21 things to do before turning 21

By: Megan McWethy, Assistant Lifestyles Editor

Posted: 9/30/05

In honor of my 21st birthday today, I compiled a list of 21 activites to do before you turn 21. Enjoy:

1) Vote. Although my loyalties lie with one specific party, I would rather a citizen vote for the opposite party than not vote at all. To think of all the women and minorities in the world who can't vote, it would be a disgrace to throw this amazing privilege away. So like Diddy and every other celebrity said, "Vote or die"...well maybe not die, but you know...just vote.

2) Sneak into a club. There is nothing more heart-pounding than strolling past a security guard, knowing that your 20-year-old self is exactly where you should not be. It is nerve-racking and stressful and terrifying at times. But if you don't do it at least once before you turn 21, you'll always wonder how it would have felt.

3) Leave Arkansas. Travel is not solely for the rich; hop on a Greyhound and visit your neighboring states. See Texas and all its cowboy glory or risk a few bucks at a casino in Tunica, Miss. If you do happen to be rolling in the dough, though, go all out and take a cruise to the Mediterranean. If you happen to have an extra ticket, I make a wonderful travel companion.

4) Graduate high school or get your G.E.D. In today's competitive job market, not having a high school diploma or its equivalent is like going to a job interview naked. No doors will be open to you except for the doors of fast food chains and 24-hour diners. And no, there is nothing wrong with working at Taco Bell (my favorite), but you should still have a diploma. Do it for yourself.

5) Go on a date. My friend didn't have her first boyfriend until she was 20. But she went on a date at age 17. Just because you have a cup of coffee with someone, it doesn't mean that they are now with you 'til death do you part. Dates should be fun, relaxed, all about getting to know each other and they should definitely be done before 21.

6) Find your favorite beer. When you do become legal, you will go out to the bars and celebrate and most likely wake up the next day hungover. But at least it will be because you drank too much of your favorite brewski. By 21, you should have at least tried a few sips of different beers and figured out what your sensitive palate enjoys. That way, come your birthday, you are raring to go and can legally down that Heineken.

7) NOT get married. Yes, yes, I know I have preached this before in my column, but for 99.9 percent of the 20-and-under population, getting married is just a baaaad idea. Just don't do it. There, that's all I have to say.

8) Watch the one movie that you haven't seen but everyone else has. For me, it's "Breakfast at Tiffany's." For my friends, it's "Shawshank Redemption" and "Dirty Dancing." There is one movie out there that you haven't had the pleasure to view, but the person sitting next to you has seen 80 times. Find it. Watch it.

9) Own a pet. Fluffy and Feido will always love you, always think you are smart enough, pretty enough, cool enough and will always be there. But they can't be your new best friend if you don't adopt them.

10) Learn how to play rummy. I will be a Texas Hold 'Em girl 'til I die, but when my wallet is suffering and I can't afford to lose to pocket aces, I join in a family - and bet-free - game of rummy. It's simple to learn, as I found out last month in my first hand, and it relies heavily on luck, so unskilled card-players should rejoice

11) Eat at Copeland's. Copeland's in Rogers is the best restaurant, hands down. Every year, my friends who live in Louisiana and Colorado fly home to visit family and we always, always schedule time to eat at "our" restaurant. One year, my Louisiana friend couldn't make it, so my Colorado buddy and I went without her, but ordered her favorite dish and took pictures with our arms around her imaginary body. Yes, we are strange.

12) Get a job. This may sound like a "well, duh" comment, but one of my close friends whose grandparents are gazzillionares just got his first job a few weeks ago. He is 22. If you don't know the meaning of a hard-day's work by the time you turn 21, then what is the point of being able to drink if you are not drinking off your hard day, hmm?

13) Run a marathon. I have kind of cheated on this one. I have run twice in the annual "Race for the Cure" fundraiser, but I wouldn't call it a marathon. Let's just say 5K counts as a marathon.

14) Win. This one is pretty simple. Winning is fun, winning can be done before the age of 21 and winning feels much better than losing.

15) Forgive someone. This one is pretty complex. After being mistreated or used, the last thing you feel like doing is breaking bread with your newfound enemy. But holding on to feelings of anger and hurt does nothing but eat away at you. As my mother told me time and time again, "Being angry doesn't hurt the other person at all. It only hurts you."

16) Have a glass of wine. This is a ditto on No. 6.

17) Learn how to cook one great dish. Mine is a recipe for blueberry cobbler passed down from my aunt. It is scrumdidilyumptious.

18) Buy something you can't afford. I do this every day so you should be able to do it once in 21 years.

19) Have your heart broken. My first heartbreak was at 16. Because it happened when I was still just a wee lass, I was able to grow and learn from it and now when tragedy strikes, I am much more able to deal with it than someone who has never experienced pain.

20) Go to a keg party. Go to the party, don't get wasted. Have fun with friends, don't get wasted. Be the designated driver, but don't get wasted.

21) Volunteer. Whether it be Habitat for Humanity or the Humane Society, there are plenty of wonderful organizations out there that need generous helpers like you.

Megan McWethy is the assistant lifestyles editor. Her column appears on Fridays.