Remember that time you thought it was going to take forever to be 21? The crazy thing now is that I am going to be 21 in a few days and I have thought, wow I am 21 already? It is also crazy that my graduating class from high school are all turning 21 too, so seeing their pictures on Facebook and Instagram, of their big night, got me thinking about my own night.
Turning 21 is pretty much your rite of passage into the adult world, and the pressure is on for throwing some elaborate celebration in Las Vegas; with 17 some friends, and a push-up bra. If you look "up-to-code", you'll be lucky to get in at least one club, and you suddenly regret wearing your pumps because you ended up walking instead of paying for a cab. To me, this sounds horrible and certainly I want a night that is less painful and way more enjoyable. Here I have complied a list of fun things you can do for your 21st (that aren't just going some bar or a basic club) that are bound to make your 21st your most memorable birthday.
1. It's Five o'clock somewhere- and by somewhere I mean brunch.
Brunch- one of the few times where drinking before noon is acceptable. I can only imagine myself enjoying a mimosa or a fully-loaded bloody marry at my favorite little nook in Grand Junction, Dream Cafe. Seriously, what could be a better way to get your buzz on in the a.m. than this?
2. Drink Creatively: Canvas and Cocktails
Let your newly able-to-drink-legally self experiment with booze and canvases. What better way to bring home a souvenir for your 21st than some good old painting. Pretty soon your brush strokes will become booze-strokes.
3. Become a kid again- the adult way.
You're about to be 21. There is no going back to your kid years whatsoever at this point. What better way to reminisce than to goof around at boondocks, or in Grand Junction's case, Banana's Fun Park, to enjoy mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats, laser tag and an arcade!
Or, in a perfect world, if you aren't a broke college student, you can dream about drinking around the world, Disney-Epcot around the world (if ya know what I mean). Little did you know, Epcot is every adult-tourist's drinking destination. From margaritas in Mexico, beer in Germany and sake in Japan, there is no better way to celebrate your 21st than 1) saying you drank around the world, and 2) you did it in most happiest place on Earth.
4. Wine Time, am I right?
Instead of going from bar to bar, mix-drinking and what not, spend your time going from winery to winery and indulge yourself with great tasting wine! It is like house or job hunting except fun! This time you get to be buzzed while doing it! I know I will be taking advantage of living in wine country (Grand Junction) while hitting up the local wineries. Here are a few links to some Colorado wineries!
5. Night out with the ones you love (family & friends)
You have to share one of your first drinks with your mom and dad! It is like a no-brainier when it comes to turning 21. In fact, it is a great feeling to finally "adult" with your parents and not having to suffer while watching them drink a Margarita or whatever, and you having to stick with lemonade.
6. The Games that are ten times better with booze
Have you ever heard of Cards Against Humanity? It is the game that is great to play with friends and family and secretly everyone knows you have to have a drink or two to really make it fun. Here are more games that must be played on your big 2-1.
Hide-and-Seek
Rotten Apples
Left Right Center
Adult Chess
Twister (duh)
There is so much you can do for your 21st other than going out to the clubs, dressing the same as every other person, and having the same night like everyone else. You just got to be creative!