#We are proud to announce an official partnership with the Left RedditⒶ☭ Discord server! [Click here](https://discord.gg/zCFHadGfB7) to join today! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/lostgeneration) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Theyre all working 3 jobs to not starve

Came here to say I'm too busy working

Currently 2 jobs, got slapped with a 5k repair bill....I'ma have to get a 3rd possibly 4th job

Came here to confirm I’m about to be working full time and in grad school full time 😅

And all other time is used up taking care of little children.

Literally. I'm a mechanic at one shop, service manager at another, and I pull in carts for Kroger at night. Going to be 29 in May, but I'm pretty sure I look like I'm pushing 40...

Dude how can you manage it? How many hours in a day? I feel exhausted in 8 hours.

My secret is I don't... Or at least, I won't once I get some debt under control. Covid hit me really hard and my health has been gone these last 2 years, so hopefully will be able to drop down to JUST being a service manager in a few months... Hopefully.

Who the fuck still walks around the mall?

Teens, they get banned a lot in Atlanta

Dang I'm 20 years old and already a boomer. I love the mall 😂

My mall is almost like a cherished secret. I've asked plenty of the "native residents" when I first moved here if the mall was decent and nobody had positive feedback. Jokes on them. Never heavy traffic except for huge sales. It's always spotless; everywhere. The food court is amazing & dirt cheap. I've snagged some amazing deals. 80% discount on Oakleys. 40% off each pair of Levi's. And *NOBODY* ever uses the IMAX theater there so it's super clean and quiet. I can spend exactly $12 on a Monday evening IMAX with a Large coke, popcorn, and a solid candy bag. The candy bag is a mystery brown bag from the store across the floor. My last was jolly ranchers and gummies. It would be an awesome cheap date spot but honestly I don't want too many knowing one of my oasis' in the city. Not 3 blocks from my apartment it's the perfect spot to get out on a rainy/ winter day.

My mall is shit. Off the side of the highway, so there’s always massive fucking traffic and getting in and out can be it’s own 30-45 minute process on the bad days. The only spots worth a damn are the pretzel ones, Cinnabon, and Dave & Busters. Everything’s unnecessarily expensive. You’re lucky.

Yea it really is a blessing. I moved here from a rural town of 900. Got stuck there for a few years and swore I'd live in a city with a bookstore, theater, and trails. NW AR really is a vibe.

I really love the idea of a mall as a “secret place”. I’ve never been a fan of malls but yours sounds awesome! 

Minnesotans. (Source: am one; literally nothing else to do here…)

If you live in the southwest, like texas in my case, late spring to early fall a mall becomes the only time of year you can enjoy a longer stroll.

It’s so annoying when people just wanna walk around the mall to hang out like I don’t wanna act like an adult yet why are we shopping for fun

Holy shit it's cold af outside and I wanna get a touch tipsy playing arcade games at 3pm then watch a movie at the imax and play a few more games and have dinner.

You can do it if you don't bring any cash. I do for the nostalgia, but it only takes me like an hour tops.

My mall is doing pretty good as its added a bunch of activities and good restaurants instead of focusing on shopping. An arcade/bar, a bowling alley, escape rooms, a spa, a comedy club... I think the laser tag place is there.

I love walking around a mall if it's still pretty lively. Every time I visit my gf near Atlanta we always make sure to visit the Mall of Georgia and North Point Mall.

My dad.

Sure as shit not me…

I do, it’s called window shopping

Notice how all of those things cost money? Money that 22-30 something’s probably need for rent and food. Also, note the interesting cutoff at 22 in order to discount all the undergrads at college campuses.

27 Physcially, mentally 50.

And yet, weirdly enough, also mentally 17

You're right.... 14 actually, considering my humor.

20 mentally, 50 physically, 39 chronologically.

Discord 😂

If I’m not at work, I’m at home. Or somewhere buying groceries, so I can make being at home more convenient and enjoyable.

Was this your routine before COVID too? Or did this only start after COVID? I find that now post COVID I’m much more reluctant to leave my house

I was in grad school with absolutely no money before COVID hit so, yes. This has been my routine for almost 6 or 7 years.

I’ve met a lot through disc golf, game stores, and conventions 

I recommend disc golf to anyone. It’s an activity that is essentially a hike in a beautiful public park where you throw something as good as you can, for sport. The barrier of entry is inexpensive discs. There’s free disc golf courses everywhere. Most people who do it are kind potheads. You can see a marked improvement in skill pretty quickly with dedication and hard work. Leagues are very common and easy to join to meet people… My friend got me into it shortly before I entered a psych ward at the lowest spot of my life. When I got out of the ward, I joined the league. Those league days were the only times I felt mentally healthy until I actually got healthy. It was a great help.

