Gen Z ageism is really starting to piss me off

And I'm saying this as someone who was born in 2001, so unfortunately very much a Zoomer myself.

When I was an orientation leader in university, I do remember some of the first years acted a little taken aback after finding out I was 21, but I didn't think much of that. But after 22, it started showing more and more. Literally on my birthday in 2023 I had more than a couple of comments like "wow hbd...but you're actually getting up in age now". Later that year, I was talking to a couple of girls outside a bar and they asked if I was an "03", and when I said "no I'm 22" they shrieked and started to grimace...they were only 3 years younger than me.

Past that has been even worse. The way people who are only a couple of years younger than me will widen their eyes and seem disgusted when they realize I'm not 21 is honestly so disheartening. A couple months ago, a 20 year old intern said she felt "uncomfortable working with so many people pushing 25" in reference to most of us being 23-24. And the other day I saw a post that said "When you realize people born in 2000-2002 aren't really young anymore" get 100k likes and all the comments were filled with people who unironically believed life is over at 23.

And I know someone will tell me that Millennials were the same way, but zoomer ageism is more aggressive. Instead of thinking you're just older, they think you're less worthy of respect. And cause of this I know so many people who genuinely feel like shit when they turn 23-25. I myself have been feeling "washed up" since my birthday on January which I feel like wouldn't have been the case if I was born 10 years earlier. It makes me feel sad.

Idk if Gen Alpha will be worse or better. But Zoomers born in the mid 2000s are a lost cause.