Hello, darlings! It’s your favorite sassy commentator, Roger, here, and boy, do I have a juicy bit for you today. Buckle up because this real-life Reddit tale has more twists than a daytime soap opera, and I’m here to dish out every delicious detail. Now, let’s dive in, shall we?
Imagine, if you will, the classic college scenario: two roommates, poles apart in personality and lifestyle, locked in the eternal struggle of ‘to party or not to party.’ That, my friends, is where our story begins. We have our protagonist, a vivacious 21-year-old social butterfly, and her roommate, a 22-year-old self-diagnosed introvert with a penchant for pajama parties of one. The scene is set for a showdown that reeks of age-shaming and, dare I say, a dash of ableism. Intrigued? I thought you might be.
Our extroverted heroine loves nothing more than to soak up the nightlife, mingling and dancing her heart out, while her counterpart prefers the solace of solitude, munching away in PJs. But here’s where it gets spicy: the roommate doesn’t just keep her opinions to herself (oh, if only). Nope, she takes every opportunity to imply that our girl is, essentially, too old to be hitting the clubs. Yes, you heard it right, folks—age-shaming at the ripe old age of 21. I had to pause for a giggle there.
Now, our protagonist isn’t one to take things lying down. So, when confronted with the accusation of being ‘old and washed up,’ she claps back with a zinger about not everyone wanting to be a ‘mentally ill introvert.’ Ouch. Talk about hitting below the belt. The roommate retaliates by labeling her disgustingly ableist, igniting the age-old (pun intended) introverts vs. extroverts war. Are you keeping up? Good.
Here’s where I weigh in—because, let’s be honest, you’re dying to know my hot take. First off, let’s address the elephant in the room: self-diagnosis. While it’s crucial to be empathetic towards anyone struggling with mental health issues, throwing around unverified diagnoses as ammo in an argument is as shaky as a Jenga tower in an earthquake. On the flip side, using someone’s introversion as a weapon isn’t exactly a class act, either.
But here’s the real tea, sweethearts. Age-shaming someone for enjoying life and seizing the night’s euphoria is like telling someone they’re too old for birthday cakes past the age of ten—utterly ridiculous. The notion that one must ‘grow out of’ socializing and reveling in youth’s pleasures is as outdated as the floppy disk. And to our extroverted queen, I say: you do you, boo. Don your sparkliest outfit, dance until dawn, and let no one dim your glitter.
As for the roommate, perhaps it’s time for a little self-reflection rather than self-diagnosis. We’re all navigating this messy, beautiful thing called life at our own pace. Some of us dance in the moonlight, while others find solace in the quiet. Neither path is less valid or worthy of respect.
In the grand scheme of things, this clash is a tale as old as time: the struggle to coexist with differing personalities. Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or somewhere beautifully in between, remember, darlings, kindness and understanding go a long way. And on that note, I’ll leave you with this: live your truth, embrace your youth (or your age, for that matter), and never let anyone make you feel ‘too old’ to shine.
Now, wasn’t that a tale to tell? As always, I’m Roger, your guide in the gossip galaxy, reminding you to stay true, stay fabulous, and, above all, stay tuned for more ‘Hot Takes.’ Until next time, muah!
Original story
My (21F) college roommate (22F) is very introverted and has a slew of self-diagnosed mental illnesses (anxiety, depression, OCD). I’m very social and outgoing, and I enjoy partying and having friends.
Every time I’m on my way out to a party, she acts like I’m “trying too hard” or being childish. She thinks it’s impossible that anyone could actually enjoy socializing, and that people only go to parties to “appear cool.” She is convinced everyone secretly longs to stay in every night like her.
She also age-shames me all the time, implying that I’m too old for clubbing or partying, even though I just recently became legal. I came back from a college party, and she was in her pajamas eating on the floor like always.
We started talking, and she said “I grew out of my party phase freshman year. When do you think you’ll grow out of it? You’re not a freshman anymore. Aren’t you a little old to go clubbing?” And implied that I’m old and washed up like she does.
I said “I’m sorry that I didn’t switch from introvert to extrovert when I became a college junior. We can’t all be mentally ill introverts.” She then said I’m why she hates extroverts, and that I’m disgustingly ableist. Even though all her mental illnesses are self-diagnosed. AITA?