Twenty-One

Myreete Wolford
Alpha Delta Pi

The big 2-1. Everybody’s doing it… that is, it seems like everyone is turning 21, does it not?

Freshman year, 21 is all you want to be. Sophomore year, 21 is the ID you want to find. Junior year, 21 is just around the corner. Senior year, 21 is the age you want to remain.

An exciting age and an exciting time considering, after 21 years on this earth, you can finally run for office, get a pilot's license, adopt a child, gamble, drive a semi-truck, supervise a learning driver, and oh, yeah… legally drink.

I don’t know where you come from but where I come from (Kentucky), turning 21 is a huge deal. I mean, after this birthday, what do we have to look forward to? Turning 25 so we can rent something? No, so in the spirit of being young and wanting a reason to party, here are some ideas for the next 21st birthday in your future:

A Birthday Sign to wear out equipped with 21 crazy acts to perform throughout the night. This one is the most known idea. Take a poster board, cut out a shape (i.e. martini glass or ‘21’ shape), attach a big boa to make it a necklace, and write the to-do’s next to boxes to check off. You can make the activities PG or R-rated, depending on the birthday gal or guy (yes, guys can do this too).

A Birthday To-Do Book to bring out if someone does not want to wear a sign. Just take your list of 21 acts, write each one on a different piece of paper and then bind them together for a more down-to-earth way to celebrate, while still involving the party members. Ideas for your 21 acts can be any of the following:

21 People To Sign This

Get a Margarita

Take a Picture With The Bouncer

Get 21 Spankings

Get Someone to Buy You a Drink

Get a Lap Dance

Evil Laugh When You Show Your ID

Drink a Yellow Hammer

Have Someone Sing You Happy Birthday

Speak in a British Accent After 12

Steal a Street Sign

Hug 21 Strangers

Dance on Stage

Sing With The Band

Birthday Cake Shot

Sing Karaoke

Get Iced

Shot-Gun a Beer

Drink The Bartender's Special

Start a Conga Line

Give a Toast

Drunk Dial the 21st Person in Your Phone

Take a Body Shot

Get 21 Kisses

Win a Dance Off

Go Owling

Go Planking

Make the DJ Play Every Birthday Song Possible (i.e. Birthday Sex)

Teach Someone How to Dougie

Go To Egans

Run around in your Birthday Suit

Late Night Grub

A ShotBook to pre-game with is always a great idea to include all of your friends in the festivities. Get a scrapbook, and 21 of your closest friends, and make each one design a full (2 page) spread that reflects your friendship. Each friend gets a number (1-21) and makes a rhyme about drinking and gives their friend a shot to take. For example, It’s time for shot two and you know what you have to do… Take a Kamikaze Blue! (0.5 Russian Standard Vodka, 0.5 De Kuyper Blue Curacao, and 0.5 Lime Juice)

Get a Party Bus. It takes the fear out of the posible drunk drivers, ensures the best of the best are their for you on your day, and gets everyone involved. It might get a little pricey but a party bus is never a fail.

Do a Bar Crawl. Take your party and make your way down the strip- getting a drink in every bar- then continue downtown until you’ve hit them all. Yes, this is a mighty task but try it and see where the night takes you!

Go Beer or Wine Tasting. Now that you are 21, might as well find out the legitimate drinks available to us.

Go Out with Your Parents. If you can pull it off, invite your family out with you! Not only will they fit the bill, but it will also take your parental relationship into more of a friendship.

(Note: Do these for your friends, not for yourself)

Whether it is your birthday or your best friends birthday, you are guaranteed a good time when you add an activity and get everyone involved! Take these tips and add to them, just don’t be idiots. Be responsible and have a blast!