u/Ok_Indication7272

I spent my teenage years completely alone with no friends. I never went to a party, never traveled with anyone, never hung out, and never got to go on outings. Most of my time was spent stuck between the four walls of my room scrolling through the internet.

From ages 18 to 22, my situation didn't change much. While other people at that age were starting their college life, making tons of new friends, having fun, living through a loud and exciting phase, becoming almost completely independent from their parents, and really discovering who they are, I was stuck in the same place.

I ended up starting college late, after people my age had already graduated. It was a simple school with barely any events or campus life, and the same isolation from my teens just kept going.

Now I am in my mid twenties and I feel deep grief over missing out on that whole chapter of my life. How do I accept this and move on with my life?

I spent my teenage years completely alone with no friends. I never went to a party, never traveled with anyone, never hung out, and never got to go on outings. Most of my time was spent stuck between the four walls of my room scrolling through the internet.

From ages 18 to 22, my situation didn't change much. While other people at that age were starting their college life, making tons of new friends, having fun, living through a loud and exciting phase, becoming almost completely independent from their parents, and really discovering who they are, I was stuck in the same place.

I ended up starting college late, after people my age had already graduated. It was a simple school with barely any events or campus life, and the same isolation from my teens just kept going.

Now I am in my mid twenties and I feel deep grief over missing out on that whole chapter of my life. How do I accept this and move on with my life?

I spent my teenage years completely alone with no friends. I never went to a party, never traveled with anyone, never hung out, and never got to go on outings. Most of my time was spent stuck between the four walls of my room scrolling through the internet.

From ages 18 to 22, my situation didn't change much. While other people at that age were starting their college life, making tons of new friends, having fun, living through a loud and exciting phase, becoming almost completely independent from their parents, and really discovering who they are, I was stuck in the same place.

I ended up starting college late, after people my age had already graduated. It was a simple school with barely any events or campus life, and the same isolation from my teens just kept going.

Now I am in my mid twenties and I feel deep grief over missing out on that whole chapter of my life. How do I accept this and move on with my life?

The social media platforms I use especially X, and to a lesser extent Reddit have started affecting my mental state really badly. There is so much hate, racism, and wrong information that people genuinely believe is correct, along with a ton of negative, depressing, and defeatist talk.

​I noticed this has started consuming my time and mental energy. For example, I’ll read a Reddit post full of negativity, my mood gets ruined, and I stay stuck overthinking those words for a long time. Then I move to X, only to find racist people venting their hate against my country, ethnicity, and religion saying things that are not just provocative, but completely false and I keep overthinking that too and feeling upset because of it.

​How can this be solved? Are there safe social media platforms without all this negativity? Or is there a way to make the posts that show up to me better quality and more positive?

I grew up in a very conservative country where teens and people in their early twenties are treated like children. Strict family oversight, zero mixed-gender spaces, no parties, and no staying out late are the norm here.

​Back then, I was heavily consuming American media. Movies, TV shows, and songs showed teens having actual freedom, going to parties, having their first relationships, crashing at friends houses, and just enjoying life without constant pressure. The idea that this peaks around ages 17 to 21 or during college, where people are totally independent and just living in the moment, was so appealing to me.

​Now I'm in my mid-twenties. I spent my entire adolescence and early 20s trapped inside four walls in front of screens. Days blended together with no real friends, no social life, just endlessly scrolling the internet.

​How do I accept that those years are gone and that I'll never get to experience the youth I always wanted?

Were your teenage years as they’re often portrayed in the media, a wild time filled with parties, dating, hanging out with friends, doing reckless things, staying out all night, and just doing things for the sake of having fun without any other purpose?

Mine definitely wasn’t like that. It was a very boring period of my life, with no friends, no romantic relationships, no parties, and not much going on at all. Honestly, they were pretty dull and unpleasant years that I wouldn’t want to experience again.

What about you? Would you want to relive your teenage years?

For me, I’m still completely dependent on my parents, I live with them and rely on them financially. I don’t like it, but I don’t have many options..

What about you? Are you independent either financially or in terms of housing?

I’m completely alone, and I’ve never really experienced what it’s like to have a friend throughout my life.

Throughout all my school years, I was either bullied by other students for the entire year, or I was just a ghost. I would watch people from a distance, seeing them having fun together and playing while I sat quietly on a chair by myself.

When I got sick, nobody visited me. When I was sad, nobody was there to comfort me, which only made the sadness worse. And when I was happy, there was nobody to share that happiness with, which made it feel less meaningful.

