CULTURE
The Myth of the Golden Years
By: Sheza Qasim Edited By: Maya Merante
People often put pressure on their early 20s to be the best years of their lives. However, the worries of landing a job, navigating post-college relationships, and juggling financial instability can make those years feel more overwhelming than fun. In shows like Sex and the City, Friends, and How I Met Your Mother, the main characters are typically in their late 20s and the shows end while the characters are in their 30s. We idealize these figures, so why do we regard our late teens and early 20s as the best years of our lives?
Shows like Friends, Sex and the City, and How I Met Your Mother shaped our expectations of adulthood. These characters were in their late 20s or early 30s—employed, living in vibrant cities, and surrounded by tight-knit friend groups. Their lives were chaotic but glamorous. Interestingly, these types of shows rarely centered on characters in their early 20s. However, many recent trending shows like Euphoria have centered around college-aged people (or younger) and we haven't really seen a show focused on confident women in their 30s since Sex and the City.
What really is considered old though? People who are 21 feel old in college where their peers are younger than them. Others may feel young at 21 when entering the workforce with mostly 40-somethings. It's all relative, yet so much pressure remains around hitting “milestones.” Age is treated like a deadline—especially for women. There’s pressure to achieve certain things by 25, 30, 35: finish school, build a career, get married, have kids, and look flawless while doing it.
Lauren Sorabella, a senior at Syracuse University, explained that since she's older than most people on campus, she considers herself old. “Going into college I didn’t think there was much of a difference between 18 and 21, but there really is a vast difference in maturity, which I think causes people my age to feel older because most of the people on campus are still in their teenage stage of life,” she explained.
However, Sorabella also described feeling in the “prime” of her life depending on the circumstances around her. “A couple years ago I probably would’ve said these college years of 18-21 [were my prime]. Now that I’m at the end of that range, I’m forced to think about my 20s as a whole and all the life that hasn’t unfolded yet for me and hope that those are the prime years of my life. However, once I hit 29, I’m sure I’ll be looking towards my 30s with the same outlook,” she said.
The pressure to always feel young—and also look young—has taken a toll on older women. Many people have extensive skin care routines and get plastic surgery in hopes to look younger. While there’s nothing wrong with self-care or getting procedures for personal confidence, many women are influenced by the expectation that youth equals value. The pressure to not just be young, but to look young at all times, can be exhausting and alienating, especially when the media continues to prioritize youth over experience.
Pop culture plays a significant role in reinforcing these standards. When shows, films, and social media rarely showcase women over 30 in dynamic, nuanced roles—especially roles where they are single, confident, and thriving—it sends a message that a woman’s value has an expiration date. We rarely see stories of women in their 30s or 40s navigating life with agency, humor, and independence unless it’s framed as a “comeback” or crisis. Sex in the City was the first show to showcase women in their 30s and 40s. It was revolutionary in this way, and this kind of show should make a comeback today.
Still, pop culture can be an empowering place for women. Taylor Swift reached her peak popularity in the last couple of years and she is 35 years old. She continues to break records, dominate global charts, and reclaim ownership of her music. Kim Kardashian is still widely popular and continues to grow her empire as a 44 year old. They show that women can grow more powerful, visible, and influential with time—not less.
The best years in life are subjective. What might be considered the best for one person could differ from another. Someone might think the “prime” of their life is partying every night in college while others may think it’s when they get married. The truth is, there is no one best year or era of life. Whether you’re 22 or 42, life unfolds in phases, each with its own joys, heartbreaks, and breakthroughs. The best years might not be behind you or even right now—they could be ahead, waiting for you to grow into them.