I feel old.

**Fynn** · 05-24-2012, 07:38 PM

So I'm a teacher trainee at the moment (teaching English, BTW) at a local Catholic school. Today I had two classes with my favourite group of 1st grade middle-schoolers (approx. 13-14 years old). One of them mispronounced the word 'skull', so that it sounded more like 'school'. Turns out all of them thought it was pronounced like that. Thus, I decided to say something which would make it memorable for them - I wanted them to associate the word with Dana Skully. Turns out, when asked if they know the X-Files, only one person nodded. This made me feel old.

Now, logically, I knew this was normal, that my generation is no longer this new generation, and even though there's tons of stuff that's well-known and obvious for me and, for example, my parents, it won't be like that for new generations. And yet experiencing it firsthand was quite an emotional shock and I truly felt I'm no longer of the "new" generation.

So, anyone else recently found out they were old?

**Roto13** · 05-24-2012, 08:00 PM

Do your joints ache? Are you ready to retire? Do you have empty nest syndrome? Do you have less stamina than you used to? Have you discovered wrinkles on your face and gray in your hair?

No? Then shush.

**Peegee** · 05-24-2012, 08:18 PM

'old' is just a word. You definitely could define it like Roto did. I however have this to say:

Those first graders, or even if you had your masters and were teaching university or grade 12 students - they are either snot nosed children who beg their parents for money, or have a part time job that gives them a few thousand dollars to spend per year in between schooling. That's hardly impressive. What would you think of me if I were turning 33 this year but I made like 3000 dollars per year?

(I'm not slighting poor people. I'm saying objectively there's stepping stones to being an adult)

Youth is rather a fleeting, useless thing. It by itself has limited power (unless you're a woman and even then it's even more fleeting and useless), and often becomes an -ism that isn't something you want anyway (oh you're 17? stfu you don't need to tell me how to into xyz). It's overrated and knowing what I do now, I would never, ever want to be a child again.

It's funny because as a kid I scoffed at the idea of being an adult. Now I can potentially do anything I want. Who doesn't want that? can your students do that?

**Fynn** · 05-24-2012, 08:53 PM

Oh, I'm not complaining. It's just weird how culture works. How a series so iconic to my generation becomes obscure to the new guys.

Ay, Roto, you so crazy

**Peegee** · 05-24-2012, 09:07 PM

but knowing pop culture references simply is a matter of caring. If I didn't know it was some elder scrolls game reference I would be scratching my head about this 'arrow to the elbow' meme that's going about.

Just ask a stereotypical girl - she'll be like 'lol' because 'lol' is prevalent. But she wouldn't know the first thing about some more obscure meme.

**Fynn** · 05-24-2012, 09:12 PM

I think it's also a matter of the show airing, though. Which it doesn't here on public television anymore.

**Pike** · 05-25-2012, 02:10 PM