Thread: How can I quit looking so young?

Dad could be right.You have came a long way to get your masters.Congratulations,If I was you I wouldn't talk to the other students.Do what you have to do to be successful.The others are jealous because for personal reasons they couldn't get the degree when they were your age.

I can sympathize. I worked in a junior high as a math teacher for a year after getting my degree. Imagine how it was in my first week there when an administrator confused me for a student (despite the fact I was wearing professional clothes!)And smoking does not help age you (as if that would ever be a serious suggestion)...as I have been smoking for over 10 years (I did quit when I got pregnant though, yay!) As a matter of fact, I would still get carded for smokes at the age of 25...Really, you are just going to have to suck it up. Your dad is right. And on top of that, you are going to meet so many people that irritate you in your life time. You are the only one suffering by caring at all what these people say/do/think. Remember that at 40, you won't look it. Surely, THAT has to be some type of motivation to keep that young face! *Beaver...calm down. I'm well aware of the fact smoking does physical damage to the body...you missed the point I was making for the asker. No need to throw an insult to teachers for that.

Personally I think you confuse someone being jealous for just wanting to associate with their own age group. Every college is like that...people associate with people who are like themselves based on age, race, religion, etc.If you go through life thinking people are jealous of you when no one really cares, you're going to have a chip on your shoulder and unneeded stress.

So are you still an undergrad or what? Most master's programs only take 2 years....I'm a little confused. Your details are little on the rambling side and tend to skew the question at hand.Okay, anyway....on to your original question:Acting mature will help, just like everyone is advising, but I think another thing that will help is to be confident in your abilities. YOU got yourself this far in life and obviously your appearance didn't effect you then, don't let it effect you now. YOU know your stuff, so don't let others tell you otherwise. YOU have to be confident and assertive (not to be confused with self-righteous and pushy). I can't do these things for you, no one can. Only YOU can do this for yourself.

Firstly, I'm sorry but hair down the back reminds me of a second - grader. I'd try getting at least a few inches cut off if you really want to look older. However, the issue might not be that you look young for your age. The truth is that your classmates probably do think of you as a child because you're 19. Many of them are probably almost old enough to have children your age, which is why they might not take you seriously. That's life, and part of being an adult. Instead of trying to change your appearance, just keep working, act in a professional manner, and let their condescending remarks roll off your back.

I am sure that you get tired of hearing: "You'll find out that... When you get to be my age.... Oh you don't know, yet ..... Just wait until you get married and then ...."When I had my twins I still looked like I was in my late teens but I was 27. I DID have confidence to be matter of fact with people but you will never be able to control another persons behavior. I had one lady tell me that I had no business with children 'at my age' when I told her my age she thought I was lying. You at least are on par with them socially & intellectually. As far as whether or not its jealousy. Its not. ALL those women are not jealous of you. They didn't successfully get through college undergrad courses & begin their careers then start taking master classes to further those careers acting like a bunch of left brained catty bimbos. That's just your dad trying to pep up his little girl by appealing to what he perceives a female process of association. If you are in class & the conversation turns personal, in a confident, FRIENDLY (not bitchy) voice ask a question about the material at hand. You also really should read: How to Win Friends & Influence People. by: Dale Carnegie Its a book that can help you deal with unpleasant people. It doesn't matter how old it is, trust me.Just so you know generally people don't "go for" their Master's Degree in a particular field until they have COMPLETED a degree program which takes generally 3-4 years. So your original statement coupled with the age qualifiers of your classmates implied that you were currently in a Masters program of study. THAT also implies that your some sort of child genius that is 5-6 years ahead of the game. Now that I have read your comment about how people don't read so well this morning, I think I can safely assume that you are NOT mature enough to take responsibility for your own errors (written or social) but that you are young enough to whine about unfair assumptions other people make about you.Generally if you want people to respect you as a mature young woman stamping an emotional foot, pointing fingers the big meanies and calling the people you asked for help stupid, isn't going to benefit you.Your looks aren't the issue. Your behavior is. YOUR perception is. Its very "high school" to be so worried about your looks & what your peers think. You aren't in control of their behavior only your own. Good luckaddendum: a straw-man-argument - a random fact (not opinion) that is used as evidence to prove a point that deliberately does NOT coincide with the topic at hand. ie: The sky is blue therefore all short people have an IQ of 25. See one has nothing to do with the other. SAHM'S do NOT hate working mothers. That is unfactual, how many SAHM's do you know? Are you a working mother? I thought you said that the fellow class mates were 30-40&50 with careers & kids? That would make the original 'big meanies' working mothers. You are throwing a temper tantrum here equivalent to "I AM NOT A BABY" When the only thing we have been telling you is that YOU are the only one who you can do anything about. You are not getting blasted; we just don't have any reason to coddle you. Your Daddy does though, that's why he's patting your head & enabling a swollen ego instead of actually parenting you by telling you to go to class to get the grade & bump others opinions & quit whining. You are not being completely honest with yourself, quit acting like a victim. Use the information you've been given here to improve yourself instead of pretending like you just got wronged somehow.