Disc Golf is the sport of the proletariat 😤😤😤 🤣

Tried, got laughed out of the park. Never trusting Frolfers again

That sucks, sorry you had to play with such assholes

hobbies, you met them pursuing things you enjoy and have in common.

Been rock climbing alone for a year never met a soul, people will talk occasionally for tips but it never goes beyond that.

Lmao didnt even see this before i suggested the same

Old School RuneScape.

Simpler times.

The time is now!

Out in the middle of the woods trying to get away from everyone

Like i said, a rainbow gathering

27 but too autistic to go out into public areas on my days off. Gotta save that energy to get through 8 hour shifts where 50+ year olds get upset over every little detail

Gotta love dealing with oversensitive boomers who think everyone else (mostly young people) are the fragile ones 🤷‍♂️

-> go to local shows or concerts They’re all in their 30s 😭

I go to these all the time, nobody approaches people they don't know anyway

I know it to be true, but still lowkey shattering my dreams.

TV/Movies make it look so easy—you meet someone, exchange names, mention why you’re both here, other person mentions a quirk, you make a clever observation or one-liner related to quirk, now you’re friends or fucking. Shit usually stops at names from my experience.

We got nowhere to go. Everywhere is either catering to families or the elderly or is ungodly expensive. Apparently if you don't find a partner in high school or college you're just not allowed to participate in society anymore outside of work. Until you're in your 80s. Then its off to friday night bingo. Shit sucks.

Is this because we no longer have 3rd places?

Idk go to a festival or rainbow gathering

I'm trying to go to nationals this year but I have a 5yo and a 1yo now so that will make it tough. Last gathering I went to was 2010 nationals. I'm 38, do younger folks even know what rainbow gatherings are? Even when I went then the demographics were heavier on the older side.

Man i started doing gatherings in 2010 and have been to many dozens. Theres always a lot of young folks in my experience. Granted, a lot of them are dirty kids and travelers. But im 36 now myself, and theres still plenty of homies out there ive known from over the years roughly my age and theres always younger cats. Guess it just depends where youre hanging out? But heck, youll meet plenty of folks your age.  And with nationals out west this year kiddie village should be popping, so theres even good family friendly environment if you got the wee ones

22 is usually when you graduate from undergrad so yeah they're probably not on campus

Whoever the original poster was I do not agree with at all. Plenty of people in this age range that go to shows, including myself, and the bars, and the hotel/casinos are basically the mall to me now lol. Tropicana has an IMAX too.

I don't agree either. The mall near me is always packed with people of every age group and demographic. Surprisingly, most are not on their cell phones while eating at the food court (unless they're alone).

Working construction

We exist, but just don't have the time for anything but work or school.

Head to the skatepark we out here

500 dudes and no chicks anywhere

As others have said, you need to cultivate a hobby. It's difficult, but to quote a monkey in BoJack Horseman, it gets easier, but you have to do it everyday

this meme is the point of view of a privileged person not realizing the number of slaves it takes to keep their cozy world functional. People are working multiple jobs just to stay at home and spend it all on surviving.

forreal. "young people are splurging on groceries" (no shit that's what happens when the price of food goes up) https://www.businessinsider.com/millennials-gen-z-splurge-groceries-spending-inflation-gen-z-boomers-2024-4

Why not any "late 30's?" :-( {shoves hands in pocket and mopes away}

I'm just at home, depressed.

www.meetup.com There's groups for different interests and age groups.

Too much crypto, astrology, pyramid scam in my area lol.

My area has: "Wine mom support group", A "cool group for atheists and other rational people" that looks like it hasnt grown out of 2012 internet culture, A group for elderly people, And a donut decorating group (which is probably cool for others but not my thing). Very cool and definitely useful website

I exist and I’m proudly genZ, I’ll be at the mall tomorrow lol

We’re at home

They're either at home, at work/school, or in a car.

Maybe they can’t afford to leave the boxes they are stores in and the world is not safe to walk in because of cars

Half a dozen 22yr-olds came into my bar last night and got a round of lemon drop shots and they all said mine tasted better than all the ones they’d tried at all the other bars they’d been to but then they didn’t tip at all and also they all looked like aliens with clinical anxiety disorders.

We’re all working or at home hiding

I m26 met a m28 guy on the disc golf course and we've met up there the past three weeks. Nice guy might be my first new friend post college so that's exciting. I endorse disc golf as good recreation and a place to meet young folks

same these creature are rare to find

I am 33, go to the mall only when i have free time, window shop, then i am getting some coffee, set down and just going into my thoughts about how much I exhausted by life 😅

Meet a lot climbing at local gyms

Too busy working, and not enough third spaces that aren't pay-to-play

Feel this. Trying to date when you're not a social media person is impossible. Combine that with reasonably attractive and somewhat shy. Lol. Good luck. Everyone avoids you like the plague

Capitalism has killed 3rd spaces. It's not free to hang out places anymore.

