Everyone seems to be commenting "25 years ago". I read it as when you were 25 years old.
I was getting married and starting life. Now I'm divorced and just started life over again recently. So I'm in the exact same boat except I was able to buy a home back then and can't now. Things were way cheaper and I had money left over from my just started working recently paycheck vs. the been working 28 years paycheck (still at the same employer) today and bills.