Feeling your age.

[Cadet]

You're not old until you cover preps and someone mistakes you for a team mom.

 

[audreyld]

Yikes. I'll make a note of that.

 

[Cadet]

UTshooter sounds like something they would serve in a Knoxville bar.

I was going to make another comment on the UTshooter name, but it's in poor taste and you seem female nice. Don't want to ruin any chance I have to hit it start a fight with someone over an attempt to make a silly joke.

 

[GlenQuagmire]

There are times when I, too, feel like I'm a little old doing this job at my age. The mid-20s can be a crazy and lonely time. Being around high school and college kids all the time makes it easy to think about what I missed out on when I was there age.

Then I drink a beer ASAP to get over it.

There are plenty of us out there dealing with the same issues, so don't feel like you're alone. It's a part of growing up.

If you're still single, enjoy the single life. If you're married, enjoy that at much as possible, but don't lose touch with family and friends. If you already have, reconnect with them.

Plus, visiting Sixth Street as much as possible would probably make life a little more enjoyable. I'll buy you a shot the next time I'm in Texas. Keep your head up, UTshooter.

 

[Angola!]

Plus, visiting Sixth Street as much as possible would probably make life a little more enjoyable. I'll buy you a shot the next time I'm in Texas. Keep your head up, UTshooter.

Not to make this a bar thread, but I will push my favorite Austin bar that I visited a couple of months ago - the Molotov. It is a great place to hang out.
And, don't start talking about how old you are, try being 26 and covering high school athletes.
Honestly, covering high school kids does make me feel old because I can barely remember high school. I can't believe I am two years from my 10-year reunion. Covering college kids doesn't faze me because we have a job to do and you just do it. It can be intimidating because they are close to my age, but I just remind myself I am at work and my job is to interview them and do a story.
Oh, and **** the Horns. We all know the refs cheated and USC is the true national champ!

 

[AgatePage]

Age, young Shooter, is but a number. Although you can now rent a car and not pay extra.

I'm in my early 30s, but we have a young staff. They make me feel like I'm still in my mid-20s, but I have all that knowledge from the past 8-9 years. I'm sage, and I can outdrink the whipper-snappers

Seriously, though, enjoy life. Enjoy having a little more wisdom. And what GQ said about family and friends, take it to heart. He's right.

Happy birthday!

 

[TrooperBari]

Can't agree enough with Glen's first graf (pass on the beer, though). Chronological age isn't as important as how old you feel and how you carry yourself.

A belated happy birthday to you, by the way. Here's to UT -- for everyone who couldn't get into TCU!

 

[buckweaver]

While we're on the subject of personal issues, I'm curious about the origins of your handle. I mean, when I see UTshooter, the first thing that comes to mind is a guy with a rifle in a bell tower. Please tell me that ain't it. Oh, and happy birthday. 21 makes you an official adult. 25 usually makes you an actual one.

There are still bullet holes in the concrete, you know. It's kinda freaky to touch the base of that statue by the steps.

I once took an Austin-Dallas-OKC road trip, for fun. Saw the tower, Dealey and Murrah in one day. I'm a little macabre.

 

[WSKY]

move on to a college beat or the pros

 

[Songbird]

'It's better to look good than to feel good." [/Fernando Lamas]

 

[Lugnuts]

This may be an odd question, but perhaps some of you can help me out.

I turned 25 today. Sometimes, when I'm out covering high schoolers, that makes me feel old. Sometimes it makes me feel like I should be doing something more with my life, even though I'm generally pretty happy with what I'm doing. Sometimes I feel really young, like when I'm cover college athletics and it feels like I'm the same age as them. Then I remember that I'm not.

Maybe it's just me, but it just seems like mid-20s is an odd, though great, place to be.

Anyone else feel the same thing?

I've had that icky feeling at times. Here, I'll give you a few pick-me-ups.

1. There are 50 year-old-men covering the NFL. That age gap is significantly worse, and they don't feel funny, why should you?

2. What Xan said - you're not there to be a peer of these folks - you're the wise adult journalist doing a job many of them will eventually covet the hell out of. But they won't get that opportunity because they'll be behind a desk working the phones to sell copiers. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Carry yourself knowing this.

