Minor Disadvantages
Right now I’m writing this because I’m not with my friends. I was with my friends and six of my seven roommmates about 15 minutes ago when I gave them all a ride to the bars. Tonight is Western Wednesday downtown at Peacock, a bar in Corvallis that used to be good mostly just for its two dollar breakfast, but has gained significant popularity for its themed Wednesday nights. When dropping them off I heard and saw the line that wrapped around the block- everyone in flannel, floral print, denim, and cowboy boots to drink dollar PBRs (Pabst Blue Ribbon beer). It looks pretty fun but while I wish I was out with my friends, I also get a little time alone at our house which is pretty rare. On Western Wednesdays I get a lot of homework done, and I make a lot of brownie points with my pals when I DD them to and from the bars. We live on 14th and the bar is on 2nd, so while most people walk home or buy a cab, I swing by and get them since I am sober. This past Friday was our roommate Molly’s 21st birthday. There are 8 roommates, one who is a sophomore so she has a little while to be able to drink, six who are twenty one, and me who is 21 in 25 days 23 minutes 44 seconds (countdown IPHONE app)
I’m used to being the youngest of my friends having a summer birthday, but now that I’m in the final month countdown, time is ticking by a little slower. It’s not that I am an alcoholic or THAT excited to go to bars, but just the fact that I can’t is erking. I didn’t mention that I live BESIDE Impulse, Sanchos, and Clod’s, the main bars on Monroe in Corvallis. I hate being the friend that is holding my friends back from going since they want to go but don’t want to leave me behind.
This weekend at Molly’s birthday we had people over to “prefunk” before the bars. When it turned midnight it was my job to start kicking people out of the house and out of our yard. I hate being the person asserting authority or yelling at anyone, I’m not a confrontational person and I like to be a friend, not a boss. But I was the only roommate not out to celebrate so the task fell on me. I had to break up fights that were going on in my yard, stand in front of our door with my arms outstretched yelling “PARTY’S OVER ITS MY HOUSE” and finally enlisting the help of one of my guy friends to help me bounce people out. As much as I love having random college kid strangers in my house breaking our stuff, I didn’t want it to be loud and to get an SRN. I haven’t ever gotten in trouble with the law and I’m not trying to get a MIP while I’m at it.
Before we were juniors we were freshman and sophomores, excited and looking to explore frats and meet new friends on Greek Row. Now we have our frat friends and I would feel bad asking them for a drink, rather bringing my own beverages when I go out. Freshman year, the protocol is to look good so you don’t have to buy any beverages and you ask for them in the rooms and houses you enter after you introduce yourself and make a new fraternity man acquaintance. Then you get the drink and peace. Being a girl is awesome. Frat houses have definitely lost a lot of their original appeal. I love my guy friends that are in frats, but they too are juniors and also seniors, and live in “liveouts” (their own houses separate from the house) that I prefer to go out to. When I go to the frat house I see freshman and sophomores doing the amateur things I used to do and it makes me feel old.
Having a summer birthday can be a bummer. When I was young and threw parties, many people would be out of town on family vacations or have various Fourth of July plans. (My birthday is July 2nd.) (25 days 10 minutes 53 seconds now). I have come to expect less on my birthday and I usually at most have some cake at my grandma’s house with my family and go to lunch and shopping with one or two friends at home.
Last year was my first birthday in Corvallis. Technically it was after my birthday. On my birthday I was in the hospital recovering from getting my appendix out- YEAH BAD TIMING APPENDIX. I hope I am finally done with surgeries all together. But July 6th I’m pretty sure I was back and healing up just fine. My plan was to just hang out with the few of us who lived here in the house during summer at our other friends’ liveout and not party too hard. I wasn’t expecting any birthday celebration and my friends had already given me cards.
While we were watching TV my roommate McKenna acted weird and said she wanted to go home. I was confused but followed suit. When we walked into my house about 10 of my friends were gathered around our kitchen table and yelled surprise with a Baskin Robbins ice cream cake and some champagne and watermelon. I had never had a surprise party or really that intense of a birthday party at all, and it literally was the best birthday I had ever had, and it wasn’t even on my birthday. Feeling like my friends had actually PLANNED something for me meant a lot, especially in the summer when not many plans are made and everything is quite laid back.
Corvallis is a lot different in the summers than during the school year in that since a lot less people are here, when something is going on such as a little get- together weekend situation, the randomness of the people around lets you get to know new people and appreciate who is around. There aren’t as many people as you’re used to during the school year, so you make all new friends. And since Corvallis is so close knit, these summer- crew friendships extend into the school year as a bond that is weirdly strong and un- understandable by people who aren’t in town in the summer. Wow SO corny but I love it here.
When it is your 21st birthday, at least for my group of people and most junior sorority women of Oregon State University, your friends make you a Facebook event announcing your night. Usually you start at El Prez, the local authentic Mexican restaurant that has a large and unique variety of different shots with names like “Prairie Fire” that has Tabasco sauce, “Jolly Rancher” not sure what’s in that, “Girl Scout Cookie”, “Pink Squirrel” (one of the most popular with my sorority sisters since my house mascot is the squirrels). You eat a big dinner at El Prez to carb up for your night and get too many shots bought for you. Everytime you get a drink bought for you it is written down in your birthday book. This is a scrap book that your best friend makes for you that has 21 pages, each designated to one of your friends that includes a picture of you two together, a space to write the drink, where, and who it came from, along with a line to write your signature as you get more and more inebriated. The point is to have twenty one drinks. Making a list of 21 of my friends was difficult to narrow down. I chose by selecting people who will be here this summer more likely. El Prez takes a picture of you wearing a sombrero and you tape it to the wall of their lobby. Then you go to the bars and get your ID checked and have more fun. Then you get taken care of and put to bed to be woken up the next day with breakfast at Shari’s. I AM LITERALLY TERRIFIED. I don’t like drinking a lot and I do not enjoy the feeling of being out of control of myself/ embarrassing/ blacked out. Part of me wants to skip the El Prez dinner because that is where the most intoxication of the night comes from, but I really want my picture on the wall and my birthday book will be best filled out there. It’s tradition too.
Non summer birthdayers have their birthdays during the school year on nights they may have school in the morning, or if it is the weekend, share their birthdays with other people who are also celebrating theirs, or on a weekend where something else fun is going on another day that people don’t want to get too worn out for. I am excited for my birthday this year though because with the tight knit/ random/ small group of people who will be in Corvallis, and those who will be bored in Portland wanting to come down for Fourth of July celebrations, my birthday will be the ONLY event going on that night so it should kind of be fun, surprising night. *knock on wood*
It’s also scary though to think of all the drinks people will be shoving in my face. I’ll be okay though and I actually don’t lose control very easily. I’m currently shopping for a birthday dress to wear that night. Usually I would also be shopping for birthday heels to wear, but at 5’11″ I don’t every wear them out, and the drunkest night of my life probably isn’t the night to start.
So I’m only a minor now for 24 days, 23 hours, 34 minutes, and 12 seconds. And my best friend just called me to come pick her up from Peacock. She’s buying me a burrito on the way home. Being the last of friends to still be a minor isn’t THAT bad for now 
