# What age would you stay 4ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 30, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823 "2004-05-30T18:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/1 "2004-05-30T18:52:55Z")
If you had to choose one age to stay for the next 200 years how old would you be? You would never get any older than the age you chose and you had to choose an age. I think it will be fun once I turn 21 because I’d still be young but old enough to do most things…so if I had to be one age for 200 years I’d be 21. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/2 "2004-05-30T18:55:09Z")
I’m 24 now, I’m pretty happy with it. I’d definitely aim for the mid-twenties; younger people don’t get as much respect as full adults. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/3 "2004-05-30T19:10:29Z")
1. 22 was the best year of my life! ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/4 "2004-05-30T19:21:54Z")
I’m 24 now and life’s pretty good. It definately beats 21. 🙂 I wouldn’t want to be much younger, but I don’t know how good “older” is going to get. That’s why it’s hard to pick, of course. But all things considered, I think I like 24. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/5 "2004-05-30T20:01:29Z")
I’m quite liking being 39 … still young enough to piss around, and old enough to not get into trouble … ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/6 "2004-05-30T20:09:38Z")
1. I’ve pondered this question before. Any time between 3 and 10, because that was the time when life was interesting and new and I could be surprised by new places/things. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/7 "2004-05-30T20:13:07Z")
P.S. People from the age of 3 to 10ish seem to have a huge amount of fun doing the simplest of things, like drawing, or swinging round a post, or climbing on a climbing frame. I want to spend 200 years being in that state where having fun came naturally. ---
**Author:** ![kittenlm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ce7236/32.png) [@kittenlm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenlm)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/8 "2004-05-30T20:20:35Z")
4 years old. Without a doubt. Old enough to not have to have your diaper changed or be fed a bottle. Young enough that there is no school or work. Your biggest decision at 4 is which toy to play with. It would be great!! ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/9 "2004-05-30T20:48:04Z")
Anywhere in the 25 - 33 range were great years. Much better than the 40 - early 50’s range. Don’t let anybody fool you, very few things (at least physically) get better with age. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/10 "2004-05-30T21:00:20Z")
Five. Anyone who says anything beyond puberty is forgetting the answers. There’s no such thing as a problem when you’re five. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/11 "2004-05-30T21:22:21Z")
1. Old enough to know what to do, young enough to enjoy it. 40 sucks. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/12 "2004-05-30T21:48:51Z")
Somewhere close to thirty. Definite _adult_ but still young-ish and cute. I definitely feel I’ve gotten less attention (from the oppostie sex) as I’ve gotten older. Although, are we staying as we were at this age or our imagined physical ideal? I was at my all-time best physical condition at around 34. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/13 "2004-05-30T21:52:23Z")
From me end, it seems that a lot of people I know as well as myself seem to think we “peaked” around ~34. So generally I’d like to have stayed 34. But I also find 4 very interesting. Old enough to physically do key things, but no pressure of school or other responsibilities. The decision to pick 34 over 4 comes down to a area of human activity I’ll let others figure out. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/14 "2004-05-30T21:54:48Z")
Personally I can’t understand why people are choosing adulthood for their 200 years of being the same age. Don’t you remember what it was like to be a kid? I’ve known it was all downhill from here since I was 16. ---
**Author:** ![dreamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6bbea6/32.png) [@dreamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dreamer)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/15 "2004-05-30T21:55:15Z")
30 - definitely 30. ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/16 "2004-05-30T22:10:35Z")
I envy those of you who choose childhood–your childhoods must have been much more pleasant than mine was. But even if you had a wonderful childhood, you want to spend eternity as a child who can be ordered around by anyone? What if in the year 2234 it is fashionable to enslave children? ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/17 "2004-05-30T22:11:42Z")
Whoops, I didn’t see the 200-year deadline. Change that to 21…uh…99. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/18 "2004-05-30T22:24:39Z")
Thirty was a good age. I’ll go with that. However, I would like to strenuously object to the use of “4ever” in the thread title. Unless you’re missing your F key or someone’s holding a gun to your head and will shoot you if you don’t submit your vitally important question within 15 seconds, there’s no excuse for not writing out “forever”. That is all. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/19 "2004-05-31T03:34:05Z")
Physically… probably 23-24. Old enough to not be considered a kid, but young enough to not have problems like excessive body hair, receding hairline, virility problems, etc… Mentally… seems to be getting better as I get older. I routinely think back to previous events and shake my head while I think about what an idiot I was back then. I much prefer the maturity and wisdom I’ve gained on the way to 31 (minimal as it is). ---
**Author:** ![MaddyStrut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@MaddyStrut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaddyStrut)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823/20 "2004-05-31T04:15:40Z")
30 - 34. The kid years were fun, but I prefer being independent. Teen years stunk. We won’t go there. I had a lot of energy in my 20’s and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately, getting started in a career took a lot of my time. And I never had the finances to really pursue some of my hobbies and interests. I got much more comfortable with myself in my early 30’s. Plus, I was old enough that student and other debt was paid off, my salary had reached a decent level, and I was in a comfortable financial position that allowed me to pursue my interests. I don’t mind getting older except for the fact that after 35 my body just breaks down easier. Kind of like my warrenty is up or something. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-age-would-you-stay-4ever/247823.md?page=2)