Fraternity and house parties may have been the Thursday night move your freshmen and sophomore year; however, if you were among the fortunate to turn 21 your junior year, then you probably made the transition to the bars. The bars have more of a sophistication compared to dropping it low with your friends on Fraternity Row. People at the bars have a different vibe to them and they are more relaxed. When you go out on your birthday bar crawl to hit 21 shots in honor of being newly legal, you miss the atmosphere of each individual bar. Well have no fear, I am here to explain the atmospheres you missed while you were going 0 to 60 within 5 shots.
1. The Townie:
In every college town, there is that one bar where the townies come to play. Usually, the self-proclaimed hipsters who think they were the first people ever to listen to The Neighbourhood can be found here. As you walk in you can see the thick, square rimmed glasses with their trendy "I'm pretending I bought this at a thrift store but I actually bought this at Urban Outfitters" outfits at the bar drinking their Gin and Tonics, giving new people glares as they walk in. The bartenders tend to be college graduates who haven't really figured out what to do and are just bartending to get through grad school. The bar itself tends to have reasonably priced drinks and a good place to socialize. Most people go here to have cheap drinks and just hang out with people. There usually are not DJs or live bands playing, as it would throw off the comfortable vibe. The Townietype of bars are good places to go out on a Monday to just sit down and have a drink with friends. In my personal experience, a captain and coke with good friends sounds like a great time on a Friday night.
2. The 18 and Over:
For being under 21, this bar is the place to be. For being 21 and over, you want to avoid this at all costs. The 18 and over bars are the places that are usually the hot-mess express of College Downtown night life. This is how these bars work. As you're a freshman and sophomore in college, you go here because you think it's so cool that you can probably score a drink underage from the bartender who never asks for your ID. You frequent this establishment for the first two years of college with the thought you are the coolest person ever. Then you make it to the big 2-1 and realize that the past two years of your nightlife experience were actually full of bad decisions. The bar probably has some special that is secretly aimed at underage drinking such as $1.50 pitcher of beer. The DJ probably plays music straight from a frat house playlist. The type of people you see here are the younger college crowd. Typically, the girls and guys who cannot hold their liquor are "getting it" on the dance floor.
3. The Sports Bar:
The sports bar in the college towns are the most interesting during major game days and then...well, that is about it. If the OSU/Michigan game is on, this is the place to be. If you show up to the sports bar on a Friday night for fun, you're probably very single and sad. The Sports Bar in college towns typically has subpar food to go along with strong drinks. The bartenders usually are middle-aged guys or college students who complain about working during the major game days. On actual game days, people come from far and wide, in jerseys, to get drunk and cheer on whatever team is playing. The atmosphere of the bar is always positive though and there usually isn't any drama in the bar. If there is drama, then it's probably from the middle-aged soccer moms who think being loud and obnoxious makes them hip and young. It doesn't.
4. The "Club":
In every college town, whether it be a big city college town or a small college town, there is that one bar that might as well be a club. In a big city atmosphere, the "club" scene works. It makes sense and kind of gives you the vibes of a big city club that Rihanna or Jay-Z would show up to. You and your squad can typically find a little corner to assemble and chill. If you go to a school in a small town, the "club" bar is not the move whatsoever. The music is loud and it is dark. For a small college town, this is not fun. The rave music does not translate well with the small town crowd. The people who do like the club scene are those people at concerts who stand in the front and then power-point to the crowd like a douchebag. The setup of the bar is very unique and modern. It doesn't really vibe with the town. However, if you are down to have a good time. End your night at the "club." All of your friends are bound to end up there at the end of the night.
5. The Random:
Every college town has that bar that is the most random place to be at. Typically at this bar, the crowd of people fluctuates and no one can really put their finger on this place. It's not very fun most nights. This is the place people go to to have drinks and very deep conversations about life or One Tree Hill. The bartender is probably the owner of the bar and his wife probably helps him run the place. There is a jukebox in the corner and some older people, who are regulars, are sitting in their normal area talking about the week or whatever is going on. This is also the type of place to run into when you're avoiding someone on the street or if you just want a drink by yourself and no one can find you. If people you do know find you at this bar, everyone feels like they are in the matrix because they can't even figure out how they got there.
