For many, most of college is spent ticking down the days until you can legally go in to a bar and order a drink. Once you do turn 21, the first few months are a blur of bar-hopping and keeping your I.D. handy to whip out proudly at anyone who cards you. But as someone who recently turned 21 can testify, there’s one important thing that none of your older friends ever seem to mention: turning 21 is expensive. It’s easy to break the bank trying to have a good time, and even harder to muster the willpower to leave your wallet at home for the night.
While Ke$ha might take your drinks when you get up and leave ‘em, I’m a bit classier than secondhand cocktails, and I know you are too, so here are a few tricks for having a good time without your wallet.The most important thing to remember is to never be shy. In a crowded club no one’s going to notice the person standing quietly alone by the bar. Engage people and charm them.
Ladies, this is the time to use those “come hither” looks you practice in the mirror. One of my most trusted moves demands this kind of self-confidence. Find a group of guys at the bar waiting to order, go up to them, put your arms around them and ask, “what are we drinking?” They’ll appreciate that you’ve shown initiative and were bold enough to come up to a whole group of them.
The other great thing about this move is that it becomes a great icebreaker if your friends think a group is cute; you share a drink with them, and then introduce your friends. Men, if you try this it can sometimes backfire on you and make you seem you like you’re offering to buy the girls a drink. Maybe leave this one to the women.
If you don’t think you’re confident enough to pull off walking up to a group of people like you own the place, try a less direct approach. This one works best later in the evening, when people are starting to get drunk. Sit at a table near enough to the bar so that people have to walk past you, but not so close that it looks like you’re waiting for people to come by.
When you see someone come by with multiple drinks, just put your hand out and say, “Oh, thanks, right here.” Nine times out of 10 the person will think you’re in their group and hand you a drink and continue on to find the rest of their friends. The trick is to make sure the people you talk to aren’t sober or else you’ll definitely get a few dirty looks. I’ve spent a whole night at The Stadium Inn only drinking drinks I got using this method, so I know it’s tried and true right at DU. Thank God for drunken frat guys.
If using the last method puts you in a moral dilemma (it is a bit like stealing, I’ll admit), don’t fret; there’s still hope for you. Some of the best tips are the simplest ones. Find a bar with a ladies night that allows girls to drink for free.
Most bars in the U.S. charge a cover on these nights, but it’s usually no more than five dollars. The Grizzly Rose has a good ladies night, with free drinks until midnight and all the line dancing you could want. Plus a mechanical bull that’s fun for the men and the women.
