If Twenty-somethings ‘Twitter,’ why are thirty-somethings bitter?

Entering your 20s is a very exciting time. Specifically, turning 21 years old is liberating because you’re finally allowed to enter a bar and smirk at the bouncer on the way in. Likely, you’re away at college and off the parental dole. But entering the twenty-something era allows you to encounter a whole set of new experiences, such as attending weddings, paying a mortgage, having children, climbing the corporate ladder and so on. Since this is my last year as a twenty-something year old, I wanted to share a few situations that have in fact made me feel excited to leave the 20s.

While in my 20s, I kept realizing that there were a few one liners that I kept hearing over and over again. It is quite possible that you’ve heard these too, so bear with me. Doting bride-to-be’s love to say this to their bridesmaids: “I love that bridesmaid dress on you and the best part about it is that you can wear it again!” I am definitely not alone in cringing when I heard this sentence since 27 dresses came out in theatres not too long ago and Katherine Heigl, the main actress felt my pain. However, she got lucky and made all her bridesmaids wear their own special creations to her wedding.

Next up, is when people find out that I am still in my 20s. They either think that I am extremely tech savvy or a die-hard member of all the social network sites. They expect me to know all the features, how brands interact within the network and what opportunities exist for them to get involved. While I do consider myself knowledgeable about technology in this networked society that we live in and belong to a few social network sites, I am by all means not an expert nor an enthusiastic.

This brings me to all the chatter and articles regarding Twitter. I have been avoiding the whole notion of Twitter, simply because I just don’t have the time to belong to yet another social networking site. Isn’t Friendster and Facbook enough?! Apparently not. So I decided to read the articles and even check out the intro video on Twitter. Recently, I read an eye-opening article in The New York Times, and as a result, I am re-thinking my negative thoughts towards the site. Although I completely agree with the author David Pogue when he says Twitter is “yet another one of those trendy Internet time drains,” I was surprised when I read his examples of Twitter in action. David explains that he was serving on a grant proposal committee, and watched as a fellow judge asked his Twitter followers if a certain project had been tried before. In 15 seconds, his followers replied with Web links to the information he needed. Again, I agree with David when he notes that the reality is that no email message, phone call or website could have achieved the same effect. I didn’t even realize the power that this site could have. This example changed my mind in thinking that the site was a teenage time-killer.

While many twenty-something year olds are active users of social networking sites, the reality is that many older generations are also hooked. There is no age limit to signing up for a site and participating. While turning 30 evokes a different set of feelings and stereotypes all together, the truth is that even though I might not be in the “know-it-all-age-range for social networks” once I turn 30; I will be required to stay up-to-date and sharp with digital trends and the ever-changing media landscape. Maybe it won’t be necessary for me to change my status six times a day though.



P.S. Although, I have not signed up for a Twitter account, I am definitely going to consider doing so. I might just feel over-the-hill if I don’t.