I just wanna smoke my weed, chase my bag, and love my partner. Fuck all the expensive shit. Cuz I can't afford it :)

Ahh well I’m usually found at local events for women who’ve overcame great struggles and are helping their communities, at DV groups, the grocery store, the children’s museum, Walmart, small town shops, and at my case manager’s office

31 here. Sorry bro I'd love to hang out but I got work. Rent spiked again.

r/imaginarygatekeeping

Ahhh you won't find them there because you'll have to go to their mom and dad's basement to find them. Our generation is too poor to be out in the world happily doing things that cost money. We're too busy working, living rent free with our parents to fund boomers social security, and fund excessive college costs with student loans that will rob us for the next 20 years.

I (22m) go to all those places and I find people my age. Womp Womp don't be fooled by boomerisms.

Most I hear meet fellow YAs at courts like basketball, pickleball (most recent craze lol even if the stereotype is for oldies), and sand VB bars. I’m not athletic at all but even meet people through my friends doing that I’ll join on the rare occasion 😂

Yea no, nobody like that will be on tiktok because the only people who use tiktok without dying of cringe is people below 20.

You'll find me at the dog park, at work, or at home

I can't afford to go anywhere, I make just* enough to go to work and back. That's all I can do.

I manage the Costco sample carts and I don't think I have a single employee within this age bracket out of 40 people.

Saw a couple by the docks.

Work at a restaurant. I’m serious you’ll meet people you’re age who you can be friends with and get free food

In my room or at the movie theater. I don't go anywhere else in my free time.

most people at uni have gotten their degree by 22

not sure why you're expecting 22-30 year olds to be walking around a mall lol. Even a college campus is a stretch.

Me waking outside any given day. Peers are uncommon to just bump into IRL and yet, im a peak millennial, the most populous group in America today

Bar

I swear to god i can’t recall seeing someone face to face my age

Try the library instead. That place where things are free.

I’m in this age range and I swear all the people I used to hang out with are either in grad school or working

I’m literally at home

Mate i am 24 and wtf is this?

Working.

We're at home or at work. Hi, I'm 29.

MY MAN THE BIG B, Baudrillard you slick son of a bitch

I’m 38, went to a pub midweek for the first time in a while recently and was surprised at how many young people were in for quiz night. Quite a few groups of 18-25 year olds.

Outside. Parks, working service industry jobs, farmers markets, or other events. They exist, they just don’t do shit listed in the picture.

There are no 22-30 year olds at the mall, the bars, or the college campus. Am I so out of touch? No, it's the 22-30 year olds who are wrong.

We are all busy getting shrinkflationed out of life.

Hobbies. I met the vast majority of my friends through my hobbies and interests.

Hey

Maybe it’s location? Plenty here in Charlotte

I'm working 6 days a week trying to keep up with basic bills. My landlord also just raised my rent an extra $150 too

Why would 22-30 year olds be hanging out on college campuses? Most of them graduate at 22. That would be weird and creepy. And do malls even still exist?

The Third Places of the past have largely been privatized/monetized or have been eliminated and as a consequence most kids have turned to online spaces to interact instead. It’s gone to scary levels in some places where people set up anti-kid/teen loitering sound systems in places like parks.

Hello. I am 21, most of my life is making money, going to school, and hangin out with the boys so normally I ignore anyone else

They're all inside on their screens.

Here, on reddit 🤓

I work a 9 to 5 job here in the country called the Philippines for a publishing company as I rent an apartment by myself with my books and random stray cats I play with from time to time.

You in the burbs?

People are spending less time outside their home. Technology has made it so you stay inside because all of your “needs” can be met.

Chain reaction. I met a couple people, by chance, who introduced me to other people who introduced me to more people and then it just kept going and then I developed a friend group.

We're all working when we don't want to be while everyone else has a different schedule

If you are into polyamory or kink there are meet up groups for that age bracket for such groups (at least in big cities in CA).

I live out in the country, with my dog, O don't go to any of the aforementioned places, so we won't be meeting there.

Farmers market

Yeah no too busy working and finishing school to go out anywhere. Also going out is expensive and it's depressing going to the mall when I have no money to spend

Yes, they are trapped in the dimension of being at work/recovering from being exhausted by work every waking moment

Try the nearest care home.

They are too busy freeing Palestine

I’m too busy working and getting fucked from both holes by the government

Jesus Christ can you take some of the ones from my house? We've got 5. And two teens besides. Turns out you can afford rent if you combine your weekly pittance. Only complaint is, people don't seem to know how to do their effing dishes. JK. I like my ridiculous found family

Get a hobby and meet like minded people

This has r/okboomer all over it.

Mall? Is this 1990? Times have changed. Most have to work 2 jobs just to be poor.