People typically say, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.” But, spoiler alert: I’m about to prove that’s not always true. Las Vegas is known as a city of gambling and party life — and, to college students, one of the most popular places to go when you turn 21. Except… I went to Vegas for my 20th birthday.
“Why didn’t you go there next year?” everyone asked me. My answer? Simply because I can still have a blast just being 20. (Also, I didn’t choose when Cardi B went on tour, but I’ll get to that later.) Something I’ve learned to do in my life is to enjoy everything to the fullest, no matter how young I am, no matter where I am, and no matter how busy I am — and let me tell you, I’ve been busy.
I am now ending my second year of college at St. John’s University in New York City. Being an out-of-state student, I try to make the most of my time here by being involved. In my two years here, I’ve joined the school’s radio station, hosting four shows a week and doing sports broadcasting. I also am a student ambassador, meaning I give tours to prospective students and help in the admissions process. And what I’m most proud of: I’ve worked my way up through hard work, dedication, genuine love for my school’s Her Campus chapter to now be sitting as the chapter president. I do this all while balancing being a government and politics major (which is nothing but stressful during these times) and a marketing minor… all while trying to have a life somewhere in there.
Needless to say, I was so excited to give myself time to get away from it all. And now, you get to come with me as I recap my four-day birthday trip to Las Vegas.
Day 1: Arrival
This whole trip was centered around my sister and I having a sister’s trip for my birthday. However, when I was going to sleep the night prior, my sister let me know she could no longer go. So, waking up this morning, I was pretty bummed that I would be missing my sister, who I rarely see now that I’m living away from home, on my birthday. However, I still decided to go on the trip — mostly because it was too late not to.
One thing I didn’t prepare myself for was eating during the long flight, so I may have gone 12 hours without a real meal… oops. But I’m a boss, and persevered. JetBlue had my favorite snacks (Biscoff cookies) and my favorite movie (10 Things I Hate About You), two things that made my flight more bearable. After the nearly six-hour flight in the middle seat, I landed exhausted and starved. Thankfully, it was dinner time in the Pacific time zone, which meant it was the perfect time to stop at In-N-Out!
Thankfully for this trip, I have family members who live in Vegas, so I got to stay with them. As I was getting ready for bed, I went to the kitchen to grab water… and guess who I saw there? My sister! I was shocked and genuinely so happy that she somehow managed to get here for the trip after all.
Day 2: My 20th Birthday!
Wow, I’m no longer a teenager! This day we did a lot. For starters, I had been craving a seafood boil for months. So, of course, we went to get one! I must say, no state I’ve gone to so far has done a seafood as good as Maryland, but this was pretty solid.
After a delicious and filling meal, we went to get my birthday freebies. This entailed my aunt, sister, and I driving around my aunt’s part of Vegas to different stores to get free rewards. We went to Dutch Bros and Nothing Bundt Cakes (which I tried for the first time) and got a free Pink Velvet Shake (which I loved) and a mini Biscoff cookie cake, respectively. Then, we went to a shopping center and got free items from Sephora, Victoria’s Secret, Bath and Body Works, and something discounted from Hot Topic. My sister also surprised me with my favorite perfume that she got from Ulta. (Shout out to Campus Trendsetters for introducing me to Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Extreme.) The sunset hit while we were shopping and it was honestly so beautiful. I never realized in my past times coming here how stunning the views are all around Vegas.
Despite still being jetlagged, my sister and I went to Topgolf to close out the night. I just started getting into Topgolf, so I was elated! My sister’s friends also came into town, so we spent the rest of the night together. I wish we stayed for longer, but I was so glad I went!
The last thing we did was walk to the Strip and take pictures. My outfit and makeup were so tea, I couldn’t let it go to waste. And I turned 20, so I had to post, of course!
Day 3: Cardi B Concert
We spent the morning watching the Winter Olympics with my aunt and uncle, then eventually went to help my cousins with remodeling their new homes. My aunt picked up an order for my sister and I from Habit Burger — and, oh my god, was it good. She also picked up fries from a spot down the road, and I miss them to this day. Everything about the meal was fantastic and set the mood for the night. Afterwards, I got ready and we headed out to the venue for the big event: Cardi B’s concert.
Cardi B hasn’t toured in years, so we had to go big or go home. The dress code for Cardi’s Little Miss Drama Tour was “drama school,” so I put together my take on a schoolgirl fit (on a budget) and I honestly ate down.
The show finally started around 8:40, and it was fire. Yes, there were a ton of outfit malfunctions. Yes, she fell off her chair. (And as she said throughout the night, it was the government’s fault, lol.) Despite these challenges, she did her big one. She performed for two hours with nearly 40 songs. It was only her second show of the tour, and she did so well that I’m considering seeing her again for her New York stop. My sister found it comical just how many songs I knew and how many of the lyrics I sang. I had the time of my life and enjoyed every song from her classic old tracks to her new album. This show was the main motivator for this trip, and it proved that this whole plan worked out so well for me — and that this birthday trip was the best thing I could’ve done for myself.
This is the one time I wished I was turning 21, not 20, during this trip. I’m not a drinker, so the bars aren’t my scene — however, parties are. Unfortunately, clubs typically don’t let people under 21 in, and the concert after-party certainly didn’t. My sister went without me and managed to get in the front row to watch Cardi B reperforming some of her songs right in front of her. I’ve never been so jealous before, and the cherry on top was I found out that same night that J. Cole, a St. John’s alum, had finally returned to campus — and of course it happened when I was across the country…
Day 4: My Departure
Finally, it was my last day in Las Vegas. The trip truly went by so quickly. We started our day by getting breakfast with my aunt and uncle. Then, we headed to a local outlet so I could grab some souvenirs before I left. To kill time before my flight, we drove around the city. We went close to the Strip to see the Sphere and then went to the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. Then, I said my goodbyes and was dropped off at the airport. Luckily, this time, I learned my lesson and bought a meal for the flight from Panda Express (which ended up being disgusting, but oh well). At least I got the window seat this time, so I spent the next six hours taking quick naps, occasionally speaking to the sweet lady next to me, and watching Modern Family. This trip was short and sweet, and although I was doubtful going into the trip, I am so glad I went and couldn’t have had a better time entering my 20s.