Of Legal Age and Still Taking Advantage
June 10, 2010 at 7:49 am | Posted in Friends Then and Now, Life and Living | 7 CommentsTags: absinthe, alcohol, bar, college, drinking, friends, high school, partying
our room in Puerto Rico didn't have a fridge, so the sink took over
I was thirteen when I got drunk for the first time. It was off of scotch whiskey, taken from an old dusty bottle in my parents’ cabinet, put into a water bottle, and explained away as iced tea.
I was at my friend’s house, which was basically the place to be. Everybody hung out there, which means everyone was there to witness me, little eighth grader with glasses, puking and swearing I had never drank before. Everyone found it hilarious, including the upperclassmen that were there. Needless to say, I got teased about that for a long time.
I remember keg parties, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and forties; drinking anything I could get my hands on. It wasn’t hard to get alcohol underage in my town. There was always an upperclassman with a fake ID or older brother willing to help corrupt us.
By senior year, my cocktail of choice was Long Island Iced Teas. I’d go to the local club and down about five of them and feel damn good. I also had about four fake IDs, though I usually just chalked my own.
In college, while many people were first experimenting with alcohol, I was perfecting the practice. I could be drunk as a fish and be able to convince anyone that I wasn’t. I learned how to puke in a very clean way and very quickly, and was even recognized by the janitor as the cleanest puker he’d ever seen. In college, the evening activity was going out and drinking, or staying in and playing drinking games.
Towards the end of college, I started to enjoy good quality beers. I began to appreciate the art of alcohol. Today, I still enjoy a good beer, and the occasional tequila shot, some sake, or dare I ask for a shot of absinthe. Now, a glass of wine is part of a nice dinner or a treat after a long day’s work. It doesn’t come in a box anymore. Now the evening activity is still quite often the bar, or hanging out at a friend’s place, but the objective isn’t to go out drinking (usually). It’s to hang out with good friends and wind down from work. Oftentimes inebriation happens, and I’m still working on the whole hangover, mixing alcohol, thing.
Today when I walk into a convenience store and see the sign that reads something like, “You must be born before 1990 to purchase alcohol,” I immediate feel old. I’ve been drinking for 14 years already. But alcohol, like any other pleasure in life, is something you have to learn to manage so you can enjoy it appropriately. It’s Thirsty Thursday! Drink up!
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there is something about drinking when ur underage that makes it more exciting. it becomes a quest and part of the fun that you dont get when you reach the age of 21. its part of a game that you look foward to. today i still enjoy a drink with my friends and even on my own to help cool down. and there is nothing wrong with that.
Comment by M— June 10, 2010 #
very good point! The hunt for alcohol was part of the game. Now, I think it’s cute when I get carded.
Comment by danablair— June 10, 2010 #
haha, this post made me laugh. I totally remember when I started drinking in high school and drinking whatever came my way. And college – forget about it! Now that I’m “of age” to drink, I find that I really don’t want to. I enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a cold beer once in a while, but I just can’t hang like I could when I was 18. And I can’t, CAN’T believe people born in 1989 can drink. Bananas.
Comment by betty— June 11, 2010 #
I’m glad you enjoyed! I know I definitely can’t drink 4 Long Island Iced Teas anymore, that’s for sure! It’s interesting what we find important as teens is usually not that important in the long run.
Comment by danablair— June 11, 2010 #
I have one more year.. one more.. and it’s ridiculous because I can handle alcohol just fine.
Comment by Kelsey— June 11, 2010 #
Haha, I didn’t start drinking till right before I turned 21. And I’ve learned the hard way how to control it. Because I am not a good drunk to be around. Yikes!
Comment by Krysten— June 14, 2010 #
I think we all learned the hard way– heck, I’m still learning! Thanks for reading!
Comment by danablair— June 15, 2010 #