Advice I Wish I had When I Turned Twenty-One
When we turn twenty-one in the US the milestone is we can legally drink and rent a car. When I turned twenty-one, I was active in the US Army then. I ventured out into the great sexual unknown.
When we turn twenty-one in the United States, the milestone is we can legally drink and rent a car. When I turned twenty-one, I was active in the US Army then. I ventured out into the great sexual unknown, the strip club, with a few of my fellow soldiers. We all considered this the right of passage for young men like me. How wrong we were. Instead of wasting that day on a sexist and toxic experience, I could have done so much more.
There is more to life than being able to drink legally. Let's explore things I wish I had known when I turned twenty-one.
One can do more things when they turn twenty-one other than drinking in the United States.
Gambling
You can finally go to Las Vegas and hit the casino.
What's more exciting than drinking? Gambling your life savings away. If not, try to be James Bond for a weekend in the plastic tackiness that is the Las Vegas casino world.
I am not a fan of casinos. They are full of too many auditory sensations between the sling machines and the music. Two, at least in Las Vegas, they are often filled with the smell of cigarette smoke. And three, they are intimidating. There are cameras and security everywhere.
But everyone should have one fun adventure in Las Vegas at least once. Only some things stay in Vegas, but it's often an adventure you will always remember. And far, far different if you were dragged to Las Vegas under-age and forced to wait while your parents gambled and drank a few drinks.
Saving
What time than twenty-one to be putting together a savings plan to help provide security sooner than later? As stated in other blog posts, it's good to save, but not if the intention is only when you will retire. Save enough for emergencies, for the future, and for something to do soon.
Expanding Your Credit
You might already have a credit card you shared with your parent for emergency use only. When you turn twenty-one, try opening another one.
This does not mean start spending like a crazed lunatic. Instead, open it, use it for small transactions like getting gas once a month, pay it off right away, and let your credit build and build.
Clubbing
Most clubs will only let you in once you are of drinking age. Why not wear your dancing shoes to a hip club with friends?
It can be super fun or not. But you only know if you try. Right?
The music was always too loud for me, and I was trying to get the bartender's attention if I wasn't dancing or conversing with my friends.
Invest in the Stock Market
Who says you need capital to begin investing? Invest a few bucks now and see how the dice roll. Get an early experience of how the market works. Get an edge and a better understanding of investment opportunities so that you'll be much wiser when you have money to invest.
Travel
It's fun to travel. It's even more fun when you can go anywhere you want now that you are twenty-one. Trust me. Don't wait. If you can find time to travel, do it now.
Otherwise, you might always wait for the right time to travel and miss out before life becomes more settled.
As you can see, there is much more you can do when you turn twenty-one other than being able to drink alcohol now legally. If you plan, you might enjoy your twenty-first birthday in a much more memorable way than announcing your first drink in a bar.