I am officially 21 years old, but that does not mean that I plan to get drunk. As somebody who has lived in Europe for five years (give or take) where anybody can drink beer and wine as early as 16 years old and liquor at 18 years old, I have had my fair share of drinks and tastes, and I am just not one to cherish drunk memories and parties on social media. I have also endured a fair amount of peer pressure and encountered a few alcoholics in my life, but thanks to being a non-party person, starting off easily with tasting alcohol, and as growing up with correct guidance, I have developed self control and limits.

While alcohol is a nice luxury for a refreshing drink after a long stressful week or even day, it should not be a priority to get drunk to the point of losing total self control or blowing hundreds of dollars at the bar. First of all, think of all the money that gets blown at the bar! I have never been a people person, let alone somebody who enjoys being crowded in a bar with people who have had too much to drink and are constantly yelling and delirious beyond belief. Sure, the bar can be a nice, casual place to hang out with friends on a weekend with a drink or two, but I do not plan to have more than two drinks in one sitting, and I never plan to go alone or be alone at one.

For those of you who say that being drunk is an amazing experience, I beg to differ. Yes, I have been drunk, and yes, I have been hungover, and no, I did not enjoy the hangover at all. While being drunk took me away from my usual stress and anxiety, it was a temporary getaway, and it became too much of an awkward experience after a while.

Yes, life is tough, I fully understand. Whether it's that job or difficult classes or that one dreadful professor who could not care less about sufficient lecturing, I fully understand how stressful life gets. I will admit that there have been times where I have said that "I need a drink"; while a nice margarita or a decent amount of wine is okay on special occasions, throwing down shots at a frat party or bar is not something that I support. If anything, it would stress me out even more, due to the fact that I am not a party person, let alone somebody who enjoys being around people who lack self control and show off for social media.

Everybody has their own way of having fun, and that's fine. If you enjoy going to the bar and getting drunk with your friends, then that is fine by me and you do you. However, I choose to refrain from going to bars due to crowds and noise. I am a very casual drinker, and I personally would rather have one drink as a luxury to unwind during dinner as opposed to drinking just to get drunk. That way, I can save money, learn to enjoy alcohol more, and not become dependent on it!

Overall, alcohol is not a bad thing, and it is perfectly fine to have a beer, cocktail, shot, or glass of wine during a casual dinner or event or even to enhance a vacation or adventure, but I plan to use it solely as a luxury treat and not abuse it just to get away from all of my mental pain. So if you are looking forward to turning 21 for the bars, drinking games, and parties then you do you, but you can count me out as I am simply looking forward to the luxury in moderation.