3. Regardless of your age, most of the teenaged boys have a crush on you.

(Sorry guys - that one only works for the women.)

 

[audreyld]

Honestly, covering high school kids does make me feel old because I can barely remember high school. I can't believe I am two years from my 10-year reunion. Covering college kids doesn't faze me because we have a job to do and you just do it. It can be intimidating because they are close to my age, but I just remind myself I am at work and my job is to interview them and do a story.

Covering college sports doesn't bother me in the slightest. I was just observing that it's an odd sensation to realize "Hey! You're a grown up with a real job. Welcome to the real world." That's all. Not bothered, just the odd sensation sometimes.

I won't even respond to your parting comment...  

While we're on the subject of personal issues, I'm curious about the origins of your handle. I mean, when I see UTshooter, the first thing that comes to mind is a guy with a rifle in a bell tower. Please tell me that ain't it. Oh, and happy birthday. 21 makes you an official adult. 25 usually makes you an actual one.

There are still bullet holes in the concrete, you know. It's kinda freaky to touch the base of that statue by the steps.

I once took an Austin-Dallas-OKC road trip, for fun. Saw the tower, Dealey and Murrah in one day. I'm a little macabre.

That is a little macabre. I've seen the tower, but had to pass up on a special tour of the observation deck.  
I have, however, seen the Murrah building site multiple times, the first time four days after the bombing, from across the street at about 11 p.m. As sobering an experience as I've ever had, and I was 13.

Lug, you have made my day.

 

[Madhavok]

I understand where you're coming from UT. I'm 24 and a SE at small daily and cover preps pretty much 24/7. But, I have a part time job in the winter that I might love more than what I'm doing now. Anyway, that keeps me feeling young. Plus a lot of my friends are a bit younger (20-23) so chilling with them all the time keeps me young, at least I think. I might be 24, but I feel like a 19-year-old.

 

[alleyallen]

UTshooter sounds like something they would serve in a Knoxville bar.

I was going to make another comment on the UTshooter name, but it's in poor taste and you seem female nice. Don't want to ruin any chance I have to hit it start a fight with someone over an attempt to make a silly joke.

:'(

I haven't ruined my chances with you, have I cadet?

 

[21]

Lugnuts' post is perfect. You're a professional, not a peer. Better they respect you for your experience and professionalism than your belly ring and tats.

That said, I think we need a freakin rule around here that no one should have age angst until AT LEAST the age of 30, maybe 35, if at all. You can control just about everything in your life except your age. Don't make it an issue.

 

[Cadet]

UTshooter sounds like something they would serve in a Knoxville bar.

I was going to make another comment on the UTshooter name, but it's in poor taste and you seem female nice. Don't want to ruin any chance I have to hit it start a fight with someone over an attempt to make a silly joke.

:'(

I haven't ruined my chances with you, have I cadet?

Dude, I'm just teasing You set that one up on a tee, how could I not? Plus, I just discovered 'fun with the quote function'. It's like a new toy.

 

[buckweaver]

3. Regardless of your age, most of the teenaged boys have a crush on you.

(Sorry guys - that one only works for the women.)

Hey now! I got hit on once by a teenaged boy.

That was kinda freaky, (not just because of that, I mean) ... but because I was walking down the street after having lunch with my ex, who's pretty cute, and he started a conversation with us and walked with us for a couple blocks ... ok, whatever, it's Chicago, we're just chillin' ... but boy, he didn't pay her any attention at all. He was on my every word, though. ****ing eh, she got a kick out of that, needless to say. I wasn't sure whether to feel frightened or flattered.

Hmm, maybe I shouldn't have shared that. 8)

 

[audreyld]

Lugnuts' post is perfect. You're a professional, not a peer.  Better they respect you for your experience and professionalism than your belly ring and tats.

I want to clarify, just so we're all on the same page. I have absolutely ZERO problem doing my job. I'm not attempting to be their peer. It's just those times happen to be when I realize that I'm a grown up now.

Part of it, I think, is that my job is actually REALLY fun. I genuinely have a fantastic time doing what I do. Sometimes, that makes it seem less like work than it really is, and there are times I feel like it should be harder, or less fun or something. But believe me, I am absolutely not complaining that I love my job.

That said, I'll try to ditch the age angst and limit my angst to non-age issues.