# How old are the youngest Dopers? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575 "2006-01-18T23:33:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/21 "2006-01-20T03:58:15Z")
Ha. I wonder if we all visited [bored.com](http://bored.com) in the same week. I just checked, and the site still exists. It’s such an obvious domain name though, I wouldn’t be surprised if ownership has changed hands a couple of times over the years. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/22 "2006-01-20T04:06:49Z")
I was 14 when I first signed up, and I went to my first Dopefest when I was 15 or 16, I think. I’m 19 now. ---
**Author:** ![Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mirror\_Image\_egamI\_rorriM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mirror_Image_egamI_rorriM)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/23 "2006-01-20T04:09:33Z")
Sorry, bad math. I was 16 when I signed up, although I’d been lurking since I was 14 or 15, so the Dopefest was when I was 16 or 17. I know I wasn’t 18 yet when I went to my second Dopefest. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/24 "2006-01-20T04:37:01Z")
Back in the AOL days we had fewer age restriction rules, and a fellow named Ben-something-or-other with a chip on his shoulder about ageism, about 12, was a prolific participant, although not a good argument for younger participants overall. There was also **Cmmdr Zil** or some such screen-name, another 12-year-old who, in contrast to Ben, fit in well and was more mature than lots of folks far older. I believe **Zil** is still nominally around (and by now of quite legal age for SDMB participation), but isn’t prolific and has a different screen name on the modern board. My niece was lurking a bit at the age of 10, but lost interest and then lost internet access for awhile (such things happen when you are a kid). She may reappear, but she is also well past the legal cutoff point nowadays so it’s not an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Spidey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Spidey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spidey)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/25 "2006-01-20T06:53:46Z")
I’m 22, been lurking for a few years and signed up today. I actually went looking for the website after reading a copy of the SD book. I believe I was into the drug culture books at the time, and the Dope caught my eye on the shelf. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/26 "2006-01-20T12:40:52Z")
I discovered the Straight Dope a bit after turning 16 and lurked a while before signing up. I’m 17 now. I think that makes me one of the younger members currently but definitely not the youngest. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/27 "2006-01-20T14:38:23Z")
She’s not really a Doper, but MilliCal sometimes comes in to read posts while I’m on the Board, and she posted one under my name. She’s 8. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575/28 "2006-01-20T17:05:51Z")
I discovered this board when I was 17 (late 2002), and joined it at 18 (early 2003). I turn 21 next week. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-old-are-the-youngest-dopers/340575.md?page=1)