I’m at the stage of life where one late night ruins the rest of my week.
So naturally, my brain decided to revisit my early twenties—a time when I could:
Stay out all night
Work a full day
And then go out again that same night
Honestly…
Who was she?
Back When I Was a “Townie” (But Not Really)
I grew up in a college town and moved back after graduation, which technically made me a “townie.”
But somehow, I blended right back in with the college crowd.
I had an entry-level job that allowed me to stay out until 3:00 a.m. on a Wednesday…
…and still show up the next morning looking—
Not good.
But not fired.
Sleep Was Optional
We didn’t just stay out late.
We closed the bars.
Went to after-parties.
Slept for an hour.
Showered.
Went to work.
And not occasionally.
Regularly.
Apparently some twentysomethings now remember to hydrate before bed.
We could have used that information.
If You Wanted to See Your Friends, You Had to Show Up
There were no group chats.
No FaceTime.
No “just checking in” texts from bed.
If you wanted to see your friends, you physically went out and found them.
In real pants.
In public.
Connection required effort—and possibly bad decisions.
Our Drinking Games Were a Public Health Risk
Let’s talk about beer pong.
We drank from the same cups the ping pong balls landed in.
The same balls that:
- hit the floor
- rolled through garages
- bounced across parking lots
No rinsing.
No second thoughts.
Just vibes.
Now people use water cups and separate drinks.
And honestly?
That feels like progress.
The Vibe Was… Questionable
Weekends meant:
- People sleeping on the floor
- Shared bathrooms and questionable timing
- Cigarette smoke in our hair
- Cabs instead of Uber
- Lighting that hid everything
And somehow…
It was still fun.
The Part That Feels Different Now
Almost nothing was documented.
No camera phones.
No social media posts.
Very little evidence.
If someone had a camera—great.
If not, the night just lived in our memories.
There was no way to follow along from home.
You had to be there.
Now? It’s… Different
My friendships now exist in:
Text threads
Facebook updates
“We should get together soon” messages sent at 9:12 p.m. from bed
It’s easier.
More convenient.
And just a little less magical.
I don’t actually want those years back.
I like sleep. I like being home. I like knowing that one late night now requires approximately three business days of recovery.
But I’m grateful I had them.
There was something about having to show up to see your friends—and knowing that most of the ridiculous things you did would disappear into memory instead of living forever on someone’s camera roll.
We were tired. We smelled like cigarette smoke. Our beer pong hygiene was deeply concerning.
But we were there.
And maybe that’s the part I miss most.
💌 Before You Go…
If you like real-life mom moments, Gen X nostalgia, and the messy middle of getting older—you’re in the right place.
Stick around. I’m really glad you’re here.
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Growing Up Gen X: What I Remember Differently Now That I’m in Midlife
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