What was the best thing about your twenty first birthday?

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I'm trying to organize my twenty first birthday party, and I basically have no idea what I'm doing. So tell me what you did or what wished you had done, cause i'm freakin out.

― Nellie (nellskies), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Buying a beer legally with a different ID that I had been using at that same bar for 3 years. The look on the bartender's face was classic.

― merican, Friday, 30 April 2004 12:27 (twenty-two years ago)

getting drunk at chuck e cheese

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I don't know, the alone time?

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I turned 21 at the tail-end of (what I think may have been) My Bloody Valentine's last-ever concert.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I had a party at my student house. Best thing? The drugz.

― dog latin (dog latin), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

I tried to organize this band that I love, but they wanted too much money. I'm having it in a bar and i don't know if i want a bar tab or not. I don't know who i want to invite. And I'm scared.
Australia's drinking age is 18 so I'm already allowed to drink.

― Nellie (nellskies), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Me and my two best friends spent ALL DAY in the pub. Then we went home and fell asleep on the sofa.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I played "Rubicon" in my DJ set and people I didn't know cheered.

― Ronan (Ronan), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Get drunk and fight something.

― merican, Friday, 30 April 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha, this is easy. The best thing was Carsmile Steve getting us chucked out of the pub for throwing up all over it.

There were other good things, but that stands above them.

― Ally C (Ally C), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

drinkin 40s with my best friend.

― oops (Oops), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I had some sex. Whether that or playing frisbee and eating cheesecake in a park in York was the best thing I don't know.

Don't have a bar tab. People will toally be prepared to pay for their own drinks on your birthday. Get a friend to DJ or something, and have cheesecake. Can't go wrong.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Haha. I love how it NEVER stops being possible to bring that up on ILE :)

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Er, what Ally said I mean.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I organised for the death of a certain princess in a Paris tunnel on my 21st birthday. Class-ic.

― hmmm (hmmm), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Pre-party: sitting around with my flatmates eating apple pie and drinking champagne. (The apple pie was instead of a cake, I love my mum's apple pie and it was nice to have something slightly different.)

The thing I liked best was my outfit though. My friend's then-boyfriend was a hairdresser and did my hair and I had silver mules with steel stilleto heels, a John Richmond denim skirt and a black slash front top with a loopy thing round the neck. Anyway, that doesn't matter, just buy something that makes you feel great. I still have the top for sentimental reasons, although I can't wear it because the intervening years have seen growth for both my boobs (good) and my stomach (bad).

― Anna (Anna), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Nellie - congrats galore! (in advance?)

As for advice and stuff, oh boy... The only thing I can say f'sure, speaking from personal experience -- just don't go to celebrate it in Moscow.
As far as you don't do that, everything else'll work out just K-okey, I'm positive!
:)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:36 (twenty-two years ago)

also
contraceptives - S&D, POX, C/D, etc.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks for the congrats. Twenty firsts are kind of pointless but I'm excited anyway.
To be honest I think the best way to celebrate would be to be out of debt to my parents an my sister, have a job that i like and have my driving licence, but that doesn't really sound like party material.

― Nellie (nellskies), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I... don't... remember...

It was probably one of those massive birthday bashes my "sister" and I used to have. I remember buying booze legally for the first time, though.

― Super-Kate (kate), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

(U-huh)

(M'son 'll be 20 tomorrow, btw)

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Happy Birthday to your son! I like being twenty.

― Nellie (nellskies), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Revised for finals. Not good.
Felt lonely. Not good.
Ayrton Senna died. Not good.
Went for dinner in the Tandoori Kitchen with my friend Will and his girlfriend. Bit better.

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 30 April 2004 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

My favorite thing about my 21st b-day was jamming really really loudly on some drunken creepy/sexy surf music in a tiny corner bedroom of a house packed full of party people.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:11 (twenty-two years ago)

throwing up on a girls dorm room door.

― Chris 'The Velvet Bingo' V (Chris V), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:12 (twenty-two years ago)

I turned 21 at the tail-end of (what I think may have been) My Bloody Valentine's last-ever concert.

