For everyone who took the time to respond to my previous hub, thank you! It actually made me feel much better about myself at a time when I was getting completely fed up with comments about my age!

Now, maybe its because I work at a University, maybe its because I try to stay in shape, but for whatever reason, people are always mistaking me for someone much younger than I am. I am 26 years old (so some of you were right on with your guess!). I love my age, & in fact, I think I'm one of the rare individuals who actually enjoys getting older. I love what I've learned, what I've accomplished, where I've been, and who I've become. That said, when people are constantly mistaking you for a high schooler or a college student, all those accomplishments seem moot.

Here are the comments I have gotten recently:

"Well, you look so young that some of the leaders [of a camp going on on-campus] thought you may have been one of the students (i.e. high school students), so we wanted to give you a name badge so they wouldn't get confused."

"So...what's your major, when do you graduate?"

"You're the manager? You look so young!"

"Can I talk to the manager? You are? Well, is there someone...else...I can talk to? No? There's no one older?" (Seriously, I did get this comment, not as recently as the others, but while I was the Park & Recreation Supervisor for a city, managing 4 departments and 35 people).

"What are you going to do when you get out of school?"

"You're NOT a student?!? I would have sworn..."

Please, don't condescend to me by saying "most people would love to hear those comments," or, "just wait till you're older & you'll appreciate hearing those things." That very well may be, I don't know, but for now, I can't stand it. I don't think I would care so much if I were fresh out of college, or if I hadn't had all the life experience I've already had, but the fact is, I've been out of school for five years, I've been in management for 4 years, I've managed teams of 50 people & have been promoted multiple times in the various positions I've held. I've owned two houses and I've been married for five years. I've moved cross-country twice. I am not a high school or college student, & telling me I look young just seems to cheapen the life I've already lived and verify that your first impression of me is of someone who couldn't possibly be a capable, take-charge adult. Please don't do that to me.

[Sorry for the rant there at the end, it wasn't directed to anyone reading this hub, just kinda what I feel whenever someone says something to me.]

Anyway...that's all.