Have you ever woken up after a night of drinking with mysterious scratches everywhere? No? Yeah, me either….
However, I have woken up with a massive hangover and an even bigger bar tab.
Turning 21 left my life upside down, my freezer full of bottles and my brain full of homemade hangover remedies. Banana and pickle sandwiches? Yep. Gatorade with a splash of Alka-Seltzer? You bet. More alcohol? Definitely.
The remedies are great, don’t get me wrong. I mean, who doesn’t like hearing that the best way to get over a hangover is by consuming more alcohol?
Yet, the best part of turning 21 has been the support from friends.
The biggest perks of being the last one of your friends to turn the coveted age was knowing they had your back.
Not only did they provide me with endless alcohol, but they also advised me on how to live my life as a 21-year-old college kid.
I was told to never drink by myself; it’s allegedly a sign of alcoholism. So I was advised to drink socially or with a friend, and if one isn’t available, my dog supposedly counts.
As silly as drinking with a dog sounds, I’ve tried it, and it’s not that bad if you drink enough.
Probably the best advice I was given was to take it easy while pre-gaming. At first I didn’t believe it. When you’re underage, pre-gaming is what makes a night out worth it.
So you drink enough to last you through the night. Worst. Idea. Ever.
Pre-gaming as a 21-year-old can be a disaster. We’re already too old for that. Nothing good can come from it anymore besides sleeping in a random garages. So I’ve obviously stopped pre-gaming.
Crossing the age boundary along the yellow brick road from underage prohibition to legal neuron annihilation is wonderful. The perks abound: cheaper cover at clubs, the ability to participate in free beer events and the end of that God-awful feeling every time a party gets broken up and you find yourself setting your beer down. Then again, you always have to make sure you have a ride home, and you will always be expected to provide alcohol for those who have yet to find their way to the wonderful wizard.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, alcohol is magical. It’s like fairy dust, liquid courage and luck all had a baby. But like Ben Parker once said, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I guess what I am getting at is turning that subjective age of 21 has given me the ability to enjoy myself more.
But it’s also allowed the opportunity to become more responsible. I’ve kept my drunk texting to a minimum, I’ve made sure to never drink and drive, and I’ve stopped blacking out ever since that night I allegedly woke up in someone’s garage.
And that’s always a welcome sentiment.
Hassan Casanova is a third-year family, youth and community sciences student at Santa Fe College. His column appears every Friday.
