For those of you out there who look older than you actually are, you know it can be a blessing and a curse. I have always looked older than my age. This is because of different factors such as how I carry myself or how I talk, or even how I dress. It’s led to some funny stories and some situations where it just felt weird.

One of my favorites is when I’m going to lunch at the university’s cafeteria and a tour of high school seniors is going through and asks what I teach or they ask someone else what I teach. It’s even better when a student who is already enrolled at the university calls me a professor. Granted, there aren’t many college students who go around wearing suits all the time. It also probably doesn’t help that I have unique facial hair. But no matter what, when it happens, it makes me chuckle.

I finally turned twenty-one a few weeks ago. Now, I can’t wait for someone to card me because I know I’m legal. But do they? No. Not all the time at least. Granted, most people would be thrilled to not be carded, and don’t get me wrong I am, but the fact that I look older made me think back to how much I could’ve done. Either way I’m happy I didn’t. I feel like someone in their fifties when someone cards me. I think “Oh they think I look young.” Then I realize that some places they really have to no matter what. But what I think makes me feel better so I’ll just stick with that.

The absolute best/worst thing that has happened because of my older looks is where I get most of my stories from. I’ve been told on multiple occasions that I look like a dad. By no means am I even close to being a dad.

It doesn’t help that a few of my friends look younger and when I go out I look like their dad. That I can deal with. Except one time I was confused for being my girlfriend’s dad. Which means apparently, I look forty. I know I don’t look forty. I’ve been called thirty before, but never forty. However, one of the best things came out of those situations. I have a free pass to say dad jokes because I look like a dad. I mean, what more could a person want? A pass on making really obviously bad jokes, and saying it the way a dad would, that’s incredibly hysterical, in my opinion.

Overall, looking older isn’t a bad thing. At this point I’ve embraced it. I’m an old soul anyway. If you look older than you are, you know it leads to some funny stories and some laughs. While it can get to you now and then, just remember you can make dad jokes because you can get away with it.