Age and Appearance

[thesehalcyondays]

When I see pictures of people around my age it always feels like they look like such an adult. I wonder if that’s because when I look at myself in the mirror I can still pass for an extremely tired high school student so my frame of reference is kinda off. 

Comments

[pineaura]

Honestly, I feel like no one has a real grasp of what a person should look like at any given age. It's just one of those things that I feel we're vaguely taught is a thing, but there's so much diversity that things don't really go where we vaguely think they should be. I've been told that I look young for my age, but what that actually means is a mystery to me. The way we perceive other people and how we perceive ourselves can influence how old we think others are in comparison to us. It's just an odd thing in life I guess.

[thesehalcyondays]

That's true. There's such a variety in people's appearances that there isn't really a concrete 'these are the physical traits you should have by this age' type thing and usually have these notions influence by our immediate surroundings and media. Like you said, life be odd like that.

[kuroiyousei]

♥

[faraday_field]

I think I look my age or at least close to it, but I got carded for glue last month. I think people don't look very closely at others, they just search for what they believe are indicators of age and then form a general impression.
So for example I am very short so people peg me as much younger than I am. I've had people approach my students (13-14 years old) as if they were adults until I stepped in because they were 'dressed up'.
At the risk of being that person, I do genuinely believe media has done a real number on people's perceptions of how old people 'should' look.

[thesehalcyondays]

Carded for glue? huh. o_o I'm also fairly short and I think that plays a huge factor in being perceived as young. Height does not always correlate with age. I also agree with media influencing on the perception of age. *stares at the 20 and 30 somethings playing teenagers*

[faraday_field]

Oh yeah, I am under 18 and here for your finest sniffing glue thanks.