So, apparently I look younger than I actually am.

Example #1
I was catering at a wedding through the restaurant I work for, with a bunch of middle-aged to senior women. One of them said to me, “So what grade are you in now?” I was stunned for a moment (thinking, “I’d have to be 17 or 18 to be in the grade she must think I’m in!”), then all I could say was,” Umm, I’m 25.” Oh, she was embarrassed. To prevent further embarrassment among the group, I announced to everyone that I’m 25. This may sound like a silly thing to do, but at this point I was getting tired of being seen as a teen.

This notion makes me uncomfortable, but I’m sure if I was 20 years older I would appreciate that sentiment. But for some reason, it irks me. Perhaps because I feel like people might treat me with less respect, thinking I’m a mere teenager, rather than a 25 year old woman. Or, perhaps it’s these specific scenarios.

Example #2
I was training a 17 year-old guy at work last week, when I started to get the feeling he was flirting with me. In all honesty, that didn’t flatter me one bit. It made me very uncomfortable. He was giving me attitude, but in a joking, teeange flirty kind of way, and other things that made me realize I should probably fill him in. I managed to subtly mention that I’m married, and watched curiously at how his facial expression changed. A blank stare, then a befuddled question, “How…old are you?” I made him guess. After various guesses in the younger 20’s, he finally figured it out. He said he thought I was 19. Needless to say, the flirting stopped after that.

Example #3 (and there are more)
At the nursing home I work at, I was attending a meeting with co-workers. One of them, not too much older than me, heard me make a reference to my husband. I have never seen such a shocked reaction to someone hearing I’m married before. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, and she exclaimed, “You’re married?! I didn’t know you were MARRIED!” There’s no other reason why she should be so shocked at that fact, except that she thought I was a teeny-bopper. She seemed to look at me with new eyes from that point on. Oh. A new member of the mature married women’s club, I guess.

Maybe it’s my young face…maybe it’s my attachment to my clothes of 5 years ago….maybe my bubbly personality…whatever it is, I just want everyone to know that I’m 25. Not 19, and certainly not 17. And yes, I’m married.