It feels like all my experiences in life have been incomplete. I’ve gone to the cinema, restaurants, parks, and even traveled. I’ve achieved some small goals too, but everything felt incomplete when I realized I had no one to share those experiences with. I had no one to celebrate my achievements with, no one to talk to about a TV show I loved, and no one to simply share everyday moments with.

I started university at an older age, which made things even worse because of the age gap. The same thing happened again. I’m just a ghost among everyone else. The days go by, and there’s nobody to share my happiness or sadness with, nobody to share the anxiety of exam days with, nobody to study something difficult with, and nobody to celebrate with when I pass.

I hate being alone.

انا انسان وحيد تماما وما جربت ابدا اني احصل صديق خلال حياتي، خلال كل سنوات المدرسة اكون اما ضحية التنمر من قبل الطلاب طوال السنة او اكون مجرد شبح واراقب الناس من بعيد وهما مستمتعين مع بعضهم ويلعبون وانا جالس على الكرسي وساكت

لما كنت امرض محد يزورني ولما كنت احزن محد يواسيني وهذا يزيد حزني ولما كنت افرح محد كان يشاركني فرحتي وهذا كان يقللها

كل تجاربي بالحياة ناقصة، طلعت للسينما وطلعت للمطاعم وطلعت للحدائق وسافرت وحققت شوية اهداف بسيطة بس كلها كانت ناقصة لما شفت نفسي ما اشاركها مع احد ولا شاركت فرحتي بتحقيق اهدافي ولا شاركت احد بالنقاش عن مسلسل كنت احبه

دخلت الجامعة وانا بسن متأخر وهذا خلى الموضوع اسوأ بسبب فارق العمر ونفس الموضوع تكرر، انا مجرد شبح بينهم والايام تمر ومحد يشاركني فرحي وحزني ولا احد يشاركني قلق ايام الامتحانات او ندرس معا شي صعب ولا احد شاركني فرحتي لما نجحت

اكره الوحدة.

I’m in my mid-20s now, yet when I look back at myself just 10 years ago, I realize that deep down, I’m still the same person. I still think the same way, have the same interests and hobbies, and still love the things I used to love and dislike the things I used to dislike.

My free time has become a little more limited, but what really surprises me is how society seems to expect me to become a completely different person as I get older.

Do you guys also still feel like teenagers on the inside?

I don’t feel like I’ve aged at all, nor do I really feel like I’m in my 20s. In fact, when I think back to myself 10 years ago, during my teenage years, I’m completely convinced that I’m still the same person, with the same way of thinking, interests, and hobbies. The only real difference is that I have more responsibilities now and much less free time.

Do you feel the same way, or do you think you’ve changed significantly as you’ve gotten older?

For those who studied at CalArts or another art school in an animation-related program, was it worth it?

I know there are downsides, such as the high cost. But were your college years actually enjoyable and memorable?

From what I understand, CalArts encourages students to explore different forms of art and interact with artists from other fields, whether through classes, projects, or sometimes housing.

From the outside, that sounds like an amazing environment that could help you develop your skills, refine your artistic talent, and become more creative. But is it actually like that in reality, or are students under so much academic pressure and exhaustion that they barely have time to enjoy it?

Did you feel that your time there genuinely helped you improve as an artist? And after graduating, did the school and the connections you made make it easier to find a job in animation?

For those who studied at CalArts or any other art school in an animation related program, was it worth going?

I know there are downsides, such as the high cost and the difficulty of finding a job afterward. But were your college years actually enjoyable and memorable?

From what I understand, CalArts in particular encourages students to be exposed to other forms of art and interact with artists from different fields, whether through classes or sometimes through housing.

From the outside, that sounds like an amazing experience that could help you develop your skills and become more creative. But is it actually like that in reality, or are students under so much academic pressure and exhaustion that they barely have any time to enjoy it?

Since this subreddit is specifically about CalArts, I thought this would be the right place to ask, and I’m really sorry if this kind of question isn’t allowed.

I know CalArts has its downsides, such as the high cost, but were your college years actually enjoyable and hard to forget?

From what I understand, CalArts in particular exposes students to other forms of art and encourages them to interact with artists from different fields, whether through classes or sometimes through housing.

From the outside, it sounds like an amazing experience that could help you develop your skills, become more creative, and create unforgettable memories. But is it actually like that in reality, or are students under so much academic pressure and exhaustion that they barely have any time to enjoy it?

I’m specifically talking about animation related majors.

For those who studied at CalArts or any other art school in an animation related program, was it worth going?

