What is a "long time" to you?

Question

I notice that as years in one's life accumulate, the definition of "a while" changes.

For instance, those in their teens and 20s might have a 2-5 year long term relationship, which is a long time relative to their age and life experience. But those who are older who have been married for 30 years have a whole nother definition of "long term relationship" that younger people can't comprehend relative to our age.

Those who are young and have worked at a place for 3 years feel they are permanent or long-term employees. Yet older people who have had more than 1 or 2 jobs will attest that being employed for that amount of time is more transitory than the young person realizes.

There are many more examples to give. So how do you define "a long time"? And how/when has this definition changed for you?

JosyJosy · Accepted Answer

It really depends on what we are talking about. Could depend on how much I enjoy it, how long it usually lasts, or how good you become at a skill.

Example one: Make me attend a wedding, those hours will feel like an eternity to me.

Example two: When a friend asks me how long have we been friends and I have to really back track? One of them? 19 years, I'm like what the hell, that Is long man. 10 years? Oh my, that IS long. Good friends are hard to come by they say, it just takes a lot of work from both sides to get there.

Example three: Steph Curry. Like a craft that they mastered, an athlete working regularly like everyday, living it. Like muaythai fighters do that, it's their life, they're like machines. I think doing something like that, maybe 5 years is already really impressive to me. Or 10 years when you see them move, you can just see the different even though you know nothing about the sport, that they're on another level, because of the work they put in.

TransAm85 · Accepted Answer

Wait til u get older. Right now time is moving slow for u. After u pass 30, the years will fly by. Time moves according to how u live it. When ur young as u are, ur experiencing new things, but if u were as old as me, things may become routine so time goes a lot faster. Enjoy ur youth!

ohsheeT · Accepted Answer

Time is time
That has no time

For me when I'm the most happiest time just flies when you're in that moment that you feel nothing but something beautiful time just flies on by

Then there are moments of pain and misery someplace you don't want to be something you don't want to do and time will drag on forever there has been moments where 15 minutes felt like 15 hours and it's all because I put myself through there mentally by not wanting to be there allow yourself to just be free and time will be time if you don't then time is time with no time

AviatorTom · Accepted Answer

It depends.

If a dentist is drilling my teeth, a "long time" is 2-3 minutes.

If a couple marries at a young age, a "long time" might be if they're together for 40 years or more.

If my hand slips and goes into the burner on a stove and I get a 3rd degree burn, a "long time" is just a few seconds.

Einstein's Theory of Relativity deals with time as not being absolute, he said...

“When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, it seems like two minutes. When you sit on a hot stove for two minutes, it seems like two hours, that's relativity.”

jennifer_bloom · Answer

At my old job, 20 minutes felt like an entire day and when I’m not busy, 2 hours feels like 5 minutes.

NathanDavis · Answer

if the sunlight is hitting me directly... 20 seconds is way TOO long of a time for me so yes, it is about the context and the circumstances... time is always relative

Xylem1992 · Answer

that's an interesting question. But I think you experience time depending on how your life is going. for example for me, because I went to med school and I felt every day there, now memories of high school feel so far away to me. I feel justified because I graduated 12 years ago. But to my high school friends the memories are still fresh like "It was just yesterday".

So to me a long time now is like a year or two. Back in med school, a long time would be a month.

So if we were to cook up a lesson here, it would be to live your life the way that you don't go: "wow, I'm X years old now! where did all that time go?". Make your time here count.

BadGirlGoodWomen · Answer

To me when I hear that someone wants a long term relationship it doesn't literally mean the length of time but more the status of the relationship and in this case long term means monogamous and committed to each other.

weysally · Answer

a long time or me is anyone that say they will be somewhere at a certain time and turns up late, not only a long time but bad manners as well

GoodGuyBreakingBad · Answer

A long time for me would be 3 years or more had an online friend who ghost me back in the year 2011 never heard from her since.

