We’ve all been there, you’re finally of legal drinking age and you can’t wait to finally get into the popular bars and clubs you keep hearing about. This is especially true for university students, who are surrounded by peers their age thinking the very same thing. You hear it time and again, “I partied a lot in first year” or “I used to go out almost every weekend.”
Sooner or later though, most people end up agreeing that they’d rather stay in and have a wine night with some friends than jump around in a sweaty, sticky club standing shoulder to shoulder with a bunch of strangers, getting stepped and spilt on. Yes, I said it: going out is not all it’s cracked up to be. Most often, you won’t experience anything that makes the uncomfortable outfits, two-hour line ups in the cold, over-priced cover fees and drinks, and random drunk people crowding you (maybe even inappropriately hitting on you), worth the trouble. Once the novelty of being legal wears off, and you’ve had a few too many nights gone wrong, you’ll see it too: the benefits of having a good time with a small group of friends, in a relaxed environment, rather than surrounded by chaos. I’m not necessarily saying that going out in general is never worth it, that isn’t my point. I’m just advising you to choose carefully where and when you spend your nights out. For example, go grab a few drinks and appetizers at a pub or restaurant at a decent hour, before it’s crawling with wasted adolescents yelling and grinding on one another. Alternatively, maybe find a spot with live music, or a venue hosting one of those paint nights with wine that are becoming increasingly popular! I’m telling you, you’re bound to have a much more fun and enriching experience in settings like these as opposed to another blurry night at Phil’s Grandson’s you probably won’t remember. It might sound like too “adult” of a choice to make, but it’s true what they say: its not that you’re getting older, you’re getting wiser!
Jenna Aquino
2A, Arts and Business
