Being underage in college is a struggle. While fraternity parties are fun for the first two years, there comes a time when you want to experience new places and meet new people. Unfortunately, when you’re not 21 those options are very limited. In Miami, you are forced to either go to the 18+ clubs or settle for many chill wine nights at your dorm. At first, these alternatives don’t seem too bad, but as all your friends turn 21 before you do…the underage clubs start to become a lonely place.
Sadly for me, I was cursed with being the youngest of my group. One by one, sash after sash, I saw all my friends celebrate their 21st birthdays. Even though they make sure to include me in some of the festivities, I wasn’t able to be there to experience their first legal drink at a bar nor their first legal entry to a club. Easy to say, I’ve had a major case of FOMO!
After each of my friends had their whole week of celebrations, I thought the worst part was over. I was wrong. After that came the changes of our usual weekend plans. They wanted to hit all the places they weren’t able to get into before. I mean, why wouldn’t they? I would be doing the same thing if could.
It was hard seeing my squad make plans in the group chat to go to Blackbird, while I was stuck at home binge watching Shameless and counting down the days till my 21st birthday. It was even harder seeing one of my sorority littles turn 21 before me. I wish I could say it gets better with time, but it doesn’t. The closer you get to your birthday, the more desperate you get and the longer time feels.
Hang in there and be strong! Keep yourself busy and hangout with girls who can’t get into the 21 club either. I know I’m making it seemed as if you need a support group to go through this, but it never hurts to have people around who are feeling the same way as you. The time will come when you are the one wearing the pink sash and posting pictures with the 21 balloons that you will probably end up losing by the end of the night. Your birthday will feel even bigger than all of your friends’ birthdays combined. It will be the night when the baby of the squad finally becomes a legal woman.
Take it from me, there’s no better satisfaction than having a bartender ask for your ID when you just turn 21! All of the paranoia you had from before completely vanishes.
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