Each decade of life is marked by distinct challenges, moments of joy and new adventures. As we evolve and grow, the differences between those decades start to feel totally stark.
That’s how the funny folks on Twitter make it seem, anyway. Below, we’ve rounded up 25 relatable tweets that sum up the difference between your 20s, 30s and 40s (with a few nods to the teen years as well) ― from personal goals and hobbies to what socialising looks like.
20s: he is smart, funny, and hot, he’s my soulmate.
— Just J (@junejuly12) January 13, 2019
30s: he loves kids and dogs, he’s my soulmate.
40s: we have the same third favourite colour, he’s my soulmate.
In my 20s: I want a social life, a relationship and adventure!
— Abby Heugel (@AbbyHasIssues) September 21, 2021
In my 30s: I want a career, a house and stability!
In my 40s: I want snacks, the couch and everyone to leave me the heck alone.
[shopping for clothes]
— mark (@TheCatWhisprer) July 16, 2019
in my 20s: i want to look good
in my 30s: i want to be sensible
in my 40s: i don’t want to feel any fabric pressing into my body anywhere
HOBBIES
— Ken Jennings (@KenJennings) June 6, 2019
in my 20s: hiking, painting
in my 30s: board games, travel
in my 40s: singing the wrong numbers in the lyrics to "Seasons of Love" from Rent to infuriate my daughter
Catching up with friends in my 20s: How are you?
— Jessie (@mommajessiec) January 8, 2022
Catching up with friends in my 30s: How are your kids?
Catching up with friends in my 40s: How is your gallbladder?
My evolution as a leader:
— Nick Mehta (@nrmehta) July 13, 2020
Me in my 20s: "What's the playbook for this?"
Me in my 30s: "Here's the playbook for this."
Me in my 40s: "There is no playbook for this."
20s: I don't have any weekend plans. :(
— Nina Bargiel, probably (@slackmistress) April 2, 2016
30s: I don't have any weekend plans?
40s: I don't have any weekend plans! 🎉💃🏻🍾
Morning after a night out:
— Kendra Alvey 👻 (@Kendragarden) December 28, 2016
Teens: That was fun yay
20s: Sorta tired lol
30s: Oof I got puffy eyes
40s: My face has been replaced by a potato
20s - Friends talk about best happy hours in town.
— Rachel Sobel (@whinecheezits) August 4, 2022
30s - Friends talk about best mortgage lender in town.
40s - Friends talk about best gastroenterologist in town, and then go on to enlighten each other about the gory details of colonoscopy prep.
20s me: i don’t like that, but I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable
— Celeste Yvonne (@ultmomchallenge) April 20, 2019
30s me: Hmmm, that’s not OK
40s me: Ohhh hell no. Not on my watch
my 20s: if i eat that nothing bad will happen
— mark (@TheCatWhisprer) August 20, 2019
my 30s: if i eat that i’ll gain weight
my 40s: if i eat that it’s gonna hurt
20s: Living with a roommate isn’t so bad.
— Ms. Havisham (@MissHavisham) September 19, 2018
30s: All roommates are psychotic and I want to live alone forever.
40s (living with Husband, Mother & her cat, Kids): All roommates are psychotic and I...
20's me at a concert: "Woohoo!"
— Ben Boven (@benboven1) April 27, 2023
40's me at a concert: "I'm surprised there's grass on this field at all. All this beer spillage can't be good for the turf. Must be Fescue. I don't think Bermuda could take this abuse."
Maintaining Weight:
— Kendra Alvey 👻 (@Kendragarden) June 17, 2018
20s: I don’t eat candy at the movies anymore, just buttered popcorn.
30s: I only drink beer on the weekend.
40s: The only thing I’m allowed to eat is cruciferous vegetables between the hours of 2pm and 4pm on weekdays.
2 am in your 20s: There must be some alcohol somewhere in this apartment I can drink.
— Elie Mystal (@ElieNYC) October 6, 2021
2 am in your 30s: There must be some alcohol in my liquor cabinet I can drink.
2 am in your 40s: There must be some alcohol in my liquor cabinet I can drink that won't give me acid reflux.
Me in my 20s: Young
— Sweet Momissa (@sweetmomissa) July 26, 2019
Me in my 30s: Young and the Restless
Me in my 40s: Young and the Restless Leg Syndrome
your twenties are for partying, your thirties for getting sober and your forties? that’s for napping
— ely kreimendahl (@ElyKreimendahl) September 11, 2021
Your best friend
— maura quint (possibly parody sometimes depending) (@behindyourback) May 1, 2015
Teens: See them EVERY DAY or it's over
20s: You see them most
30s: You catch up w/them most
40s: Think they're still alive?
Thurs night happy hour
— Robert Knop (@FatherWithTwins) May 12, 2017
In 20s: This is lame, but tomorrow'll rock
In 30s: IT'S THE BEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE
In 40s: It's 8, I should go home
Teens: let’s get high and walk around aimlessly
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) December 29, 2017
20s: let’s get high and make art
30s: let’s get high and fuck
40s: let’s get high and see the Winston Churchill biopic
Me in my 20s: Im probably just hungover
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) June 26, 2021
Me in my 30s: I’m probably just sick
Me in my 40s: I’m probably just dying
20s: I'm going to change the world
— PunchyK (@AnkCoupleTO) July 24, 2017
30s: I'm going to change my life
40s: [changes TV] how in the fuck does this new remote work?
In my twenties my bras had 2 hooks in the back.
— Angelia (@nyapplegirl) February 25, 2021
In my thirties my bras had 3 hooks in the back.
Now in my forties my bras have 4 hooks in the back.
I'm a little afraid to see what happens in 8 more years.
Teen me watching Breakfast Club: I don't know. I guess I'm Allison.
— David Vienna (@davidvienna) July 27, 2021
20s me watching Breakfast Club: Man, I'm totally Bender.
30s me watching Breakfast Club: Wait, am I Brian?
40s me watching Breakfast Club: Oh, fuck. I'm Vernon.
In my 20s: i need to do that
— mark (@TheCatWhisprer) July 23, 2022
In my 30s: i should do that
In my 40s: i'm not doing that