Ringing in the big 21 with style

By Marcos Moreno

With the recent onslaught of February birthdays, I thought it would be nice to reflect upon a growing trend at Santa Clara. A lot of my friends are turning 21 and they're taking their birthday parties to a whole new level. It's not enough to turn 21; the new thing is to have a massive party the night before your 21st. It's called the 12:01.

The basic premise is to get real boozed up on the eve of your birthday so that you can hit the bars when the clock strikes midnight. That is, if you can still stand. It's an interesting twist on an old tradition.

In my opinion, celebrating a 21st birthday is one of the better milestones in a person's life, so it makes sense that people want to live it up. I just don't think it should be a race to the "black out" finish line. What I mean is that it would be nice to have some great memories when you wake up on the morning (or afternoon) of your birthday.

"I do not remember my actual 12:01," says Danny Wheeler, a junior at Santa Clara. He went on to explain that he remembered the first half of the evening, but he can't recount what happened when he turned 21. He explained that he never was able to make it out to a bar, but that it was fine because "I woke up at one point with my head in a trash can." Ah, such fond memories.

Most of the people I asked said that they felt like they had crossed a divide when they turned 21. They had become adults. John Sabine, a theater major, said his favorite part of being 21 was "not being paranoid." He stated that many people drink when they are minors and it's scary because they know they are doing something illegal. Now, however, that fear is gone. I think an elated Brendan Harper said it best when he shouted, "I'm legal, you bastards!" (He really wanted me to put that in.)

At the risk of sounding like a public service announcement, I'd like to warn students not to endanger their own health by performing the herculean feat of consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol. Drink in moderation. You're becoming an adult, so it's time to start acting like one. Take responsibility for your actions, because in the end you are the only one to blame. With that in mind, have fun. Be safe. If you know your limits there's no reason why you can't have a good time.

When I mentioned that my 21st is later this month, people were quick to give me advice about what to do. Most of advice that was common sense: drink lots of water, don't eat large meals, bring a camera, be around your friends and plan ahead. But I think the best advice came from Danny Wheeler, who said, "Soak it all in. Enjoy every moment of it. It's the only day you're going to have it. It's never going to happen again. There's no moment like it. It's a coming-of-age day." Wow, I can't wait.

Marcos Moreno is a junior English major.