Wine Night, a beloved tradition as old as our mothers, but as relevant as can be. A time we can enjoy all of the pleasures of alcohol without the chaos of a bar or the striving to impress. Rather than those crazy nights out that we so cherish, with the loud music, bright lights, and events that we barely remember, wine night offers a time to cozy up with friends and just be ourselves. Wine night, in my opinion, is one of our generations greater social innovations. It is casual yet classy; a time to be goofy and also an opportunity to be intellectual.
A successful wine night consists of comfy couches, no makeup, and good company. Oh and wine of course! Whatever your preference: chardonnay, merlot, or sweet moscato; whether its the fancy bottles your parents gave you or the cheap stuff from the gas station across the street, all that matters is that you have a fancy(ish) glass to pour it in. Personally, I like to light a few candles to give it an extra homey feel, and the rest is up to you and your lazy buzz. You can watch a movie, listen to music, maybe even have a dance party. Or you can talk. These are my favorite nights: just simple engaging conversations about anything from the meaningless gossip to deep heart-to-hearts.
What I particularly love about the idea of wine night is the irony of it all. The sophistication of something as simple as a wine glass can make something as juvenile as what is essentially a sleepover into an adultlike atmosphere. Who cares if you're laughing so hard you snort when you can reach over and daintily sip your wine afterwards? Or that your wearing old rumpled pajama pants and a giant t shirt when your pouring your second glass? It is an illusion of being a grown up that is just so sweet when your still thriving on the slight irresponsibility of being young; which is the whole idea of college, right?
You see, in an environment like college, where everything moves so very fast, from getting from place to place, getting things done, going out, seeing people, there is little time to sit in the calm and just enjoy. And when we do, we so often spend that time unspectacularly on ourselves, watching netflix or the like. Wine night is all the fun of a social function while just enjoying simplicity; it is all the laughter and irresponsibility of a night out without the fastness and the loudness. Its a time where you can actually engage yourself and get to know people rather than just taking pictures of the crazy time your having.
Wine night is something I intend to do until I'm old and then, paradoxically, instead of dreaming of being an adult, I will reflect on and cling to the memories of being young.