Hm...the final one was the show in LA in July 1992.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Happy b/day Nellie!

On the night before my b/day we all went down to London to stay with a friend. We went clubbing to Blue Note & 4 ppl ended up leaving early. (one had a panic attack just after we'd paid our money & someone had to leave with her. All of the bouncers kept inferring that she'd taken too many pills & I was like look you fuckwits she doesn't even drink!! aarrrgghhh Then another friend decided she had a headache & then another one was sick. Cheers ladies!) It was a good nite despite this, even though the cabbies had a hard time getting from Islington to Camden, but still. Then when we got back to mine the following day (which was actually my b/day), my family were hiding in my house which they'd decorated & had loads of pressies, flowers, champagne & cuddly toys (!!) & it was great. Then we all got showered & went out again! wooo good times indeed!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:18 (twenty-two years ago)

we had a theme party (faster pussycat! kill! kill!) and one of my friends did a puppet pyrotechnics show, involving fire breathing with 151 rum and cans of hairspray. ace.

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:32 (twenty-two years ago)

1. pitchers of margaritas at El Sombrero.
2. walking 20 blocks in the rain to see Labradford.
3. Carter Brown saying to me "I have extra copies of Cluster's Soweisoso and Grosses Wasser, I'll send 'em to you next week along with a promo of our next record."

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

20 was more memorable, though.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

You should spend it in a bar in southern Belize watching baseball and drinking Belikin. That's what I did.

― mcd (mcd), Friday, 30 April 2004 13:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Spent a cold Milanese day in bed reading Poe. Worked for me but I wouldn't recommend it otherwise. Have a funky good time.

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 30 April 2004 14:04 (twenty-two years ago)

i got a new car. that was pretty cool.

― colette (a2lette), Friday, 30 April 2004 14:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I went to see a depressing Norwegain film. On my own. It wasn't very good.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Friday, 30 April 2004 14:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Hm...the final one was the show in LA in July 1992.

Oh, OK. Douglas Wolk had openly wondered on this board if it was the June 19th NYC show.

Still, not a bad way to turn 21.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Friday, 30 April 2004 14:50 (twenty-two years ago)

absinthe and ecstacy

― don (don), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't remember anything about it, and I don't mean that in a good way.

― Ricardo (RickyT), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I threw up in my best friend's girlfriend's bathroom. That was the best part.

― The Huckle-Buck (Horace Mann), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think I did anything other than go to the record shops.

― jel -- (jel), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't remember exactly, but horrifyingly, I think it may have involved dorm-room made exotic drinks and Sheryl Crow songs. God.

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Got high in van full of hot rocker chicks.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 30 April 2004 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

drinking some flavoured vodka was fun. beats finding out a long term crush just started going out with one of my friends. didn't get any sex either. oh man how miserable!

i actually enjoyed the birthday itself though. wow i suck.

― ken c (ken c), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:23 (twenty-two years ago)

went to the liquor store and bought out half the shop. fuckers didn't even card me!! i was so disappointed. :-(

― stockholm cindy (Jody Beth Rosen), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Got high in van full of hot rocker chicks.

Braggart! (I'm jealous.)

― Michael White (Hereward), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I pulled.

― CRW (CRW), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Hitting '13' on the roulette table for $350.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It sucked shit.

1. I had flu
2. I had an essay in at 5pm that day which I left to the last minute due to getting dates wrong
3. I finally drugged myself up enough to go out, and a bloke I can't stand spent hours talking to me about his parents' impending divorce
4. I pulled a psychopath who later on slapped me in front of a room full of observers.

Not the best birthday of my life, in all honesty.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Proudly showing my ID to the doorperson. Legally drinking.

― mike a, Friday, 30 April 2004 17:20 (twenty-two years ago)

My band played that night, and after the show several of the audience members took me to a bar down the street and bought me free drinks.

