Some adults mentally stuck in high school

still_learning

Once in a while I'll meet someone who's at least 25, but act like they're still in high school. Recently, I've met a whole group of them.

I met them at a casual house dinner gathering. They were all in their late 20's or older. They were polite enough to introduce themselves. Their conversations seemed fun, they all made funny jokes amongst themselves. They were well dressed and well groomed. Much better put together than myself, but it wasn't as if I was a slob, just not as stylish as they were.

I started to notice something wrong when I asked them questions to either start a conversation or learn more about them. Their replies to all of my questions were very short. They never once asked me anything to get to know me. At first, I thought I was just wasn't as cool or as interesting as they were. At that point I felt like I was back in high school. They were behaving like a high school clique.

After a while, I realized, that I wasn't the one who wasn't cool. They were the ones who weren't cool. Who still acts like that in their late 20's? I rarely meet people like that. So what if they were well dressed and have good jobs, they were just plain rude. I know they're not mentally challenged, as far as I know, so they don't have an excuse.

I think it's interesting to know that there's a whole group of people like that. I've seen them on several other occasions and I get the same treatment. I generally avoid them when I can. It's a waste of my time to be around them.

If I sound bitter, it's because they were rude, they appeared to treat me as if I was inferior, and that I should have picked up on it sooner. They do hide it well with their mature sounding intelligent banter.

I feel sorry for these jerkwads, I'm so glad I don't act like them.

Dandelion

I don't like it either when you meet someone and they make no effort to get to know you. It's very frustrating to have those conversations; infact there isn't a conversation, it just turns into a series of you asking them a question, then another, then another, and like you say 'brief short answers'. Brick. Wall. Head. Bang. An interview, almost!! I don't know why some people are like that. Don't take it personally though, because I think we all meet people from time to time that behave in this way.

Dakini

I've seen that in 20-somethings. Some 20-somethings are in an extended state of teen-dom. Others are fully mature adults. The world is full of all kinds of people. Some get an attitude in junior high or highschool, and never lose it. They hang out at parties and gatherings to be cool, to be seen at the cool venues, but they're not interested in anyone there. Just interested in making the scene.

Here's an even weirder thing. Has anyone noticed all the 40-ish guys wearing skateboard clothes and talking about old Star Trek episodes or other Sci Fi stuff? I saw a guy in the library a while ago who had grey hair, but was wearing skateboard clothes, and carrying a skateboard! My parents and their peers sure didn't act and dress like that when they were 40. Times change. Go figure.

compassionate_warrior

Arrogance can start very young, and the ego-satisfaction it gives never gets old to those who live off that.

Gui

I'm 56. I wish I could skateboard. It looks like fun.

compassionate_warrior

I was in on the first wave of skateboarding, which was an extension of the surfer fad. The skateboards back then were pretty basic, compared to now. Skateboarding isn't difficult, and it's fun. You don't have to do all the fancy moves they do these days in order to enjoy it.

Linc

"Some"? I think that's generous. I'd say Most. And not in the good "I wish I could skateboard" way either.

Mountains

I meet many adults whom I *wish* could be stuck in high school. Most of the ones in Congress are stuck in about 4th grade. And that's a slap in the face to many 4th graders.

still_learning

Speaking of skateboarding, I recently got back into it. I loved it when I was a kid, and I promised myself that one day I when I have some money, I would buy a better board. I totally forgot about that promise until a few years ago, way after high school and college.

So I got myself a cheapo skateboard from Target and put some good bearings on it. Even that was much better than the board I had as a kid. It took me a few days to get the hang of it again. I don't do any fancy tricks, but it's still a ton of fun. I just skate from my car to the office.

I love buying/wearing silly and funny t-shirts, but I'm starting to feel too old to be seen dressed like that. As a compromise I'll still buy them, but only wear them at home, and I'll wear the ones that are more subtle in public, like my Aperture Laboratories t-shirt.

DaltheJigsaw

I meet all types of people all the time. Due to my job. It's part of the cycle.

Jeffrey

I got pretty good on rollerblades at one time. I would skate uphill to school to work in a lab and then pack them in my backpack. After school I skated downhill home. A couple of times I skated through unpaved areas downhill or on ice or things like that, i think that was the beginning (that year) of my bipolar/schizo things. Another thing I did was skate up to a park of woods called 'the arb' and then walk around by myself at night under the stars.