Mensan Youth
Maybe it's the same all over.
In my experience, it's hard to find people my age at Mensa events. I know from an earlier post that the majority of Mensans are over 40 (and I'm not), so I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
Attending lunches and events, I always found myself surrounded by people well over 20 years my senior. It's not that I can't chat with these folks (they're always very friendly), but doing so is only infrequently how I'd choose to spend my Friday night on Monday afternoon.
In my local group, we formed a "20-30 something" group....
Has every group around the world faced the same issue? The one of young people not finding others in Mensa within the same generation? Have you tried creating a younger group within a group?
In our 20-30 something group, no one is excluded. Everyone is invited, but the crowd that shows up has, so far, been a young crowd. I honestly don't know what the vibe would be like if a 60 year-old walked through the door. I'd like to think that it would be welcoming. I'd be welcoming. But it wouldn't be as much fun.
With people of the same, more recent, generation, the talk can be about anime, crunchy guitar, blogs, Amy Sedaris, or even sex without it being creepy (no offense to older people, but younger people don't want to talk about sex with you. For all I know, you don't want to talk about sex with us, either).
Because I have no experience with other groups, I don't know whether a 20-30 something group is obvious and used all over, completely new, or not needed at all, and no one knows what I'm talking about.
one comment:
I was 20 when I joined (1979!) and felt a bit like a fish out of water at first but there was a reasonable spread of ages. In the UK there is a Young Mensa group which was for people under 25 (or were a little older but felt as if they were that age!). Maybe you should start one of those?
David () - 26 07 06 - 07:05
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