Turning 21 is an exciting time. As a 21 year old, you can finally (legally) drink alcohol, not have to worry about getting an underage, and can go to bars. Going to bars is one of the aspects of turning 21 that people look forward to the most. When you turn 21, you can finally do “adult” things and leave the fraternity basements in your dust… so you think. While bars can be fun, they are definitely not all they are cracked up to be. Here’s why bars can often be totally overrated.
1. The cost
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It’s no secret that bars are expensive. Everything costs you something in a bar. When you first enter, you usually have to pay a cover charge of about $3-$5. This charge that you have to shell out before you even have had one drink is to pay for the live entertainment for the night. That’s all cool, except you most likely don’t care about said live entertainment and would be just as happy if the bar played music through some speakers. Once you have paid your entrance fee, you then proceed to the bar area to get yourself a drink. Well, here at the bar you actually have to pay for your drinks. Granted, your Vodka Sprite won’t be made with Vlad when you go to the bar, but it will also cost you $4. When the bar tender finally returns with your drink, you then have to tip him or her. Last time I checked, you don’t have to tip fraternity pledges. Congratulations, you got one 8 oz. drink and you’re already down about $10. When going to bars regularly, these costs add up.
2. The lines
One a weekend night, do not expect to just walk right into one of your college town’s most popular bars. When you arrive at your destination, you can expect to wait in a line that sometimes stretches around the block. While you stand in line for about 20 minutes just to enter the bar, you are losing your buzz in the process. People waiting in line are irritable and it’s always really annoying to watch someone who knows the bouncer just completely skip the line. When you finally are able to enter the bar, don’t even think you can just walk right up to the bartender and order a drink. There was a line outside for a reason and that reason is that it’s insanely crowded inside this bar. You proceed to order your drink, only to be pushed out of the way by several large boys and have your feet stepped on numerous times. By the time you actually have your drink in your hands, you have been out of your apartment for approximately an hour. What a waste of your night.
3. The people
When you are in Greek Life, you get used to seeing the same handful of people out, and those people are always quick to talk to you. It’s fun. When you enter the bar scene, you’re probably excited because you’ll get to meet and talk to so many new people. Yeah, right. People at bars, contrary to popular belief, don’t really talk to anyone who didn’t come to the bar with them. Try to talk to someone at a bar and they look at you like you have three heads. In frats, when you run across girls you don’t know, you usually strike up a conversation with them, find out what sorority they’re in, and make a nice new acquaintance. In bars, don’t even try to talk to girls you don’t know. They are not interested in what you have to say and will usually give you dirty looks. Cheer up, bar people!
4. Random Adults
Okay, sure everyone in the bar is an “adult,” but when I say random adults I mean people who are old enough to be your parents. Every time I go to the bar, without fail, there are parent-aged people there. That’s all fine and dandy, it’s a public place and they’re allowed to be there, but when I’m out with my friends on a Saturday night in a college town, nothing quite kills my vibe like a bunch of 50-year-old men sitting at the bar. It’s fun to grab a drink with your parents every now and then, but you do that at a very specific kind of bar. Drinking with your elders is for a nice, relaxing laid back bar, not for a dance club.
Bars have their perks and definitely provide an alternative to frats once you turn 21. However, bars are not all that they’re cracked up to be. They are crowded, expensive, and can get boring. While you might find me in the bars every now and then, this 21 year old will still be a frat land regular.
