anxiety leads to a decline in the mindset and mentality of young people.
For instance, there is an underlying discrimination in the mainland job market: 27-year-old women are automatically seen as being in a “risk period for giving birth,” while men face evaluations related to whether they have been promoted or are at risk of being laid off. Programmers expressed frustration, saying, “At 27, being called ‘uncle’ in a tech job, but the decision-making part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, is just maturing!”
Weibo user “问君何笑67” said, “At 27, you’re indeed not old, but the workplace might view you as a ‘middle-aged uncle over 30.’ It’s really tough. You’re clearly young, so why the awkwardness?”