Drinks, gambling, bars, clubs, freedom. We a lot of time looking forward to turning 21. It seems so glamorous, so carefree and so exciting. We anxiously await that first sip of alcohol and dream of winning big on the slots. But what we don’t stop to think about is what else comes with being 21. Bills, panic, real-life problems, it’s all waiting for us at the other end of the rainbow. But we’re too busy thinking about all the fun and partying that movies say we’ll get to do to worry about anything else. Well, I just turned 21 two months ago, and I can tell you honestly — it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. That being said, it’s not all bad. So, here are the pros and cons of turning 21.

Pros:

1. I’ve already said it, but I’ll say it again — alcohol. Being able to buy and drink alcohol is really liberating once you’re finally able to do it. You can go out and bond with your friends, your co-workers, that random person at the bar who’s just drunk enough to be overly chatty with everyone there.

2. Going to 21 and over events. A lot of places (clubs, bars, etc.) are 21 and over, because they serve alcohol. But a lot of events, especially in bigger cities, are also 21 and over, for the same reasons. Just recently, the children’s museum in my city had an “adult only” event, 21 and over. And, excitingly enough, it was the week after I turned 21. Unfortunately, my friend wasn’t able to go because she didn’t turn 21 until a few weeks after, so I missed out on what seemed like a great event.

3. You don’t buy any drinks when you go out for your birthday. Because everyone else is buying them for you! This is very nice on your wallet.

4. You can finally enjoy everything Las Vegas has to offer. A great night life, a casino in every hotel, great shows, and a fantastic club scene. Honestly, I just can’t wait until I can actually walk through the actual casino section of the hotel and be able to sit and play for a while. The pull of the handle and the spinning sevens are calling my name.

Cons:

1. Drinking is expensive. A bottle of something at the store is usually $15 and up, and that’s the cheap stuff. A drink at the bar is even worse. It’s like $4 for a shot that takes you a second to toss back. If you plan to go out and drink all night, or if you’re out to get drunk, and you’re buying your own drinks, then don’t plan on going home with any cash left. Plus, all that money that you just dropped on booze could have helped you make rent this week. Or, you know, you could’ve treated yourself to that Kate Spade bag you’ve been eyeing for months.

2. It’s all fun and games until you get sick. Especially if you don’t know your limit, or what kinds of alcohol you can and can’t handle. Please, please eat beforehand, drink plenty of water before, during and after, and stop while you can still stand without help.

3. Paying bills. If you’re 21, you most likely have some sort of bills to pay: rent, electric, phone, insurance, gas, something. You’re officially an adult — congratulations! Time to pay your dues.

4. The real world is vastly approaching. You’re most likely about to graduate college and enter the real world. (Cue horror screams and violin screeches.) Time to find a “real” job, a place to live and get ready for the rest of your life. There’s no more hiding under the covers or taking a nap when you don’t want to deal with anything because there’s real consequences now.

We spend so much time looking forward to turning 21, waiting to grow up, that we don’t really enjoy the time and moments we experience along the way until it’s too late. There are many days where I don’t want to go to school or work because I’d rather stay in bed and not deal with anything, but I know that if I do that, I’m missing out on money that I could be making or information that could be on a test later. Tonight’s fun isn’t worth tomorrow’s hangover. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad that I’m finally able to do all the stuff I’ve been wanting to do since I was 10 and see if it’s really as glamorous as it seems on TV. I just wish that I had enjoyed the perks of being a child more. Or even those of being a teenager. But I’ll be saying the same thing about my 20's when I’m 30. So what I’m trying to say is enjoy every moment. Make memories, have fun and appreciate the time that you have while you have it. Because you won’t always have the things that you have when you’re 10, 22 or 30, and you won’t always be able to enjoy what you’re doing. So appreciate it while you can.