I turned twenty a few weeks ago now, and that was a big thing. I never really celebrated my birthday past sixteen, but I have so many friends in college that I didn't in high school or before that, and I wanted to celebrate with them. How could I not?
But going out when you're twenty and everyone else is older than you is hard. Half of my friends are old enough to drink and like to, while the rest either aren't old enough or didn't want to. It's complicated, to say the least, especially when you remember that almost all of us are broke college students just trying to get by.
But I still wanted to go out instead of just staying in.
So I got a bunch of tickets to a local showing of RKO Army's shadow cast of "Rocky Horror Picture Show". There was a lot of crazy planning involved and more frustration than I care to mention, but I have to admit that I enjoyed every second leading up to it almost as much as the actual event.
Apparently, I thrive under pressure.
So we had a group of seven all meet up at the venue on a Friday night, a week after my birthday. Carpooling was interesting, especially since quite a few people had never met before and the ride was about twenty minutes. I don't know about any of the other cars, but I was in charge of DJ-ing in my friend's passenger seat, and it was the most amazing mix of show tunes I've ever had the joy of screaming along to.
The show was as any Rocky showing is: loud, raunchy, and downright hysterical. We all got prop bags (Thank you to whoever bought mine... I know it was given to me but don't know who actually bought it) so we got to play along, and those of us who had been before had the greatest time screaming all of our favorite jokes (I'm pretty sure the only appropriate one to write here includes the narrator's lack of a neck...) at the top of our lungs. The newbies had fun struggling to keep up with what on Earth (or Transylvania?) was going on.
This is why you always watch the movie first, kids.
It's safe to say it was an amazing time for all involved, though some were a bit more overwhelmed than others by the time applause filled the theater and all the group photos were taken. There was plenty of laughter, especially from me and Cameron, and selfies were taken with friends that I've had for forever but have no actual pictures with. Friends of mine became friends with each other, and that was amazing to watch.
And I'm happiest with the fact that we, a bunch of twenty-somethings, one mom and one nineteen-year-old, had so much fun together without having to go out partying like so many people our age have to do. What we proved to me is that partying is not the end all be all of life as a twenty-something. Get a group of friends, find something cool to do, and do it. You won't regret it.