Fun & Safe Ways to Celebrate Your 21st Birthday!

SO today is my 21st birthday and I’m pretty excited. Celebrating the big 21st birthday is something we ALL look forward to. Wheaten College worded it best, saying “your 21st birthday is considered a final passage into adulthood.”  So once we FINALLY turn that age, you can bet we’re going to have a good time (me in particular ;).) But just because you’re going to have a good time doesn't mean you should go CRAZY. There is a LOT of ways to celebrate your 21st birthday without losing control. For example, I’m going out with my family tonight for dinner. It’s still going to be something I don’t get to do that often, and I’m NOT going to feel sick in the morning. Having a private party, including dinner with the family, is a great way to celebrate your 21st birthday. This way you’ll be surrounded with people you care about. 

Birthdays are also awesome because you can get a ton of free stuff, and I’m not just talking checks from Grandma. Many stores, restaurants especially, will give you freebies when you sign up for discounts online. For example, I scored a free shake from Del Taco… mmm…

For an entire list of free food restaurants will offer you on your birthday check out this website.

If you do decide to go out for your big birthday, make sure you follow these tips I found on Purdue EDU, including:

• Don't be stupid. How about ... doing 21 push-ups ... eating 21 jalapeno poppers or hitting 21 shots ... with a basketball. But 21 shots of alcohol? Bad idea.
• Sober driver, Sober driver, Sober driver. How many times do we have to say this?
• Celebrate with friends you trust - the ones who have enough sense to keep you from losing control, out of jail, or will call for an ambulance if you need it. They might even buy you a gift.
• Do we have to send you back to kindergarten for this message again? Don't take a drink from a stranger or leave your drink unattended. There just might be a special dose of a date-rape drug inside (but remember that alcohol is THE #1 date-rape drug).
• All drinks are not created equally . . . Usually, a drink is one 12 oz. beer, one shot of 80-proof liquor, or one 4 oz. glass of wine. But, even within each category, there are varying alcohol contents, e.g. regular beer has more alcohol than light beer, and tequila has more alcohol than schnapps. If you don't know how much alcohol you're drinking, ask your server!
• Eat birthday cake, nachos, or pizza before you go out. Food fills you up and slows alcohol absorption, too.
• Alcohol is sexist! It treats men and women differently due to body size, composition and hormones.
• Ask your friendly pharmacist to wish you a happy birthday. Some medications should not be combined with alcohol. Your pharmacist will tell you if you can drink safely.
• Whoa! Slow down! Enjoy all 1,440 minutes of your birthday. Take your time. You don't want to just remember the first fifteen minutes, do you?

Clinton Township resident Vicky Goldwater is the “Spokester” for Michigan First Credit Union's Young & Free Michigan program, helping the 17-25 year-old crowd get a head start on their finances. As the voice of the program, she shares this positive message through social media channels, local events and speaking opportunities as well as her blog on YoungFreeMichigan.com. You can also follow Vicky’s adventures on Twitter (@youngfreeMI) and Facebook. Michigan First Credit Union is a local financial institution serving more than 90,000 individuals and businesses in the Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Visit www.MichiganFirst.com to learn more