"Is 35 still considered young?": People share their views on what the 'prime' years of life really are, and the answers are intriguing, to say the least.

The World Health Organization and the United Nations both define 'old age' as beginning at 60.

Despite this, people often ponder what age others consider to be 'old.' When an anonymous Quora user asked if most people still view 35 as 'young,' here’s what they had to say...

"As a 15-year-old, I might not be in the best position to give an answer, but I’ll share my thoughts anyway. In my view, 35 is still young; someone who's 35 hasn’t even reached the halfway point of their life. Physically, a person peaks around 25, so a 35-year-old is just 10 years past their prime."

"In my opinion, age is a feeling. You may be 35 and feel so old due to a lack of joy, care, and attention and the eternal feeling of struggle and lack. A 60-year-old man could dance and live happily, feeling like a teenager. There are many misconceptions about age and physical condition. Age is a cycle of life, while aging is growing or transitioning through life’s changing moments, which in turn puts you in a world of feelings (desirable or not). At this point, how you feel about yourself internally will be reflected outwardly and interpreted according to the level of responsibility you dedicate towards your physical appearance. My recommendation is to love yourself at all times. Your age doesn’t define you because deep within, you never change, but your experiences are growing, and times are moving fast. The wet turns dry, and old things become new again."

"For the sake of argument, let's assume you will live 100 years. Many more people make it there considering all of the technological and medical advances. Now, we will break 100 years into the four seasons — spring, summer, fall and winter..."

"The first 25 years are like the spring season. Everything is young and tender, like the little buds that sprout on the trees. The first flowers bloom. Many animals give birth in spring. Most of your book learning will end, and experiential learning will begin.

Human summer spans from ages 26 to 50. These are the years of maturity, still brimming with youth. Trees reach full bloom, and young birds take flight from their nests. It's during these years that most of life's significant decisions should be made.

Fall comes quickly. The years from 51 to 75 mark human autumn. Hair falls like leaves from trees. By this time, hopefully, you'll have reached your peak earnings and be settling into retirement (if you've managed your finances wisely). It's often during this phase that autumners welcome grandchildren, a vivid reminder of the energy of spring.

When winter arrives, you'll be between 76 and 100. If you've taken care of your health, you might still get around fairly well, but it will be clear that things have become more difficult. Hair thins, and some great-grandchildren might even appear!

And so, we reach the end of the seasons. That 33-year-old you're asking about? They're nowhere near halfway through summer—still just a young pup, really. I hope my answer has been helpful and that I’ve addressed your question!

—Memaw, Quora user

"Yes! It definitely is. Although you might feel otherwise, it is your subjective feeling. I felt old at 27, which is ridiculous, of course. I had a reason: clinical depression. I was sure that I was looking old. It was cognitive distortion. I am 35 now, still battling depression, but 35 feels so young in comparison with *that* 27. So, 35 is young, and it is a very good age – you are young, but you have experience. If you ask me, this is the best age."

"I would say 35 is young because a 35-year-old today could expect to live to 90+ (with the likely improvements in rejuvenating medicine, I think it will be significantly more), so he or she is only just over a third of their way through life. Having said that, we start to physically decline at around 30, but there are people at 75 who are still very functional. I guess it depends on the person, but I think many people are fairly shot by 50 if they don't look after themselves."

"Absolutely! I had my only child at 38. I went back to school for my MBA at 48 and an associate's degree in accounting at 52, all while working. I earned my CPA at 55. I enjoy movies and dancing with friends. I left my controller role at an IT firm last year because I couldn't sit for long hours due to back issues. I'll stay young for as long as I live because of my mindset. Life is there to be lived, learned from, and worked hard at to reap the rewards. I've had two careers, lived in four states, and might move to a fifth to be closer to my son and his family. I plan to attend rock and jazz concerts until the end, and when my time comes, I'll have a celebration of life with live music at my funeral."

"It's all relative. To a 21-year-old, 16 seems young, and 30 seems old. To someone 55, 40 looks young. And for a 90-year-old, 70 appears young by comparison. So, embrace whatever age you are now, so you can look back and remember how much fun you had when you were young."

"Depending on where and what you’re reading, 'young' or 'youth' has quite a few differing scales. Usually, adulthood is said to start at 18 legally in most places. 18–29 is usually considered young adult. But I’ve seen scales where it is 15–29, too. I’ve seen 18–35 at other times. I’ll admit, as I’ve gotten older, I keep sliding, favoring the larger scales just to feel better about it. This will sound cliché, but age is just a number. What you make of it matters, and how you treat yourself can make all the difference. I’ve seen people who were 25 who look, feel, and act 45. And I’ve seen 80-year-olds with the spirit of and better attitude than 20-year-olds."

And here’s this individual’s personal take on age:

"35 is still young, but not 'young young.' Perhaps we could call it the 'middle-aged young.'"

A breakdown from a personal perspective:

20s — the 'young young' phase

30s — the 'middle-aged young' phase

40s — the 'old young' phase -> [second half] marks the transition into middle age

50s — the middle-aged years

60s — the 'old middle-aged' stage, transitioning into old age

70s — the 'young old' phase

80s — the 'middle-aged old' years, marking the transition into 'old old'

The 90s — that era long gone, but still unforgettable.

For me, the best years have been in my 40s and 70s. Staying fit brings so much to look forward to.

— Annie Gottlieb, Quora user

Now, it's your turn. When do you think someone is considered 'old' and what are your general thoughts on aging? Share your perspective in the comments!