So I am in my 20s and I have a full time job but every single day on the metro I see people my age and older obviously unemployed prancing around without a care in the world.
Is this situation unique to my generation?
Both of my parents started working full time jobs after they finished school.
My mother started working after she finished the university and my father joined the military right after graduating from high school.

These pictures were taken right here in the DC area during regular 9-5 weekday work week hours.

Perhaps they are gainfully employed and just don't have a traditional schedule? My first full time job was Saturday - Wednesday 1:30 - 10:30.

Or maybe they are students?

You could just try to figure out how YOU can have some fun and ignore them...

Well I guess anything is possible but to spend your entire day off from your full time job sitting outside of a metro station reading a book just does not make sense to me.
I have also seen several of the same people well over the age of 25 skateboarding during regular weekday working hours and also during evenings and weekends too. Something just does not add up here.
Does holding dowm a full time job in my 20s make me look old fashioned?

If you see these people everyday, well, since they are right there, literally right in front of you. Simply ask them.

Well I do not need to ask because one of them is related to me on my mother's side of the family.
She tried to extend her college studies well into her 30s until her immediate family finally got fed up with her and said enough is enough already and they forced her into finding a full time job.

I am 24 yo myself and have been living/supporting myself since 17. I know exactly how you feel. I had so many loser friends that used to party and smoke pot all day and guess what? they still do!!! most of them are now unemployed parents or have been in and out of jail on stupid charges. On the other hand I have friends that already own a home,car, have a career ect . I still work 60 hours and put away 1-3k a month. Dont be discouraged, all that means is you realize your priorities and have the discipline.

"Does holding dowm a full time job in my 20s make me look old fashioned?"

No. It makes you look responsible - like you should be.

Having said that, if you have always had a burning desire to do something or be something, do it in your 20s while you still have a chance. Otherwise, you'll need to wait till retirement.

@OP - Dunno about the coffee table ppl - they could be working on a project and have a quarter million liquid in-between them for all I know LoLz. But the bums with the signs? They are the leftovers from the Occupy bullshit. That's what you are seeing. Y'know - ppl who'd rather sit around and do nothing and act like they are helping the world by loitering rather than join Peace Corp and actually do something.

I worked full time while going to classes at night at GMU. My situation was rare but there were a few others in my classes in the same boat. I never thought that it was someone elses job to pay my way but that seems to be what this nation have come to especially under the current administration.

Gordon Blvd Wrote:
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> Y'know - ppl who'd rather sit
> around and do nothing and act like they are
> helping the world by loitering rather than join
> Peace Corp and actually do something.




This particular breed of human usually has a trust fund....

2 cents Wrote:
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> "Does holding dowm a full time job in my 20s make
> me look old fashioned?"
>
> No. It makes you look responsible - like you
> should be.

Just to clarify, holding a full-time job in your 20s doesn't make you special. It simply means you aren't a parasite. You don't ask if it makes you old fashioned because you believe that. You ask because you want affirmation (of what, I'm not sure). Perhaps that having a job makes it okay that you don't have an active social life?

I don't look down on the people in my classes who are living at home having their parents pay their way and complain about the amount of work they have to do. I work 40 hours and go to school full-time all year - have for the past 2 years straight and all I feel is sorry that these kids won't know what it's like to truly work hard until they reach the real world when which will kick 'em so hard in the balls they'll be struggling to stand on their own for the majority of their lives. Blame the parents too, they should be forcing their kids to work hard or GTFO. Join the military or work hard in HS to get into a 4-year college. Those are going to be my kids options.

Whats going on? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So I am in my 20s and I have a full time job but
> every single day on the metro I see people my age
> and older obviously unemployed prancing around
> without a care in the world.
> Is this situation unique to my generation?
> Both of my parents started working full time jobs
> after they finished school.
> My mother started working after she finished the
> university and my father joined the military right
> after graduating from high school.

I am really not trying to be a smart ass here. This is WASHINGTON, D.C. We are #1 in the world to everyone (well, LOL). My guess is what you are seeing are Tourist's. From Iowa, Europe, whatever. Think about it.

No I can tell the difference between tourists and people who live here locally.

Whats going on? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So I am in my 20s and I have a full time job but
> every single day on the metro I see people my age
> and older obviously unemployed prancing around
> without a care in the world.
> Is this situation unique to my generation?
> Both of my parents started working full time jobs
> after they finished school.
> My mother started working after she finished the
> university and my father joined the military right
> after graduating from high school.

they may be employed part-time or evening hours. my neighbor's 26 yo daughter is out and about during the day, but she works the hours of 4-12 in retail.

There are a lot of kids who are taking a break before they go to work. Their jobs don't start immediately upon grduation, or they didn't secure jobs before they graduated. They'll be out and about for several months before they latch onto a full-time position or go to graduate school.

Ben Braddock Wrote:
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> There are a lot of kids who are taking a EXTENDED break
> before they go to work. Their jobs don't start
> immediately upon grduation, or they didn't SEARCH
> jobs before they graduated. They'll be out and
> about for YEARS before they latch onto a
> full-time position or go to graduate school.

FIXED

you dont have a clue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whats going on? Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > So I am in my 20s and I have a full time job
> but
> > every single day on the metro I see people my
> age
> > and older obviously unemployed prancing around
> > without a care in the world.
> > Is this situation unique to my generation?
> > Both of my parents started working full time
> jobs
> > after they finished school.
> > My mother started working after she finished
> the
> > university and my father joined the military
> right
> > after graduating from high school.
>
> they may be employed part-time or evening hours.
> my neighbor's 26 yo daughter is out and about
> during the day, but she works the hours of 4-12 in
> retail.

How do you know her schedule?

Do you check out her Facebook page on a daily basis too?

Genevieve totally nailed it.

Genevieve Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 2 cents Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > "Does holding dowm a full time job in my 20s
> make
> > me look old fashioned?"
> >
> > No. It makes you look responsible - like you
> > should be.
>
> Just to clarify, holding a full-time job in your
> 20s doesn't make you special. It simply means you
> aren't a parasite. You don't ask if it makes you
> old fashioned because you believe that. You ask
> because you want affirmation (of what, I'm not
> sure). Perhaps that having a job makes it okay
> that you don't have an active social life?

Signatures are for fags

I blame MTV....

Kids who have been spoiled all their lives and continue to leech off their parents.

Some people work swing shifts and are out in the early afternoon before they head off to work.

FIXED Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ben Braddock Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There are a lot of kids who are taking a
> EXTENDED break
> > before they go to work. Their jobs don't start
> > immediately upon grduation, or they didn't
> SEARCH
> > jobs before they graduated. They'll be out and
> > about for YEARS before they latch onto a
> > full-time position or go to graduate school.
>
> FIXED

Depends a lot on where you want to school and what you majored in. If you went to GMU or JMU, odds are 1 in 5 that you're still looking for work.