20 is the year of waiting. If you have a later birthday, like me, everyone else's 21st birthdays are just an ugly reminder that your parents waited too long to conceive you. Here's a play-by-play of what it's like to be a 20-year-old in Iowa City.
5:30 pm: Class is over. You’re hungry but you also need to start getting ready to go out. You meet a friend for a quick bite to eat.
5:45 pm: Your waiter asks if you would like to start off with something to drink. Smugly, you order a Martini from the menu. (A real 21-year-old wouldn’t order a Rum and Coke with dinner, right?) Since you have styled your hair and makeup to look exactly like the girl on your fake ID, she accepts your order.
6:15 pm: You’re on your walk home feeling a little buzzed. Time to start making plans.
6:30 pm: You’re sitting on the couch with a glass of wine from the bottle your parents bought you when they were here last weekend. You’re carefully paying close attention to the group chat as to not miss out on any decisions.
6:35 pm: Slowly starting to curl your hair and pick out an outfit, you’re sure you pick a top with long sleeves in order to either cover up your X’s from the bartender or your wristband from the cops.
7:00 pm: Time to push your roommates to get ready. FAC ends at 8:30 people!!!
7:15 pm: Really pushing everyone to get ready at this point in the night. If you go to FAC soon, maybe everyone will be drunk enough at 10 to leave the bar with you.
8:00 pm: After much pushing and flickering of the lights, you get your roommates out the door.
8:10 pm: You give the Union bouncer your fake. Another glare but he slaps a wrist-band on you anyway. He looks confused when the girl whose ID you are using walks in behind you.
8:12 pm: Wow, there's a lot of underclassmen here. You stand up a little straighter and apply another coat of lipstick to ensure they know you aren't one of them. However, you still accept the drink that the guy in the Seniors 2015 t-shirt buys you. Free drinks are free drinks!
8:15 pm – 9:30 pm: You're buying drinks at the bar but making sure to chug them fast just in case a cop walks in. You're also making sure to keep your sleeves covered over your wristband while you’re constantly keeping an eye on the door. (If you hide in the bathroom, can the cops still give you a ticket?)
9:45 pm: Trying to convince your 21-year-old friends that frat parties are way more fun than DC’s. Or, hey, how about some good ol’ Marco’s grilled cheese?!
9:59 pm: You join the mad rush for the door. You leave a large part of your crew behind but manage to drag your roommate with you after advertising the “we always leave together” rule.
10:01 pm: Walking past Brother’s. Okay you’ll go in for just one drink.
10:02 pm: The girl who’s ID you have walks into Brother’s just before you. The bouncer catches this, turns you down, and takes the ID. Maybe that rumor that they get money for each ID taken is actually true?
10:03 pm: Standing in the wind tunnel between the Sheraton and Martini’s. Cold. Lonely. Trying to find out where your next move is.
10:05 pm: You buy some Marco’s. Are you too old for a frat party?
10:06 pm: Yep definitely too old.
10:07 pm: Walking home and glaring at all the lucky 21 year olds that are just leaving their pregames and are just heading out. You are trying to not look them in the eye and pretend that your night didn't just end. Can they rub it in anymore?
10:15 pm: You walk into your apartment and collapse on your bed, counting how many days there are until you turn 21.
