How to Have a Great 21st Birthday

Hey guys! So as you know I just celebrated my 21st birthday! I had a great night, but I have heard plenty of 21st birthday horror stories. Obviously 21st birthdays, in the United States anyway, often focus on drinking because you are finally at legal drinking age. Here are a few things that helped me have a good night, and a few tips stepping from friends' bad nights. Here's how to make your birthday a success, not a hot mess.

1. IT'S YOUR CHOICE TO DRINK OR NOT TO DRINK
This is tip number one because it's the most important thing I wanted to address. Whether or not you've ever drank any alcohol before, it is your choice if you want to drink on your 21st! People will always pressure you into drinking because let's be honest turning 21 is popularly and publicly about "getting drunk". You have the right to turn down any or all drinks offered to you!

2. DON'T GET TRASHED AT DINNER
When you're planning on drinking, it's important to have some food in your stomach. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad, bad, bad. Trust me. You get more drunk off of your "normal" drinking amount and in my opinion, the hangover is worse. I went to my friend's 21st birthday in January, and one of her friends was already so drunk that he had to leave and go home before they even got to the bars! Knowing this I just ordered one drink with dinner, and ate a good meal to prepare for the night.

3. START SLOW AND DRINK STRATEGICALLY
If you know you will be out until bar close, don't take ten shots in the first hour you are out! If you feel like you are drinking too much too fast split it up with regular soda in between. No one will know you are drinking soda instead of alcohol except for your bartender! Don't be afraid to ask for water, if you are sitting down at a table in a bar you may have to ask for water more than once. Waitresses seem to forget the water and only bring the drinks.

4. GO HOME WHEN YOU WANT TO GO HOME
Have a game plan set before you even start your birthday. Make sure you know exactly where you will be staying that night, who you will be staying with, and who will be sober driving (if you aren't planning to taxi or walk). When you have a plan ahead of time you can be in control and call the shots (not meant to be a drinking pun, haha!). Don't be afraid to go home early. Even if your friends are pressuring you to stay out until bar close only you will know if you can stay awake and stay out late. When you start to feel like you need to lie down, head home!

5. TURNING 21 ISN'T ABOUT THROWING UP OR BLACKING OUT
This one isn't really a tip, but I just wanted to throw this out there. I know when I would tell people my 21st was coming up they would all say things like "Oh you're going to black out" or "you'll be puking for sure". It gets so bad that it almost seems as though throwing up or blacking out are like rights of passage or something. They are not! All of the people I know who did either of these things on their 21st's told me it would have been a better night if only they hadn't done that. Of course there will be parts of the night you can't remember, but don't try to pass out in the middle of town!

It's your 21st birthday, you will probably get drunk, you probably won't remember parts of the night, but you will have a blast!!