My birthday is a week away and I have no idea what to do. Whenever my birthday sneaks up on me, I am hesitant to plan anything lengthy because planning anything is a hassle for me. I’m just not a party-planning type of gal, or the tiniest iota organizational in general. But as my 26th year on Earth approaches and I officially depart from my early 20s, I can see a distinct evolution in my birthday celebrations.
I’m just not that excited anymore and a quick drink at a bar will suffice. My energy is depleted; I am too old for this s***. But what should I really be celebrating?
Want to know what my 21st birthday looked like? Pretty damn 2-1. My boyfriend grabbed me mid-fall five seconds after this was taken.
I live in Austin, a city that boasts the most concentrated hub of drinking holes ever, seemingly. When 2:00 AM hits, the streets are flooded with rolling waves of drunk savages. Parking is a joke, wastoids are obnoxious, dude-bros travel in popped-collared packs and the famous 6th Street has experienced in uptick in crime and violence. I cannot stomach revisiting this world that my 21-year-old self took residence in.
The years following my debauchment have progressively toned down in age. What was once raging at a house party with toxic trashcan punch is now gabbing with girlfriends over dinner in a clean establishment. I hate being drunk, I want to clearly remember my good times, I don’t enjoy CHERRY VODKA SOURS anymore, and I really enjoy staying home sipping on wine and watching basketball with my boyfriend. Plus, I have moved further and further away from Central Austin, therefore I whine about driving more than 3 miles. (We are spatially spoiled in these parts.)
Nonetheless, I have much to celebrate as I usher in my 26th year of life. My first half of 25th year was a bad one, with friends moving away, a slightly depressing phase, problems with family and best friends, a bastard of a landlord, etc. The second half was magnifique in comparison. So I welcome 26 with open arms in a slo-mo running sequence, ideally with Mariah Carey singing “Hero” in the background. I want to bring together my good friends to toast to an optimistic year and shrug away a bad year that I managed to get through.
Ultimately, I am still alive and grateful!
To my dear Lovelies, how do you celebrate your birthday? Has it changed over the years or do you stick with birthday traditions?
guest
My birthday is on the 4th of July so I celebrate appropriately. Fireworks, BBQ’s and the like. Usually I just go out for drinks with close friends and stop there. Next year will be my 30th so I’d like to do something big. I live in Philly so maybe I’ll go to the parade downtown or something.
guest
my 26th birthday was essentially a house party. drinking games, hookah in the backyard, and a drunk stumble to a nearby 24-hour donut shop. it was badass. i can’t remember most of it.
guest
My 22nd was Tuesday. I went on the boat with family, then came home and got immensely trashed at my restaurant and then my favorite bar, including falling down a ton of times, blacking out, and puking throughout the bar. Sounds rough, as was the next day, but it was fun!
guest
I simply don’t.
guest
sixth can still be fun with the right people. I go to a few punk/metal bars rather than dance clubs, and walking from parking garages on fifth isn’t so bad, at least in my opinion. I’m prolly going back for my 23rd in a couple months because with more chill friends, I find I hang more and go club to club taking shots less.