“Most people look at me and see a spunky, strong woman who doesn’t look her age.

Still, I am constantly judging myself compared with what I physically was.”

Getting older is strange.

Patricia Arquette in "Boyhood" reading a book to her children

Some days I feel as if I’m still a sprightly 18-year-old.

So far, aging has been full of surprises for me.

So I recently asked theBuzzFeed Communityaboutthe misconceptionsthey’ve had around the concept of aging.

Woman in blue jeans standing on one foot on a cement floor

Here’s how people responded.

I don’t ever take that well, LOL.

Seeing fashion that I remember as a kid or teen coming back around is wild.

A woman running on a road

I used to really care about all of these things and kept up with all the trends.

It made me realize that I’m no longer the audience for these things, and that’s fine.

Anonymous

3.

A woman sitting on the floor in a bra and underwear

I eat pretty consciously, and I stretch and exercise four or five times per week.

Despite all this, I am happier in my body than I was when I was younger."

“I was surprised at how quickly I turned on the younger generations.

Samantha from "Sex and The City" talking on an old-fashioned corded phone

I suddenly found everyone in their 20s to be very annoying.

“I am an incredibly harsh critic of my body as I age.

Still, I constantly judge myself compared with what I physically was.”

Noah and Allie from "The Notebook" sitting on a bench

“The misconception that menopause means the end of being a woman.

I come from Asia, where people dont really talk about it.

I didnt know whether to cry or laugh.”

Ray Romano and his mother in "Everybody Loves Raymond"

I believe her character was at least in her mid-40s at the time.

I figured this would happen to everyone eventually, but not so SOON.

I didn’t start any kind of skincare or workout routine until I was well into my 30s.

A bride and groom exchanging rings

I feel a million times better for it too.

I quit smoking, I quit drinking every single night, etc.

That cannot be further from the truth.

Joey and Ross from "Friends" asleep, cuddling on the couch

You still have a perfectly strong body that you could move, so do it!

morganleslay

9.

“The idea of ‘forever.’

Person calling for help on airplane

I thought ‘forever’ was a goal.

Id find the perfect partner, and we would be together forever.

“How differently you’re treated in the workplace.

Julia Roberts eating pizza in "Eat Pray Love"

simplysarahish

11.

“As I get older, watching parents and grandparents age is one of the strangest things.

It’s strange and slightly unsettling to watch this gradual shift happen.

A grocery cart in a supermarket aisle

But I’m realizing more and more that where that shift occurs is extremely gradual and imperceptible.”

angrycoyote45

13.

“That adults don’t actually know what they’re doing.

A person removing a slice of pizza from a large pie

Adults don’t know everything.

flyerboy6

15.

“My energy level.

A woman showing her gray roots

Im 41, and I am blown away at how different I feel from even 10 years ago.

And by ‘different,’ I mean exhausted.

“My ability (and desire) to drink alcohol.

A mother and daughter in "Are You There God, It's Me Margaret?"

Now, in my early 30s, alcohol really affects my sleep.

Plus, I’ll be nursing a headache after a mere two glasses of wine.

I also don’t have any interest in drinking the way I used to.

I’ll enjoy one cocktail with dinner, and then I’m done for the evening.

Hannah Loewentheil

17.

“I’ve lost a lot of my ambition as I age.

I always thought I would continue traveling.

I’ve been to 42 states, and I planned to visit the remaining eight, plus Puerto Rico.

But traveling as I did when I was younger isn’t really important to me anymore.

I always envisioned that I’d take every class, from astronomy to astrology.

I’ve been retired for almost six years and haven’t even looked at what classes are available.”

18.“Hair.

I found a 3-inch-long hair in my eyebrow, yet I’m going bald on my head.”

c49a679543

19.

“I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the mental and emotional development that comes with aging.

I became less anxious about what others think about my appearance.

Its been very liberating.

Hopefully, this is something younger women can look forward to as well.

It does get better!”

starrcrossed

21.

“I’m 37, and I still don’t feel like an adult.

I do all the ‘adult things,’ like paying bills, cooking, buying groceries, etc.

But I still don’t feel like a real adult.

technicallyworking23

23.

I never even thought about this when I was younger.

And I havent had a drop of alcohol in over six years now.

I was always a light social drinker, but suddenly, alcohol started tasting really bitter to me.

I took that as a sign that my body was telling me I shouldnt drink it anymore.”

“Im always shocked at how young the models look when I see makeup ads.

I used to think they looked so old when I was a kid.

“How the process of aging can differ so greatly for different people.

I got my first gray hairs at 25.

I can feel it in my knee!'

Welp, I get migraines and joint pain from pressure changes now.”

Alex F

27.And finally, “Recognizing that I am fully turning into my mother.

I’ve pretty much become a boomer!”

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.