Anyone who is close to me will know that I love my birthday. When I was younger, I would start counting down months in advance, but even now I still get excited. Having a birthday party at McDonalds and at the Zoo were two definite highlights! From being spoilt, to having an amazing night with your friends, to getting to be the centre of attention, everything adds up to make the perfect day.
On November 23rd I am going to be turning twenty-three, and if I being honest, the thought of it scares me a bit! When I held a conversation with a twenty-three-year-old whilst I was in school and college, I regarded them as really old and mature. Some of the people that I used to attend school with are already married and having babies. It makes me ask myself, ‘Am I too late? Should I be settling down right now?’.
I don’t feel my age, and sometimes I certainly don’t act it! I don’t look my age either; I am always the first of my friends to be asked for their ID, and on one occasion I was asked for proof of age when buying a lottery ticket! The phrase ‘you are only as old as you feel’ certainly applies to me. My Dad is another good example of this; he is in his fifties and is constantly mistaken for being in his forties. I think this is due to his outlook on life: I have learnt from him to be optimistic and to look on the bright side of everything. Nothing is going to change majorly when I turn twenty-three, but it is only two years until I am twenty-five, and then I will be halfway to fifty, which is too terrifying to even think about! However, in life you can’t plan for the future in too much detail, as life is so unpredictable. You just have to live for today and be excited to see what happens.
Celebrating your birthday is very important. I never understand people who don’t like to make a big deal out of it. One of my male friends never told us about his birthday and wanted to just forget the day. It may just be a girly thing, but lots of planning goes into my birthday. I love having a new dress to wear, and I start searching for one two months in advance; you want that outfit that makes you feel special. Whether you are having a house party or going out, you need something that is going to accentuate your features and make you stand out from the crowd.
I have recorded some of my birthday experiences below:
18th – I remember being excited about this birthday and gave out personal invites to all of the selected people that I wanted at the ‘event of the year’. I had decided I was going to have a house party, which was going to be really cool, while my parents sat upstairs (Inbetweeners–style)! However, I got drunk too quickly, and this alongside being hyper was not a good mix. Also, did I mention that the theme was ‘Pimps and Hoes’? Could I have made it any more embarrassing? Some of the highlights from the night were: the boy that I liked came to my party, I confessed my undying love for him, and forced myself upon him. Later on, I spent time crying my eyes out in my friend’s arms.
21st – This was my first year in Leeds! I had people over for pre-drinks and then went out to Tiger Tiger with all of my friends. It was such a hilarious night, and I just danced the night away. The best part of my birthday, though, was going for an expensive meal with my family and spending the whole weekend with them.
22nd – I have saved the best until last. Again, I decided to have pre-drinks at mine and had planned to go to Fruity Friday afterwards! It sounds like the perfect birthday plan, but little did I know what was going to happen! I was having such a good night, drinking cocktails and dancing along to One Direction. I was in a good place, and then I was handed a green liquid, ‘the dirty pint’. Now, I am quite a light weight, so this drink hit me like a ton of bricks. I vaguely remember my friends shoving toast and water into my mouth and putting me to bed. I also thought it would be a good idea to ring the guy I fancied, and did so countless times. Let’s just say, I sent drunken texts galore. If it couldn’t get any worse, I then felt very ill all night and threw up about eleven times. Successful night!
23rd – Let’s wait and see.
You have heard all of my embarrassing stories about how I celebrate my birthdays, and now here are my five top tips:
1. Buy the perfect outfit! This year I tried on many different combinations until I found the one with the ‘wow factor’.
2. Don’t text when you are drunk! I know we are all tempted to drunken text, but this year I have turned over a new leaf. If you can’t resist, save it for another day and enjoy your birthday with your friends.
3. Drink birthday cocktails. With lots of different cocktails about, use your birthday as an excuse to go out with the girls and find your perfect one.
4. Go out for a nice meal with your friends and family. This will mean that even if you end up not remembering your birthday, you can have the memories of the delicious food you ate.
5. Be sure to pamper yourself! Go and get your nails done, or get a new hairstyle. You are the birthday girl and it is essential that you look amazing.
Follow my tips, and you will have a birthday that you will never forget!