Wondering...what were we all doing at aged 22

[Two_Sheds]

After Jules' thread - http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...air_67709.html

OK, so now I'm wondering ... what were we all doing at 22?

I left home after A levels for my first job and moved 30 miles away to a small room in a man's house in the city: no TV, no phone, no nothing. I was permitted to use the kitchen but only if he was out. I wasn't allowed to use the living room at all, only my own small bedroom. It was awful, so I moved back home, but then had to commute for 2 hrs a day on the bus. I had no money at all for leisure or even new clothes ~ if anything was left after my bills, I put it in the bank for a rainy day.

I was then promoted within the company and had to move 150 miles away, to a strange town and live with strange people (5 to a filthy shared house). That was fairly awful too, but I stuck at it, it was a job. I still had no spare cash, anything I had left after rent went on driving lessons, then on a terrible old car to get me to work and able to visit my family back home. I didn't have holidays, no phone, no computer, no TV, nothing. Just the clothes I stood up in really, my bike (which got nicked) and an awful car which broke down every month.

Little did I know, that was the best-off I was to be for a further 20 years

[zazen999]

When I was 22 I was working in construction, after leaving home with 4 carrier bags of stuff aged 17 in the snow [got the one train that was puffing round Kent to get to my new abode that night], and working 60-70 hours a week to keep a [rented] roof over my head.

I had given up all hope of uni*, and was living in a shared house in Maidstone, walking to work every day from the other side of the city [2 miles - just goggle mapped it], and existing on jacket spuds and noodles. I was allergic to dairy so had no cheese for 10 years.

I had permed hair and was just deciding to make the switch to contact lenses.

I lived with an art student and we used to go to art student parties which were very very hazy.

*I did put myself through uni at the end of my 30s, and loved every minute. Then did post grad diploma and worked my way through the ranks - when I got to the stage of being a director I decided, meh - it wasn't all it was cracked up to be.

I've split this thread from Jules' as it deserves a good old fashioned one of it's own.

[Patchninja]

I was married at 20, baby at 21. I think we lived off minced beef! Husband wasn't over-enthusiastic at work - at one point had 4 part time jobs to help ends meet. Present husband a much better model

[singleseeder]

Married (at 20), living in Edgware, working at the Automobile Association in Stanmore (demolished some years ago).

Also, at 22 I was living through the 3 day week.

[veggiechicken]

At 22, I was a bored Civil Servant, in a rented flat, with a secure and predictable future - definitely not what I wanted. So I became a £10 Pom - along with 3 girlfriends. We each saved £100, flew to Sydney September 9th, had a week in a hostel during which time we all found jobs and moved to a flat in Bondi. As a group, we didn't really gel, so 2 of us went to Tasmania and I had some of the best times of my life there, apple picking, living in a wooden hut, sleeping on the floor, with an outside dunny and no running water. But all the fruit you could eat was free, a pail of milk from the farm cow was left outside the hut every morning and eggs were there for the asking. We lived off the land essentially and I still hanker after that simple way of life I experienced there.
I learnt a lot about myself in the few years I was in Oz, things that have stood me in good stead throughout the rest of my life. At times it seemed rough but I'll never regret that leap into the unknown. Everyone should take that step, the older you are the harder it becomes. Just do it!!

EDIT - In my heart I'm still 22, living that life of freedom and coping with whatever life throws my way. No regrets!

[susieq100]

I was married and living the rural idyll with husband and baby son - cottage in the country, big garden, no car or phone, not a huge amount of money but we were happy. I was a proper 'house-wife' - knitted my own yogurt etc. It didn't last but it was great whilst it did.

[rustylady]

Much the same as Singleseeder, married at 19, baby at 20. I was very popular with the neighbours during the 3 day week because I had a gas cooker.

[Incy]

At 22 I was on a year abroad as part of my university course, working as a language assistant in Corsica. I had a fab flat in a medieval building near the old port in Bastia and only worked 12 hours a week at the school. The rest of the time was my own. It was definitely one of the best years of my life.

[alldigging]

Living in Whalley Range on the dole. Trying to write a novel. Still not written it.

[julesapple]

Gosh....I was in Germany.

Married at 17, everyone presumed we had to get married (and gave it a few months before we divorced) ....but it was three years nearly before we had our first son. I had just completed Uni and moved to Germany because the BH was a personal chef to a very, very, high up Army person, a Lord now. We lived in Celle and I loved it, beautiful Medieval town and we had a flat literally in a garret in a building built in 1576. The BH, at 6ft2 couldn't stand up in most of the rooms. We lived at the other end of Stechbahn, behind the person who took this pic;



We had no garden, but we did have the whole of Germany to explore and great public transport. I miss it still. Anyway, despite family scepticism, we've been married 29 years now.

[PyreneesPlot]

I had just graduated and started working as an archaeologist in Nottingham.
We worked 6 days a week, 8am until 6pm or until it got too dark. We were paid £70 a week (late 1980s) and had accommodation provided in the form of a tent pitch at a campsite. Not so nice by November but I loved it. Somehow we still had enough money (and energy) for the pub several nights a week.

[Thelma Sanders]

Born and bred in East London - I convinced OH we needed to better ourselves, so married and bought a new house in Kent and left the slums behind

Got up at silly o'clock to commute into London on the then still newish M2, in my MiniTraveller

Even then I had a tiny garden with a 6ft x 4ft wood/glass greenhouse where I grew tomatoes in pots LOL

They were happy years - the calm before the storm

[Nicos]

Final year at Uni.
Been going out with my OH for 4 yrs already!
Spent our last loooong Uni holidays travelling round the Greek Islands backpacking.

Then moved back 'home' during the week to be with my mom until OH finished his training...and got my first job in a local large hospital...and passed my driving test!

I seem to recall I was a lot more slender in those days too!

[darcyvuqua]

i was in kuwait/iraq it was 2003 during the beginning of the war/invasion

[WendyC]

I graduated at 22 and started my first teaching job, moved back home with my dad. Was already engaged so spent the year back home with my dad saving up to buy a house with now husband, to save mine and my dad's sanity! Moved int our first 1 bedroom house just before my 23rd birthday and spent the following years trying to get out of negative equity.
Thought the first few years of teaching would be tough and it would get easier as I found my feet. Looking back I work more hours now on 3 days a week than I ever did when I started. How naive I was. On the plus side I have never been unemployed.