"You're How Old?...You Look About 14!"

I am so incredibly sick of hearing people tell me that I do not look my age. I just turned 20, and upon hearing this, so many people feel compelled to tell me "You don't look old enough to be in college!" or "You look more like you're 14!" Why do these people think that I would EVER want to hear this? What is their purpose in telling me this?

The frequency of these comments has risen dramatically since I've been home for the summer. I've found that it happens the most at church. At church of all places. I can't go a single Sunday without hearing how immature I apparently look. The only reply I've managed to come up with is "I'm sure I'll like hearing that someday..." in hopes that I can hit them with the fact that I DO NOT appreciate hearing it now.

Does anyone else have this problem? Suggestions? I'm getting my hair cut on Saturday in hopes that a chic  new 'do will make me look like 20 year old...

You will like it some day, trust me. It has happened to me my whole life, and used to get to me a little when I was a teenager. But now that I am 35, it doesn't bother me at all when I get mistaken for 21 or 23, etc. It happens a lot and I embrace it. It makes up for all the times that I get called "ma'am."

I imagine a new hairstyle could certainly help. It never seemed to help me, though. No matter what I did with my hair, what I wore, or how I did or did not do my makeup, I always was mistaken for significantly younger than I was. When I was 22 a 14-year-old asked me out on a date, thinking I was his age. And when I was 33 a girl working at Dairy Queen was absolutely certain I was a fellow student of hers at her high school. When I told her how old I was, she jumped back as if my age were a disease she might catch.

These days I still get carded for alcohol on vacation in Vegas. No one I'm with ever does.

But that being said, it certainly couldn't hurt to try dressing like someone in her twenties—as opposed to dressing like a teenager. There is a definite difference between the way a professional women in her twenties dresses and the way someone in high school does.

That is assuming you can afford a wardrobe adjustment. If you cannot, just try to act your age and present yourself as a mature adult. People will get the message—eventually.

Oh, and don't be afraid to still act like a kid as well. I still act like a kid sometimes. It's good for the inner child.

I am a guy and I get this comment all of the time. I'm almost 19 and people say, "There is no way that you're 18. Maybe 16 but not 18." And it frustrates me because I know that I look young. I don't need people to remind me. At least my friends and family think I look my age. But yeah new hairstyles really can help.

When I was 18 a hair stylist asked me what middle school I went to.

When I was 19 a 14 year-old asked me out while I was at work.

Now at the ripe old age of 23 I don't care how old people think I am.  I have my ID and I can buy liquor and that's all I need.

I don't really let it bother me anymore UNLESS people start talking down to me because they think I'm super young.  Condescension pisses me off, so I become a smartass.  Probably not the best advice, haha.

Trust me, I get it. At 15, I looked 18. At 18, I looked 18. At 21, I STILL looked 18. And now that I'm (mumble) 42, I'm told that I look as much a 10 years younger than my age. Most of the time, that's pretty awesome. But it does make it challenging to be taken seriously at work sometimes. (I manage a staff of a dozen and a budget of more than $4 million a year, and I still get patted on the head!)

My suggestion is that if you behave like your actual age, people will get over telling you how young you look. And that, in the meantime, keep taking it as a compliment!

Tell me about it I hear it everyday, I went to IHOP for breakfast with my family and was asked if I wanted a kids menu when I was 17!!! Then after they comment on how young I look, they say "oh well, it'll come in handy when your 40 and look 30." I know they're not trying to be rude but it does get pretty redundant.

When I went out here one night a couple of guys approached me in a bar. After talking to them for a while they asked if I was a high school exchange student here. I'm 23, been out of university for 2 years and am about to start grad school so I found it pretty funny. I've always looked a bit younger than I am I guess... While it sucks getting mistaken for a high school student, I hope this continues and that I look younger when I'm in my 40s and such.

They mean it as a complement ... looking young is a good thing.

I got carded to buy a scratch lottery ticket when I was 21.  I have always been told I look young.  A few weeks ago I got carded to buy a drink and my friend didn't.  I am 33 now.   It sucked back then but it is kinda nice now.

Yeah, I've gotten that for a long time. It's even worse because I'm only 5 feet tall and being overweight always makes you look a little younger.  When I was 12, people thought I was 8. When I was 14, they thought I was 10. When I was 18, they thought I was 15. Now I'm 21 and people continuously say I look 14-16. My mom's 53 and looks 45, so that's where I get it from. It's a pain now, but it gets better (apparently)

I've had the same thing. Someone who has been going to the came church as I have and knows my mother,  last summer, when we met at the store asked my mother, "Is she driving already" In reality I was 25. I try to dress my age but it doesn't seem to help. I also don't try to clear up the confusion about my age as long as someone is in the ballpark, ie an adult. I figure it will come in handy in the future.