Blueeyes81 · Answer

It does change with age. I haven't seen my best friend in 7 years but it seems like it was only yesterday that I last saw him. Time moves a lot faster as you get older and I'm sure someone 20 years my senior will say it moves even faster at their age. So a couple of years is nothing. I've been at my job for 8 years and quickly get reminded that I'm still a rookie by those who have worked here for 35-40 years.

hafinjun · Answer

Wouldn't that depend on what the passage of time is in regards to? your Dr says you have cancer but with proper treatment and diet you should live a good long time. Depending on your nature the passage of time could be concieved fas very quickly, or without pain management hours could seem like days

Jamesshinobi · Answer

time is relative. put your hand on a hot stove for 5 seconds. it will feel like your hand is burning for 5 minutes of Hell. then go make love for 5 minutes and it will feel like 5 seconds.

exitseven · Answer

The winter is a long time in relation to the summer

FilmGuy93 · Answer

I feel like 3-5 years is pretty substantial, no matter what time of life you’re in

wtfhunt · Answer

The human brain does not articulate time like a time clock through the day. If not the brain is measuring time by event no matter how smal or how big!

Vanidal · Answer

It's relative. Only dumping my shits for 2 hours is long. 3 hours while playing games or reading a novel is not long. Well, that's my example.

genericname85 · Answer

it's always relative to what you're referring to. taking a shit for an entire day is a long time. knowing your parter for a month is not a long time.

petitedollbabee · Answer

For a relationship, a long time to me is over 3 years. For a friendship, a long time is over 10 years.

TroyDT · Answer

It depends upon the context. Waiting in line to buy three items? 20 minutes is a looooonnnnnnngggggg time. Spending time with those you love? A lifetime is not long enough.

ALPHABLACK · Answer

I am 37 and I belive if someone is talking long term in any sense say financial it will be at least 10 to 15 years for me

ChefPapiChulo · Answer

A long time is longer than a short time. That's all I know for sure.

TacosRAwesome · Answer

Depends on the situation. Eg a long time in the bathroom is over 25 mins, a long time married is over 15 years and a long time in traffic is 10 minutes.

Trickyvicky · Answer

I think it depends when I was in 20 I thought my 5 years relationship was long term but now I’ve been married for 10 years makes my last relationship seem short term ish

MCheetah · Answer

20+ years. I still remember things from when I was 15.

PeteBy · Answer

When you get to my age a day is a long time lol

nomandik · Answer

110 years if I live that long most likely not going to though I'll probably pass away around the age of 72

DizzyDesii · Answer

Relationship- 1 year plus Job- 5 years plus Living in the same location- A decade

andreasderjuengere · Answer

''Long Time'' here in Thailand means that you hire a hooker for the entire night, with an option to plug in 2 or three times.

Skyros · Answer

A thousand years is a good bit, but even that is little in the grand scheme.

Wubs3000 · Answer

A long term relationship for me would be about 6months -2 years

Anonymous · Answer

How did you get influencer? Do they only give it to girls.

Luopio27 · Answer

If humans were immortal, I doubt many would get married.

Jamie05rhs · Answer

I don't even have a concept of "time" anymore. I'm just waiting to die.

dustybiker · Answer

Waiting at the DMV.

Fuentes · Answer

I think 12 months is long but it's not long enough to be married

Andres77 · Answer

The older I get the longer it gets

RosieMelts · Answer

Till death do part 🥰🥺💕

melanieeeB · Answer

Starting from 3-4 years and up

jimmy2 · Answer

Mine lasted 36 years one month and 5 hours

44of69years · Answer

It all depends on what it is

thatrandomguyagain · Answer

how is 2-5 long term? are they that bored? lmao

SAMI_DABBAB · Answer

4 years

BubbaTech · Answer

20 years

Heolurt · Answer

35 years is long enough.

Joker_ · Answer

depends on the context

Zolly99999 · Answer

5 years

imjustadude · Answer

15 years

Anonymous · Answer

A couple of decades

Philyouup · Answer

that how that works

Tonyblony · Answer

4 weeks

Anonymous · Answer

1000 years

What is a "long time" to you?

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