Best part was actually the next day though, when I just didn't bother to go in for a double shift at the restaurant where I worked. I had unplugged my phone the night before in a drunken bout of "fuck this, I'm not working tomorrow," so I didn't even get the three messages my boss left until it was way too late.

Fortunately I did have another job. In fact, I lived on one corner of an intersection one door from the bar, worked at a coffee shop very near another corner of the same intersection, and quit from the restaurant on a third corner of the intersection. It was fun seeing my old boss almost every day.

― martin m. (mushrush), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha. "bought me free drinks." I assume y'all figured out what I meant.

― martin m. (mushrush), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:26 (twenty-two years ago)

*sigh*

Getting to see fIREHOSE play later that evening at a 21+ place. -- and they didn't even check my I.D.

(sighing, because that part of me hasn't really changed much, as far as rock shows being the main checkpoints of memories for me)

― donut bitch (donut), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:28 (twenty-two years ago)

we had a party/club night at the SU on the night and my friends DJ'd, a bunch of cute girls danced for a bit before leaving, seemingly unimpressed by my moves and pathetic advances. why do people consider turning 21 a big deal?

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 30 April 2004 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The best part was going to Ruby Tuesday's with Sarah and ordering a beer. It was a pretty dismal birthday. Probably my worst ever.

― NA (Nick A.), Friday, 30 April 2004 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

why do people consider turning 21 a big deal?

Who knows, steve?

― N. (nickdastoor), Friday, 30 April 2004 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It was mainly an excuse for other people to throw a party. The best thing was that it ended

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 30 April 2004 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

<em>I tried to organize this band that I love, but they wanted too much money. I'm having it in a bar and i don't know if i want a bar tab or not. I don't know who i want to invite. And I'm scared.
Australia's drinking age is 18 so I'm already allowed to drink.</em>

So why is this birthday any different than the previous two birthdays? The reason why 21 is significant is that in some countries, 21 is the drinking age. If it isn't 21 in your country, then why is 21 a special birthday? It's not even a roundish number like 20 or 25.

This smacks of self-importance.

― Debito (Debito), Saturday, 1 May 2004 01:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Hmmm.

Anyway, my 21st wasn't anything particularly special, but that was by my own design. So much ado was made of my 18th birthday that I was determined to make the 21st as low-key as possible. I had been anxiously awaiting my 21st as the date I could start drinking alcohol, so late at night, when I was sure my parents wouldn't be looking, I took out one of Dad's beers and started sipping it, only to be thoroughly disgusted by its taste. I could only manage choking down 1/4 of the can (yes, a can of beer) before I had to throw the rest of it down the faucet and throw it away in a trash bag I had up in my bedroom. Whoo, par-tay time.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 1 May 2004 02:48 (twenty-two years ago)

So I suppose the best thing about my birthday was... was... um, the money-stuffed cards I received as my presents? Couldn't have been. Wait, it was.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 1 May 2004 02:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I and the five friends with whom I shared a dorm suite (along with three non-combatants) threw the highest population-density party I've ever had a hand in. It was really great, in an unventful sort of way.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 1 May 2004 03:02 (twenty-two years ago)

That it hasn't happened yet, so the ways in which it will suck are still a complete mystery to me.

― Melissa W (Melissa W), Saturday, 1 May 2004 03:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Nothing, really.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 1 May 2004 03:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, I ignored my eighteenth birthday and stayed home. I guess for me it really does signify becoming an adult cause I've been putting it off for the last couple of years because of some shit I've had to work out. It's a big deal cause my parents are putting up some dosh for a party and some friends are flying in from interstate.
Maybe it is self importance, but celebrating being an adult doesn't seem any worse to me than celebrating legally being able to drink legally. Both are entirely arbitrary but as important as you make them.

― Nellie (nellskies), Saturday, 1 May 2004 05:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Best part was finding out the next day that my girlfriend cared enough about me to have slept on the floor next to the couch where I had inconsiderately passed out, with her hand pressed against my chest in the (obviously silly but nevertheless touching) hope that if my heart stopped beating due to alcohol poisoning, she would somehow notice it and wake up in time to resuscitate me.