The only thing I can't stand is the condensation or discrimination of people, such as in a scrapbook store where the owner seemed to be watching me thinking I was one of those thieving teenagers she seemed to have had heard about, again 25.  The only thing she gained out of it was the loss of one customer.

Original Post by jennfierb:

The only thing I can't stand is the condensation or discrimination of people, such as in a scrapbook store where the owner seemed to be watching me thinking I was one of those thieving teenagers she seemed to have had heard about, again 25. The only thing she gained out of it was the loss of one customer.

I disliked being largely ignored in jewelry stores when I was in my mid twenties, and treated rudely at fine restaurants, because I appeared too young to purchase anything of value or leave a decent tip. I know this was the reason it happened, too, because the people who were supposed to be giving me good customer service hinted at it more than once. Sometimes, they did more than hint. I was always dressed well, but it did not matter.

Most of the time this did not happen. But I still have not been back to the places where it did.

My suggestion is to learn to deal with it.  I get stopped frequently and asked if I'm really old enough to work at a hospital, if I'm wearing my mommy's badge and it's take your daughter to work day, or I get patients who refuse to let me draw them because I look too young.

I've also had my ID confiscated a few times 'cause people swore it was fake.  No matter how I dress, how I have my hair, or how I act, I deal with it on a daily basis.

Think of it this way.  When you're 50, you'll only look 40.

Embrace it.

I usually get assessed at 3-5 years older than I actually am, but I think that's due to the facial hair.

at 23 I had a bartender at a hotel (in front of many many business men) tell me flat out that I am not 21...much less 16 and that its past my bedtime.  He eventually gave me the glass of wine "because i didnt look like I would start trouble"...gimme an effin break....I almost whipped out my credentials...but I didn't

 

Other than that incident, I think its hilarious when people think Im still a teenager.  Im 25 now.  My Mom was carded up until I was 18 or so...you can add 28+18 to get her age at the time :)

i got carded for a rated R movie at 18... i miss that... lol now ive had a kid n at least feel more than my age lol!

It's better than looking older. At 14 some lady thought I was 19. When I was 20 some guy interested in me thought I was 24. At 22 I went to give my passport application and the girl at the desk said "you look way older than 22, I'm only 2 years older" - gee nice to know I look way older, why even make a comment about it? I have been carded maybe once or twice in my life, now days I just get a glance and in I go. I get mistaken for being my dad's gf/wife, and mother of my half-sister since about 14 (she's 12yrs younger, so apparently I looked old enough to be the mother of a 2yr old). I asked my bf if he thinks I look older, he says not really but maybe closer to 25 (I'm 23). I hope that means it's leveling off. My mom also looked older than she is at my age, but I think she looks pretty good for almost 45, so maybe there's hope lol.

yeah so just accept it, and be happy you will still look young when you're not.

petitepowerhouse:  I'm 22... catch a movie sometime?  ;)

I get a lot of people thinking I'm 18 or 19.  I figure Jared Leto, Brad Pitt, and Harrison Ford are some good examples of guys who, in their late 30s looked like 25 year olds so I'm not too worried.  Ellen Page (actress from Juno) is 21!  Think about the career she has ahead of her playing roles of 16 year olds, lol.

I'd rather be a 35-yo who looks 25 than a 25-yo who looks 35.

From 12-20 I was always mistaken for about 5 yrs older then I was. At 21 people usually thought I was 21. And, at 22 and now 23...I get carded ALL the time. For beer or cigarettes. I  got carded for little fireworks once.
And, recently I had a boy try to pick me up by telling me he had just gotten his liscence. He was 16.
I don't really mind it though. I figure that will be great when I am older. And, as long as I carry my ID I am ok.

It really depends on how you carry yourself.  Speak with confidence,  use direct eye contact in conversations, dont fidget during conversations either.  These actions will improve others first impression of you  Hairstyle, clothing, makeup etc.  all makes a big difference.  For me when I was in my teens(16) I was getting served all the time. and buying beer at the beer store.  Im in canada and my provinces drinking age is 19.  Never had an issue at all while I was young now I have to prove my age.  I was asked at niagara falls casino for I.D. No one believes me when I say I have a 13 year old!  Im turning 38 in july and I know have people and friends tell me I look 25.  I have a very free spirit so that keeps me young.  Also since my days are spent with kids it keeps me young as well!!

i know that it's going to be a good thing when i get older, but i'm in the same boat as you and right now it's SO ANNOYING.

i just turned 21 and have to carry around THREE forms of id to bars and i've been told my id is the fakest thing they've ever seen. it's just reaaaally annoying.