The Student Room Group

Age groups

What would all say is acceptable among age groups, for example would you say its normal for a 21 year old to be hanging around with 17/18 year olds? Or would you say that the 21 year old is in a different age group? Obviously people can hang around with who they want but just wondered how others view it and what ages would be in each age group lol..if im making sense.

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Reply 1
I'd say it was ok if you had things in common. Some people are mature/immature for their age so it depends. It's only a few years difference anyway.
Reply 2
Agree with Louher, depends on how mature/immature you are.

I might think it weird if a 21 year old was haning round with 13 year old though. But, 17/18 year olds aren't that big a difference. :smile:
Reply 3
ok :smile: Just wondered, I'l be going to uni at about 22 so will find out anyway
Reply 4
Don't worry about it. If you're all students no-one's going to bat an eyelid.
I started uni at 21 and thought it would be a bit weird, but after a bit you dont really notice. sometimes you get reminded of people's ages/maturity (not the same thing i know but whatevs) by little things, but its not a big deal. Have a goodun
Reply 6
goodLife
ok :smile: Just wondered, I'l be going to uni at about 22 so will find out anyway



Ohhh, that won't be a problem at all. I was friends with a few 4th year medics when I was in first year and we were all on the same wavelength even though I was 18 at the time and they were 22/23. All students are the same anyway - equally immature haha :wink: Enjoy yourself!
my best mate just turned 22 and i'm 18
Reply 8
well i'm 18 going on 19 and i have friends who are in their late 20s early 30s.
Reply 9
I'm 21 and about 5 of my best mates at uni are 18....go figure..
Reply 10
goodLife
What would all say is acceptable among age groups, for example would you say its normal for a 21 year old to be hanging around with 17/18 year olds? Or would you say that the 21 year old is in a different age group? Obviously people can hang around with who they want but just wondered how others view it and what ages would be in each age group lol..if im making sense.


At uni that will be rather common. I'm 21 but many of the people who started together with me are 18-19 as you graduate from the English school system earlier than the Norwegian one. Heck, I have an ex who is 2 and a half years younger than me ( I know what you're thinking, don't worry, it wasn't even close to that ). Basicly back in school you usually hang with peopel of the same age because you'll be in the same class, but later on you can't tell if someoen is 3 years older or younger than you. I have friends ranging from 17 and upwards ( heck one of my friends is married and has a kid ) so it really isn't that much of a big deal if some of your friends are a bit younger than you.
goodLife
What would all say is acceptable among age groups, for example would you say its normal for a 21 year old to be hanging around with 17/18 year olds? Or would you say that the 21 year old is in a different age group? Obviously people can hang around with who they want but just wondered how others view it and what ages would be in each age group lol..if im making sense.

If the people you hang out with do something similar to you its fine. if you're a uni student hanging out with sixth formers then i would think you were somewhat of a loser myself.

If its your girl/boyfriends mates then it's a diff matter. As a rule of thumb i always think divide age by 2 and add 7 is a good way to figure min age limit.
i.e. if you're 21 the youngest you can date is 21/2 = 10.5 + 7 = 17.5.

Nexst people will whine about love etc, but fact is that at that age love is a rather relative term...
Reply 12
Robot Chicken
If the people you hang out with do something similar to you its fine. if you're a uni student hanging out with sixth formers then i would think you were somewhat of a loser myself.

If its your girl/boyfriends mates then it's a diff matter. As a rule of thumb i always think divide age by 2 and add 7 is a good way to figure min age limit.
i.e. if you're 21 the youngest you can date is 21/2 = 10.5 + 7 = 17.5.

Nexst people will whine about love etc, but fact is that at that age love is a rather relative term...

So if you're 10 then the minimum age you can date is 12?
pbrown
So if you're 10 then the minimum age you can date is 12?

quite - hence you shouldn't be dating below the age of 14.

Who the hell 'dates' at the age of 10? its weird is what it is.
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(edited 12 years ago)
FanTOM
Who came up with such an equation? Everyone is different. I've met people who are twice my age but also twice as immature. Likewise I've friends and had girlfriends who are a few years younger than myself who I can relate to really well.

goodLife, I don't really believe it matter whether it is acceptable or not? Acceptable in whose eyes? You really shouldn't give a **** what people think anyway. Friends are friends, age shouldn't feature in the equation.

So if you were a parent would you think it acceptable that your 17 year old kid was hanging out with a 25 year old?

age shouldn't figure - but it does. whether with friends or relationships. its about power and responsibility.
Yeah I agree with Louher and Gem's posts :smile:

I myself though can relate in that I'm 22 but act/look maybe one or two years younger than my age. As a results, many (not all, but a sizable proportion) of my friends are younger than me :p:

But only by about 1 year on average so it's ok.
Reply 17
FanTOM
Who came up with such an equation? Everyone is different. I've met people who are twice my age but also twice as immature. Likewise I've friends and had girlfriends who are a few years younger than myself who I can relate to really well.

goodLife, I don't really believe it matter whether it is acceptable or not? Acceptable in whose eyes? You really shouldn't give a **** what people think anyway. Friends are friends, age shouldn't feature in the equation.


I've heard the equation before - it's a silly one really, but it's not meant to be taken as a hard and fast rule.

I agree with Robot Chicken that it depends what you're doing in your life. I'd have no idea why someone in a full time job would want to hang out with schoolkids, for example.
Reply 18
Yes it's normal. I like to hang out with people whose ages range from a few years younger than me to a few years older. You can often find really good friends where you didn't think to look before just because they were a different year.
Reply 19
Im nearly 21 and a lot of my mates are 16,17,18 so there is nothing wrong with it at all