― spittle (spittle), Saturday, 1 May 2004 06:42 (twenty-two years ago)

It was a bit of a washout. I spent ages handmaking invitations, then only 7 people came. We ended up having dinner at my best friend's house and going to Feet First.

― Madchen (Madchen), Saturday, 1 May 2004 08:44 (twenty-two years ago)

It was the last day of term at university so everyone had better things to do (sub-text: I didn't really have any friends). Someone did buy me a bridie out of Greggs and put a lit cigarette in it as some sort of improvised cake/candle thing. I got 21 £10 notes off my parents as a present and bought tons of records. Then I went to the pub on my own. It was shit.

As mentioned above, Ally C's 21st was the biz though.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 1 May 2004 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

best thing about my 21st - going out for a meal at The Spaghetti Tree, an Italian restaurant in Bristol, where I was a student at the time, which had a DJ and a dancefloor - albeit a small one...a kind of restaurant and club combined! One of the waiters accidentally twatted Sîan on the head, not really hard mind and Michael suggested she should sue the restaurant, adding something about a v. important modelling appointment the next day. Sarah turned up from band practice with her violin and Michael mentioned something about bringing violin cases to Italian restaurants. The only bad thig was the girl I really fancied at the time couldn't make it. I doubt if anything would have happened if she had - I was very shy in those days. My friend Mark and I were there later than anyone else, until we were the only ones on the dancefloor. I have just realised that I am not in touch with any of these ppl at all anymore.

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:21 (twenty-two years ago)

N., was your diary going through a hyperminimalist phase that year?

― the pinefox, Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:28 (twenty-two years ago)

The best thing about my 21st birthday was the theme and its effects: my housemates came dressed as Salt'n'Pepa, and my raunchy threeway dancing with them to "Whatta Man" shocked and appalled my sister.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:34 (twenty-two years ago)

It was two weeks ago, I got drunk in a club. The best thing is that I didn't fall over or get sick or insult/kill anyone. I think I might have burnt a small hole in my suit with a fag though, but that's escaping lightly.

My idea of a good birthday is pretty much getting drunk-but-not-too-drunk without paying for many of your own drinks.

― ferg (Ferg), Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:37 (twenty-two years ago)

That was not an extract from my diary, pinefox. I fear that if I were to dig that out I'd just make everyone cry.

― N. (nickdastoor), Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:38 (twenty-two years ago)

when I commented to Sîan about the head-twatting incident the following day, she remarked "You were so drunk i'm surprised you remembered!"

― MarkH (MarkH), Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't think it was.

I have not cried in a long time.

But perhaps I have cried inside.

― the pinefox, Saturday, 1 May 2004 12:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Toss up between hurling mussel shells at passing cars from a rooftop and a failed suicide attempt involving a butter knife. Ah, bottles of Goldschlager, why have you failed me.

― Allyzay, Saturday, 1 May 2004 14:26 (twenty-two years ago)

My 21st? Was in London that summer, can remember being at an all-night rave with 3 glasses of wine over the course of the night. Despite the heavy petting done by nearly everyone around me, best part was dancing with a crowd on stage

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Saturday, 1 May 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

sp.

― RJG (RJG), Saturday, 1 May 2004 17:45 (twenty-two years ago)

being 21 was probably the worst year of my life. the only fond memory i have of my birthday party was my then boyfriend and The Notorious Underwear Thief spontaneously covering "cunt-tease". i provided "fuck you!" backing vocals.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Saturday, 1 May 2004 23:42 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, that isn't very helpful. nellie, you could organise some bands to play at your birthday party, provided the members aren't all thirsting for each others blood.

― The Lady Ms Lurex (lucylurex), Saturday, 1 May 2004 23:46 (twenty-two years ago)

For Those Who Need Closure Friends Finale Style.
I have decided to have a 'cosby sweater' theme at my birthday. And a chocolate cosby sweater cake.