I know there are downsides, such as the high cost and the difficulty of finding a job afterward. But were your college years actually enjoyable and memorable?

From what I understand, CalArts in particular encourages students to be exposed to other forms of art and interact with artists from different fields, whether through classes or sometimes through housing.

From the outside, that sounds like an amazing experience that could help you develop your skills and become more creative. But is it actually like that in reality, or are students under so much academic pressure and exhaustion that they barely have any time to enjoy it?

I live in a place where electricity is cut off for more than half the day, and the water supply can be interrupted for days. The tap water isn't safe to drink, while safe drinking water costs around $10 per cubic meter.

Our schools have no laboratories, sports classes, or art classes, and teachers can physically and psychologically abuse students. At universities, students have very little freedom. We have strict dress codes, professors can insult you, unfairly lower your grades, make you fail, or even expel you, with little to no protection for students. You can't even drink water or coffee, chew gum, or freely skip lectures without risking failing the entire academic year.

After graduation, jobs are scarce and wages are extremely low, while working 12–14 hours a day with no weekends or holidays is common. Healthcare is also severely limited, and traveling is difficult because we have one of the weakest passports in the world.

When I see how people live in other countries, it genuinely hurts. I know every country has its problems, but I find it hard to believe that most countries face the same level of hardship that we do.

Edit: My country is iraq

Edit:I've read all the comments. Thank you all so much for what you've said.

I'd also like to add another point: if you live in a third world country like Iraq, it's very difficult to have relationships without marriage. I've always wished I could have had a girlfriend, and seeing people in first world countries start dating from their teenage years and have stable relationships in their twenties has always made me feel sad.

I live in a place where electricity is cut off for more than half the day, and the water supply can be interrupted for days. The tap water isn't safe to drink, while safe drinking water costs around $10 per cubic meter.

Our schools have no laboratories, sports classes, or art classes, and teachers can physically and psychologically abuse students. At universities, students have very little freedom. We have strict dress codes, professors can insult you, unfairly lower your grades, make you fail, or even expel you, with little to no protection for students. You can't even drink water or coffee, chew gum, or freely skip lectures without risking failing the entire academic year.

After graduation, jobs are scarce and wages are extremely low, while working 12–14 hours a day with no weekends or holidays is common. Healthcare is also severely limited, and traveling is difficult because we have one of the weakest passports in the world.

When I see how people live in other countries, it genuinely hurts. I know every country has its problems, but I find it hard to believe that most countries face the same level of hardship that we do.

Edit:I've read all the comments. Thank you all so much for what you've said.

I'd also like to add another point: if you live in a third world country like Iraq, it's very difficult to have relationships without marriage. I've always wished I could have had a girlfriend, and seeing people in first world countries start dating from their teenage years and have stable relationships in their twenties has always made me feel sad.

Living in a toxic neighborhood or family, or in a school, university, or other places where a person is bullied, mistreated, belittled, or restricted, can leave lasting effects on them for the rest of their life.

Even if their circumstances improve, and even if they leave that environment and those toxic people behind, many of their behaviors and decisions can still be influenced by what they went through. They may also continue to be haunted by memories of what they experienced.

I grew up in an environment that was harmful in every possible way, and I simply cannot accept it. There are still lasting effects, whether psychological effects from the memories or consequences of wrong decisions that I am still dealing with today.

Living in a toxic neighborhood or family, or in a school, university, or other places where a person is bullied, mistreated, belittled, or restricted, can leave lasting effects on them for the rest of their life.

Even if their circumstances improve, and even if they leave that environment and those toxic people behind, many of their behaviors and decisions can still be influenced by what they went through. They may also continue to be haunted by memories of what they experienced.

I grew up in an environment that was harmful in every possible way, and I simply cannot accept it. There are still lasting effects, whether psychological effects from the memories or consequences of wrong decisions that I am still dealing with today.

Yes, I'm a failure, I'm in my mid twenties and I still haven't graduated from college. I have no friends, I've never been in a relationship, and I'm still not independent from my family.

I spent almost all of my childhood and teenage years at home, while other people were out making memories and gaining life experiences.

Now I'm unemployed and still depend on my father for money.

I had many goals and dreams, and I tried to achieve them, but I failed every single one. I always wanted to get into CalArts, and when that didn't happen, I hoped to get into any other art school, but that didn't happen either.

I'm just jealous of other people. I'm jealous of those who graduated years ago, those who studied at CalArts and work in animation, those who have friends or a girlfriend, and those who became financially independent, moved out, and get to live life the way they want.