discussion Is a 25 year old dating a 18 year old creepy or not?

[Galaxy]

I was talking about this with a friend and she said that by 25 you have a lot of life experience and plenty of people to date so going after someone who just finished high school would be creepy. Thoughts?

[byzantium]

I would not say it is “per se” creepy, however, I would voice reasonable concerns and the obvious red flags. 

[Bosque]

Megacreepy, when I was 25 I never could’ve imagined dating an actual high schooler 

[Illuminati]

Atrl will convince you that dating in general is creepy

[ariananext]

Just now, byzantium said:

I would not say it is “per se” creepy, however, I would voice reasonable concerns and the obvious red flags. 

This. Of course it's not the age gap, it's the phases. At 25 you're done with university and working, at 18 you're yet to graduate from high school. 

 

Like why don't you just date people your age? Are you trying it with someone who's younger and more naive for a reason? I'm 24 and anything younger than 20 is a kid for me. 

[Into The Void]

No. I seen a movie lately where a 16 yr old was dating a 29 yr old so 18 and 25 seems much better lol

[Troll Idle]

Not creepy at all. I dated guys in their 30s when I was 18 and I'm still alright

[Gabriel]

Creepy.

[LVP]

That depends if he calls you daddy 

[BOOMBAYAH]

It depends on the context, but in general, it is...odd. At 22, I see most 18-year-olds as little brother types since you're still quite childlike and naive at that age. I do think if you just hook up with a hot 18/19-year-old, it's whatever, but actually dating and stuff, I don't know. An 18-year-old and a 25-year-old usually want very different things from life, so I don't know how that would work.

[TaggedGalaxy]

I'm 25 and would never date an 18 year old so yeah pretty creepy

[sweetblindness]

I wouldn't necessarily call a relationship between a 25 year-old and an 18 year-old creepy, but I would question it. A 25 year-old and an 18 year-old are worlds apart in life experience IMO and I would question the intentions of the 25 year-old and what compelled them to date someone literally fresh out of high school.

[DemDam92]

How is this creepy? Absolutely not

[HEAVYONIT]

It's not creepy I guess but it's weird. A 25 year old should have no interest in someone who is as immature/inexperienced as an 18 year old. 

[Orsay]

Yeah, that’s a weird gap. But I’m so tired of these threads tbh  Some people take the age gap policing too far for sure, whenever I see a person 25+ being made out to be the victim of an age gap i feel like the internet is making people insane

[BOOMBAYAH]

3 minutes ago, Troll Idle said:

Not creepy at all. I dated guys in their 30s when I was 18 and I'm still alright

This is your prerogative, but whenever older men approached me when I was 18 to 20, I was always so turned off. To me, it felt like they weren't impressive enough to attract guys around their age, so they would try to impress a naive 18-year-old who's easily impressed and very horny.

[Reginald]

I'd say that's right at the threshold. But, when the 25 y/o turns 30, will they still want to be with a 23 y/o? Seems like a relationship that probably wouldn't last, but if it did last it would be progressively less weird.

Example, if they ended up lasting until they were 35 and 28, that would be perfectly normal.

 

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Reginald

[Johnny Jacobs]

Not creepy if he met her after she turned 18 not before 

[vale9001]

Just let people **** 

[Joyride]

very creepy.

[zasderfght]

You're going to get (mostly) these responses: 

 

1. That's grooming!!! That 25 year old is a pedo!!!

2. Let adults do adult things 

 

My train of thought is this: an 18 and 25 year old are probably not going to last-- sorry, but I have life experience with age gaps in dating, especially when I was younger (I dated or hooked up with older guys in my younger 20s, not the other way around). 

 

If they're hooking up, it's not my business. 

 

The more you focus on you and your relationship & not what other consenting adults do (whether the choice is destructive or constructive to their wellbeing), the happier off you will be. Obviously intervene if it's abuse or assault, but if it's just a scenario you find yourself uncomfortable with, either ask your friends to stop telling you about their hookups or get friends that don't do this stuff. 

[ICLDXU4HS]

Not as creepy as anyone that'd be up in their business. 

[Mania]

Questionable? Yes Creepy? A little bit.

[Hi-res]

12 minutes ago, Troll Idle said:

Not creepy at all. I dated guys in their 30s when I was 18 and I'm still alright

 

OT: I dated a 27 year old when I was 18. Back then I thought it was fine, but reflecting back on that relationship, I realized how weird it was. We had very little in common. I was just graduating high school, and he was well established in his career, with his own house and everything. It gives me the ick. I cant even imagine dating a 18 year old nowadays. 

 

So to answer your question, yes it is creepy. 

 

18 minutes ago, ariananext said:

Like why don't you just date people your age?

Period.

[Indie]

I wouldn't say creepy, but it sounds awful. At 26, I see 18 year olds as "kids" still - legally adults, but certainly not mature enough to be a partner.