― Nellie (nellskies), Friday, 7 May 2004 14:25 (twenty-two years ago)

On my 21st, a close friend took me out and we had pina coladas. We just sat and sipped at our drinks and talked for hours. The guy who served us saw that it was my 21st bday and thought I was crazy, that I should be partying it up. But I had to wake up at 5 the next morning to get to job training for a new promotion at my job. I'd been using a fake ID for a year prior to that anyway, so it didn't seem like a big deal.

Another friend of mine did the whole 21 shots thing on her 21st bday. I think she only got 17 down though. She got very sick, of course, so the end of the night consisted of me holding her hair while she puked and puked.

She left a message on my answering machine the next day along the lines of "thanks so much for last night...I had a great time...you were so sweet and gentle, the way you took care of me...". My roommate was quite amused.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Friday, 7 May 2004 14:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Ronan has won so far (imo)

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 7 May 2004 14:59 (twenty-two years ago)

what? my pyrotechnics failed to impress you?

― lauren (laurenp), Friday, 7 May 2004 15:04 (twenty-two years ago)

one year passes...

What shall i do for my 21st. Its not til the start of Jan, but i should organise something now - because of all the christmas hassle in the middle. Its a rubbish time for a birthday - everyone is all partied out. And i dont know whether to have a party - will people bother coming. Dont know if my uni friends will fancy treking across the country just after new year. Any suggestions for any birthday fun?

― choufleu, Thursday, 24 November 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

On the evening before my 21st birthday I cut off my nearly shoulder-length hair and left about 3 inches on top, which I parted in the middle. This transformed me into a relatively clean-cut youth in one swoop.

The next day, my birthday, I purchased a photo ID card from the state of Oregon, because I did not have a driver's license. I may have purchased some liquor with my shiny new ID, but I don't recall. At the time I was house sitting in an unheated, unfurnished house and had almost zero money to spend. I may have eaten supper back at home with the parents that night.

Getting the photo ID card rather forced me to adopt my new look. I don't regret it.

― Aimless (Aimless), Thursday, 24 November 2005 20:13 (twenty years ago)

maybe you could kill yourself - it's not going to get any better (xpost)

― bato (bato), Thursday, 24 November 2005 20:20 (twenty years ago)

A squat party in Stratford, East London on acid, with a friend choosing that evening to come out as gay and another being thrown out for pissing in a corner of the house.

The worst thing was emerging the next morning, after the endless struggling to sleep despite being exhausted acid effect, into the grey and grimy ambiance of Stratford feeling really unclean and like washed up piece of garbage.

That was a long time ago.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Friday, 25 November 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

N.'s diaries should be donated to the British Library in case he gets run over. I'm still waiting for the remainder of the freshers' week account.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Friday, 25 November 2005 00:19 (twenty years ago)

Potcheen.

― Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Friday, 25 November 2005 00:25 (twenty years ago)

That I had been drinking legally for two years.

HA! Gotta love Ontario!

― Jack L., Friday, 25 November 2005 00:45 (twenty years ago)

fuck my 21st birthday and the rock it crawled in under.

actally no, it was saved at the last minute by two superb friends and some champagne.

but still.

― emsk ( emsk), Friday, 25 November 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)

Yes N's diary-tease must never be forgiven.

Went to the pub I think but didn't drink or did but they didn't, played seven card whist. That summer feels like a dream to me now.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 25 November 2005 01:14 (twenty years ago)

two very good friends conveniently had a gorgeous and informal wedding on my birthday and it became a lovely double celebration. that was a pretty fab day actually.

― gem (trisk), Friday, 25 November 2005 01:18 (twenty years ago)

another being thrown out for pissing in a corner of the house.

I thought that was the point of living in a squat.

I have no idea what I did on my 21st.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 25 November 2005 13:42 (twenty years ago)

What shall i do for my 21st.
-- choufleu

Change your nickname.

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

I really can't remember!

― not-goodwin (not-goodwin), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:05 (twenty years ago)

I flew a plane, ate Indian food and got laid ~~all at the same time~~.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 25 November 2005 14:08 (twenty years ago)

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