I was born in late 1981, I have no home!

I’m a baby Xer too. Barely relate to millennials or xennials (sounds like a psych or blood pressure med) in culture/worldview. (Also, bring bs to my door, it’ll be ejected from my lawn, fast.) Early boomer parents, had me kinda old for then, only kid. Latchkey from jr high, wasn’t called free range bcs it was still the norm, at least where I grew up. Or at least how my parents peers raised their kids (who were mostly 5-15 yrs older). Which most of my friends are. I’ve had some my age/younger too from maybe mid 20’s on. But usefully had no peer group til the local music scene from 15ish, being tormented in grade school. Til I just decided fuck em, latched onto music and retreated into that til i made friends there. Didn’t even socialize in college much just bcs I had a social life via music by then. And I went on/off, often part time, 17-23, after I GED’d the fuck outta HS and started at community college. Even after transferring to another state at 20. By then a lot of em seemed so young, helicopters had taken flight. Whereas I’d moved out at 18 after living 2-3 yrs like what I think of as a college young adult, that still lived at home. And didn’t necessarily have much in common with them, while you wind up with a network of friend all over from music, bcs band tours. Heh I’m explaining it kinda backwards. My world just revolved around music - classic early/mid 90s alt/indie then - from/got a guitar at 13, hid in my room with it and my stereo after school. Dodged becoming an unsocialized, parental basement dwelling, weirdo via meeting people hanging at record and guitar shops being a little pest. Then shows from 14ish. Was lucky to grow up in a sweet spot for all ages shows beyond just big arena ones. (And still stoked when to get fake id at I think 17 or 18 lol). Hence friends/bandmates/boyfriends generally being 5-15 yrs older for the first decade or so. Btw, it was fine. It felt NORMAL. Only prior non hostile peer group prior was, again, parents’ friends/their mostly 5-15 yr older kids. And you know what, it was more than fine, having that community and music itself saved my ass. Plus I had solid asshole radar/rebuffing skills and a thick skin from school. It makes me sad I can’t imagine a teen, especially girl, now being allowed to do even the wholesome/more innocent bits of my teen years ie playing in bands that played real gigs, quit hs halfway thru for college (and working) not as like some prodigy that got skipped academically but just me deciding I wanted to move on with life. Again, 100% my choices and friend group saved my ass back then for developing a social life and career, and just liking myself and my life. You can’t hide in your bedroom forever and have those things not get compromised or delayed.