According to Urban Dictionary, you’ll get “completely and totally intoxicated” on your 21st birthday which will lead to “uncontrollable actions and a loss of self-respect and any dignity” you might have. So… if that’s not how you wanna spend your first legal night out (since it could be a school night) or any night for that matter, here are 11 perks for staying only buzzed.
1. Remembering the Night
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Although there might be some things you want to forget (like a failed assignment and electric bills), any night celebrating your steps into adulthood with your closest friends should not be one of them. Sure, you can now drink moonshine and wells without getting arrested (unless you drink and drive…), but it’ll mean a lot when you can recall the conversation you had with a cutie you met and know you didn’t puke on his or her shoes.
2. No New Friends
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You could have a huge party, but do you want your 21st to be like Facebook where you only know one-fourth of your “friends?” Keep it to family, friends, mutual friends, maybe even friends-of-friends, ’cause when you have to ask”where did these people came from?” …you’ve got a problem. So drink enough to have fun and only invite the people you want to be there.
#SpoonTip: You can have a dinner party instead of going out. Check out how here.
3. Not Going Broke
Gif courtesy of reddit.com
Alcohol is expensive. So while you might get off easy on your birthday (’cause your best friend’s got you), that doesn’t mean every night is gonna be like that. When you’re an adult, you have to pay for everything yourself. Although you’ll get better deals on drinks and club cover, you still gotta pay to play. You’re gonna have to decide what you want more: groceries and internet…or booze.
4. Going to Class the Next Day
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Okay, it’s pretty simple. If you get drunk, you can blackout, get hungover, both, or worse. And even if you have a quiz, will you want to go to class the next day? Didn’t think so. So unless you’re brave enough to wear sunglasses and lug a gallon of gatorade to class while you race out of the room to puke every 10 minutes, then the best solution is to moderate yourself and then make up for it during the weekend.
#SpoonTip: But if you do get wasted, here’s what to eat (and avoid) the next morning.
5. Keeping it Simple
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Not every night has to be crazy. And yes, even your (actual) 21st birthday night can be relaxed. Just chill and down a few beers at a local pub or dance at that bar with the older crowd; the you’ve been waiting to hit up since freshman year. Keep it casual and invite a friend or two to hangout so you can laugh it up but still make it to work the next day.
6. Avoiding Drama
Gif courtesy of mrosew13.tumblr.com
So when your two friends are ex-friends, but both have to come ’cause they are friends with you, or an ex with his or her new boo shows up, or your current crush doesn’t know you like him/her so you drink a lot…then the night can get super hectic, know what I’m sayin’? Too much liquor, too many people, too many people who know each other, and too much noise can lead to drama city. So keep it small town.
7. Pulling Off an Alias
Gif courtesy of ignitetheliight.tumblr.com
Because you’re only buzzed and can still think while the rest of the crowd is drunk, you can afford to get a little mischievous. Go ahead and pretend you’re someone else for the night… like a model from Russia or bloke from Australia. And if they question you, you have enough brain power (and they don’t) to fool them with your random knowledge of trivia and a semi-decent accent.
8. Showing Real Courage
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We’ve all heard of “liquid courage,” and sure, it’s been known to work a few times. But wouldn’t you rather look back on your two-year anniversary with your significant other and know you had the guts to ask them out when you didn’t slobber over your new shirt and try to kiss them with vodka breath?
9. Getting Home Safe
Gif courtesy of cbc.com
Getting home on your own can be scary or downright impossible when you’re wasted. So even if you have a backup plan or a sober friend on hand, it can be better to rely on yourself. When you are only tipsy, you can still feel the care-free effects of alcohol while remembering how to call an Uber, and not wake up sprawled on someone’s lawn with a stolen wallet the next day.
10. Waking Up Without a Hangover
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…Or strange pictures on your phone. Or the internet. And while you lie in bed ‘cause you can’t get up without feeling like you’re gonna throw up, your phone beeps from the twenty messages on your voicemail asking “what the heck happened last night?!” and from the exes and enemies you texted angrily. At this rate, you’ll have so many great memories, you’ll want to scrapbook them in your spare time. SIKE.
#SpoonTip: Here are a few foods you can eat to prevent a hangover.
11. Having a Story to Tell
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Okay, so drunken stories can be pretty funny. But they can also be pretty awful (aka a rush to the hospital). So it’s fine to take a break and not go all out for once. Make a new friend with a conversation and glass of wine rather than a grinding session on the dance floor. You’ll find you can still have an amazing night and be excited about the date you scored without losing your keys or last night’s dinner in the process.
#SpoonTip: Check out this gal’s story of what it was like not to drink in college.