It’s a question that pops up more often than you might think, isn't it? "Is 35 considered young?" The answer, like so many things in life, is a resounding "it depends." It’s not a simple yes or no, and frankly, the goalposts seem to be moving all the time.
Think about it. When we were kids, 35 felt ancient. It was the age of settled careers, maybe mortgages, and definitely a certain gravitas. But now? For many, 35 is still a launchpad. It’s the age where people are often hitting their stride professionally, perhaps starting families, or even embarking on entirely new ventures. The traditional markers of adulthood seem to be stretching out, allowing for more exploration and less rigid timelines.
I recall reading something from a United Nations World Youth Report a while back. They defined 'youth' for their purposes as being between 15 and 24. That’s a pretty clear-cut definition, and by that standard, 35 is definitely outside the 'youth' bracket. But that’s a specific context, often related to policy and programs. In the grander scheme of life, and especially in today's world, where life expectancies are longer and opportunities are more diverse, that definition feels a bit… quaint.
What I find more interesting is how our perception of age is shaped by our experiences and the world around us. Take migration, for instance. The UN report touched on how young people migrate, and how for them, home can become a "state of mind and a function of place and time." This idea of fluidity, of not being rigidly defined by one location or one stage of life, resonates with how we're approaching age too. People are moving, changing careers, learning new skills well into what used to be considered later life.
So, is 35 young? Perhaps not in the strict demographic sense used by international bodies. But in the lived experience of many, it’s an age brimming with potential, a time of significant growth and often, a period of redefining what 'adulting' truly means. It’s less about a number and more about the journey, the continuous evolution that defines our lives. The 'youth' of today might just be a more extended, more vibrant phase than we ever imagined.
