Time is weird. One minute you're watching the heatwaves of two summers ago, and the next, you're staring at a calendar wondering where the last few years went. If you are sitting there trying to calculate how many months since July 2022, you aren't alone. As of January 2026, we are looking at exactly 42 months.
That is three and a half years.
It feels like a lifetime, yet somehow also like it was just last week. Think back to that July. The world was in a strange transition phase. We were shaking off the final, lingering cobwebs of global lockdowns, inflation was starting to bite hard, and "Running Up That Hill" by Kate Bush was somehow the biggest song on the planet again thanks to Stranger Things.
Doing the Math on How Many Months Since July 2022
Let’s break this down. Math can be annoying, but it's pretty straightforward here.
From July 2022 to July 2023, that’s 12 months.
Add another year to July 2024, and you’re at 24.
Get to July 2025? 36 months.
Now, add the months from August, September, October, November, and December of 2025, plus the current January of 2026.
That brings our total to 42.
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It’s not just a number on a screen. It’s 1,281 days. It is over 30,000 hours. If you started a high school diploma or a university degree in July 2022, you’d basically be reaching the finish line right about now. It’s enough time for a toddler to learn how to talk, run, and start asking "why" every five seconds. It's also enough time for a brand-new car to lose about 40% of its resale value.
Why We’re Obsessed With This Specific Date
Why are so many people looking up how many months since July 2022? It isn't random. Usually, when people search for specific time durations, they are looking for "anniversary" markers for major life shifts.
Maybe you signed a lease. Most commercial leases or long-term apartment contracts hit their renewal or break-clause cycles around the three-year mark. If you moved into a new place in the summer of 2022, you're likely evaluating whether you want to stay for another three-year stint or finally pack up the boxes.
Then there is the financial side of things. Interest rates in the United States and the UK started their aggressive climb right around that period. The Federal Reserve hiked rates significantly in June and July of 2022. If you took out a variable-rate loan or a short-term fixed mortgage back then, the "honeymoon phase" of those rates is long gone. People are checking the clock to see how long they've been weathering the storm of higher monthly payments.
The Post-Pandemic "Time Warp"
Psychologically, 2022 was the year many people decided the "pandemic era" was officially over. According to research from organizations like the American Psychological Association, our perception of time became deeply distorted during 2020 and 2021. This phenomenon, often called "time blindness," makes it hard to distinguish between events that happened two years ago and events that happened five years ago.
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July 2022 was the first "real" summer for a lot of people. Travel was back in a big way. Airports were a disaster zone of canceled flights and lost luggage because everyone tried to go on vacation at the exact same time. If you remember being stuck in a terminal in Heathrow or JFK during that heatwave, that memory is now 42 months old.
A Lot Can Happen in 42 Months
Let's look at the sheer scale of change since that month. In July 2022, ChatGPT didn't exist for the public. It wouldn't launch for another five months. Think about that. The entire AI revolution that has changed how we work, write, and think has happened entirely within the window of time we are discussing.
In the tech world, 42 months is an eternity. In July 2022, the iPhone 13 was the top-of-the-line model. Ethereum was just weeks away from "The Merge," moving to proof-of-stake. People were still unironically buying NFTs of bored apes. It feels like a different civilization, honestly.
Major Milestones Since July 2022
- The Economy: We went from fearing a total collapse to navigating a "soft landing" that felt anything but soft for the average person buying groceries.
- Space Exploration: The James Webb Space Telescope released its first full-color images in—you guessed it—July 2022. Every mind-blowing photo of deep space you've seen since then has happened in these last 42 months.
- Politics: We’ve seen entire governments rise and fall, wars shift from regional conflicts to global headlines, and a shift in the global power balance that is still shaking out.
Managing Your Own Timeline
If you are checking the months because you feel like you haven't accomplished enough, take a breath. 42 months is a lot of time, but it’s also nothing in the grand scheme of a career or a life.
The best way to use this information isn't just to satisfy a curiosity. Use it as a benchmark. Look back at your photos from July 2022. Who were you hanging out with? What were you stressed about? Chances are, the things that kept you awake at night back then don't even matter now.
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Sometimes, realizing that how many months since July 2022 is actually quite a large number can be the kick in the pants needed to start something new. If you started a habit back then—like saving $100 a month or walking 20 minutes a day—you’d be seeing massive results by now. If you didn't, the next 42 months are going to pass anyway. You might as well start today.
Actionable Steps for Your "July 2022" Audit
Check your digital footprint. Seriously. Go to your Google Photos or iCloud and filter for July 2022. Look at your bank statements from that month. It’s a reality check.
Compare your subscriptions. Are you still paying for that streaming service or gym membership you signed up for 42 months ago and haven't used? That's over three years of wasted cash. Cancel it.
Update your resume. If you haven't changed your job title or added a major skill since July 2022, you are officially "stagnant" in the eyes of most recruiters. 42 months is the sweet spot for a promotion or a pivot.
Check your passport. If it was nearing expiration in 2022, you’re now in the "danger zone" where many countries won't let you in because you have less than six months left.
Time moves fast, but 42 months is plenty of time to reinvent yourself if you actually get started.