What to do on one’s 21st birthday…

So, I’m turning 21 next Saturday and I’m still really not sure what to do… any ideas?  Stories?  (No, I’m not going to get wasted…)

I got the night off (yes, I work Saturday nights normally) so I could do something.  I’m already planning on going out to dinner with my parents (somewhere) and they’ll buy me a drink (or two), but afterwards I’d like to get some friends together and go do -something-.  I was really leaning towards going to Dave & Busters, but a lot of my friends don’t have much money and I don’t want to make them feel obligated to go out and spend money on games to have a good time and such just for my birthday’s sake.  And, doing the bar thing isn’t that attractive an option to me either.  (And that goes for getting wasted too.)  So, that kind of narrows it down, right?

Anyway, I’d really appreciate it if anyone has some good ideas — I’ve never been into the whole alcohol scene, and I really don’t know all the “hot spots” to go to.  I’m still in Boulder, so any local ideas would be great.  I’d also love to hear some 21st birthday stories…

Thank you! 🙂

7 Responses to “What to do on one’s 21st birthday…”

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Well, for every birthday of mine for.. I’d guess six or more years now, I’ve gone to WaterWorld for my birthday. However, that’s a morning/early afternoon activity that’s quite costly, so I’m not sure how well it applies to you.

If they do want to drag you to a “bar”, suggest the Rio. It’s a nice atmosphere with good food (and good drinks, if anyone wants any).

Paradoxdruid - August 27th, 2004 at 10:12 pm

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Well, there’s the tradition of doing twenty-one shots. Friend of mine in Freshman year instead played 21 games of racquetball. If there’s something you like and could do 21 of, go for it.

Owen - August 27th, 2004 at 11:12 pm

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Play Groundies!!! I didn’t drink at all until about 6 months ago (I just turned 22) so for my 21st a few friends and i had ice cream at my apartment then went to a playground and played Groundies. Groundies is kinda like tag but the person who’s “It” is blindfolded and you play in playground equipment. If the person who’s “It” hears you running around off of the playground equipment, you’re automatically cuaght. it’s really fun…and a bit dangerous 😛

mallorn - August 28th, 2004 at 3:28 pm

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I have to second the amazing fun that is groundies.. even if I almost broke my nose running into a pole. *joker) Good times, good times.

Paradoxdruid - August 28th, 2004 at 3:45 pm

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Well, I guess that I’m the drunkard of this crew so I should probably give my advice and story. The Attic (Walnut street, close to the costume shop and sort of across the street and just west of the restaurant the Med) has free pool tables. The tables aren’t the greatest but they are free. Round Midnight (right next to Pasta Jays, in the basement) has an interesting atmosphere with a couple of pool tables and a dance floor. One problem with Round Midnight is that it usually has a $1-$3 cover on Saterdays since it usually has a band playing. If it is a nice night out, then you might want to consider The West End (just west of Jax Fish Shop on Pearl St.) since they have a nice open air upstairs patio. Avoid at all costs the Walrus and the Foundary since they tend to be the frat boy and sorority chick hang outs and will be packed to the brim. The Catacombs (under the hotel Boulderado) is a cool place but its main bar is in the smoking room. The Scumdowner, errr Sundowner, aka the downer, has the best juke box in all of Boulder (mmm Devo) but it is somewhat of a seedy place. The Irish place next to Cold Stone is really expensive but usually has a cool celtic band on Saterdays and an outdoor patio.

My 21st. There were about a dozen of us, including Brad and Josh. We started at the West End. After each drink I was given a napkin and a glass of water. I would sign where I was and my name on the napkin while I finished the glass of water. After two drinks there we went to Round Midnight. At Round Midnight I had two more drinks and Russell (my roommate from Sophmore through to my first Senior year) handed me his present to me, an inflatable white sex sheep (with SuperFly lub included). He thought that it would take a lot of harrasment to get me to blow it up, but I knew who was with me and knew that I would get no end to grief if I didn’t blow it up right then and there, so I did. At that point we moved on to The Boulder Pub (next to Old Chicagos), where 21 b-days have to kiss the Buffalo head on the lips to get your free shot. When walking into the pub the bouncer yelled, “We have a 21st birthday here!” at which point someone yelled back, “My bet is that it’s the guy with the sheep!” I had two shots there (someone else there was having their 28th birthday there and bought me the second). So I’m now at 7 shots and we moved back to Old Chicago in order to get some food. While there I had two beers with my food. I vaguely remember going to the downer, and my handwriting is completely illegible by this point. From there we went to the Catacombs, where I had two glasses of water and made my way away from my dangerous friends who wanted me to continue drinking. Rachel, Russell’s girlfriend at the time, watched over me and had to deal with the “I love everyone” stage of my drunkeness. After my friends had their drinks there we moved on to Connor O’Neils. I had a drink there and then went outside for a breath of fresh air. Keven, one of my and Joshes good friends, follows me out and watches me puke on the bushes by the Wells Fargo parking lot. Lucky for me, right after I had finished puking and had backed away, the sprinklers for the bushes went on and proceeded to clean the puke off. We then went back to my place and everyone proceeded to pass out. Oh, in case you are wondering what happened to the sheep? It was filled with jello during High School Honors Institute 2002 and thrown out of the 8th story window of the Engineering Center as an Group Leader Egg Drop entry.

Stephen - August 30th, 2004 at 12:36 am

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But you kiss so cutely when you’re drunk!

And paradox — I’M the one who almost broke her nose by running into a pole while playing groundies! Or did that happen to you as well?

mallorn - August 30th, 2004 at 1:01 pm

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Well, I still don’t drink. But on my 21st birthday Jim, my parents, my godfather and his girlfriend went out to dinner and hung out. I probably also got together with some friends the next day. Such things tend to run together for me. 🙂 But in a good way!

On my 20th birthday, though, we went out and had shots of expresso at Penny Lane instead of shots of alcohol. That was fun, if not somewhat nasty tasting. Katherine, Druid, Richard and I had a lovely night. 🙂

ShortSpeedFreak - September 4th, 2004 at 4:24 pm

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