The weekend of my 21st my best friend came to see me and we went out to some bars and had a good time but I did not do a shot day.

For those that are unaware, a shot day is when the birthday person goes to bars and takes a total of 21 shots in one day. They are usually documented in shot books which contain decorated page and pictures of each shot inside. Don't get me wrong, I did want to do a shot day, but in the end, it wasn't smart.

A couple weeks earlier I was on the phone with my dad and shared with him my birthday plans. He was not too pleased when I explained what a shot day was. He sent me articles the next day that was about how people have ended up in the hospital due to this stupid tradition and I am glad I decided to not do it.

I am a small girl and I can't really consume a lot of alcohol to start with, so to cram 21 shots into my body didn't seem like the best idea.

I wanted to have a good time and get drinks with my friend but I also wanted to be able to remember the night and not be THAT girl at the bar. I cannot even explain what my parent's reactions would have been if I decided to go through with it and wound up with alcohol poisoning or worse. I only wanted to have a shot day because of all the people I see having them.

It has become a cultural tradition for college students to go out and get stupid drunk just to celebrate their birthday. To be honest, most of the people that have shot days have probably had a lot of practice with drinking but I was not one of those people.

I decided to stay far away from a shot day and bar hop with my friend instead and I think I had a better time doing that. I still got drunk, which I guess is the point of your 21st, but I was able to remember it all, have a good time, and not wake up in the hospital. I encourage you to really think before you partake in this tradition.

Are you doing it for your friends? Can you really do that to yourself? I don't want to be the bummer of the party but I would like to let people know that you can have a fun and fulfilling 21st without absolutely obliterating your liver.