International Youth Day 2023 was on Saturday, August 12. To celebrate, I asked some newly inducted 30+ members how they feel about arriving on the third floor of their youth.
These individuals still feel youthful at heart even though Nigeria鈥檚 restricts youths to those aged 18-29 years.
鈥淪omething about beans doesn鈥檛 agree with me anymore鈥 鈥 Adeniji*, 30
Because of the 30-plus jokes flying around, it registered in my subconscious that I should pay extra attention to my health once I turn 30. I don鈥檛 know if I鈥檓 overthinking it, but it鈥檚 weird that my stomach can鈥檛 hold down beans anymore. I noticed this about two months after I turned 30. Once I eat beans, it鈥檚 the toilet straight. Until now, I can鈥檛 remember ever worrying about toilet troubles whenever I ate beans.
鈥淚 feel the same as I felt when I was 20鈥 鈥 Divine*, 31
I鈥檓 here now and nothing feels different than it did when I was in my 20s. I roll my eyes when I read the 30-plus banter on Twitter. Or maybe it鈥檚 too early to tell but even my friends and family think I don鈥檛 act or look my age.
鈥淚鈥檒l stay 29 for a while鈥 鈥 Kenneth*, 30
I turned 30 in February, but no one really knows, apart from my family members and close friends. I didn鈥檛 celebrate it. There鈥檚 just something about turning this age that rattled me, like I鈥檓 running out of time. By 30, I was going to have my own house, car, a steady paying job, and just have my life together, but none of that has happened. The only way to keep my sanity is by blatantly refusing to accept this age. So, I鈥檝e pressed pause and will stay 29 for a while.
鈥淚t鈥檚 only on the inside I feel like something has changed鈥 鈥 Lynda*, Early 30s
My body hasn鈥檛 changed much. My face hasn鈥檛 aged since I clocked 25. It鈥檚 only on the inside that I feel like something changed. My knees are annoyingly weak now; they keep giving out whenever I attempt to dance, sit for a bit or stand for long. I鈥檓 also taking my health much more seriously now, taking supplements and sleeping early.
鈥淚 should鈥檝e been vocal about my work in my 20s鈥 鈥 Dimeji*, 30
I鈥檝e realised that there are things I could have done better in my 20s. I should鈥檝e been more vocal about my work. I envy the Gen Zs who find it easy to carry their work on their heads. I think some of us grew up with the mentality that you鈥檙e being unnecessarily proud if you do that, but these days, you have to speak for your work before it speaks for itself. Meanwhile, the statement about 30+ people wanting rest with lots of peace of mind is true. The best time of the day is when I lay on my bed to sleep.
鈥淎 new kind of horny I can鈥檛 explain鈥 鈥 James*, Early 30s
Why didn鈥檛 anyone say anything about the random boners and urge to have sex almost every day once you turn 30, or is it just a me thing? My wife actually noticed first. Usually, we鈥檇 go at it twice a week, and it wasn鈥檛 because we had a schedule, it was just something that worked for us. This pattern has changed a lot since I turned 30. It鈥檚 like I just want to ejaculate every time. It鈥檚 so bad that I’ve had to help myself sometimes because I didn鈥檛 want to disturb my wife. Hopefully, it passes soon sha because I鈥檓 getting worried. I didn鈥檛 use to be this crazy about sex and orgasms.
鈥淓very conversation with my dad now leads to marriage talk鈥 鈥 Bidemi*, Early 30s
My dad used to be patient with me, but e be like say the man don dey taya, cos pressure don dey. Every conversation with him now leads to marriage talk. I鈥檓 not bothered by it because I know how to handle him. There was this particular year I didn鈥檛 go home for eight months. He had to beg me to come back. However, even I can鈥檛 wait to be married, and I鈥檓 hopeful that it will happen this year, in Jesus鈥檚 name.
