(Sung in a voice that only a mother could love…)
“Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to meeeee….”
Sorry to toot my own horn for a second there, but today is my 21st birthday and needless to say, I’m pretty stoked! Some of you may be thinking, “her 21st birthday is on a Monday?! How unfortunate!” Alright, I’ll give you that; it’s not ideal to have my 21st fall on a weekday. However, my lack of control over the Western calendar (talk about unfortunate) has forced me to think outside the box for ways to mark this milestone.
We all know the cliché activity is to attempt induction into the 21-Shot-Club. But let’s be honest: beyond impairing your ability to function normally for days on end, it’s totally unhealthy and you really gain nothing from it. What does it guarantee? Dehydration, headaches, light sensitivity, sugar overload, missed workouts and major course work pile-up from skipped classes. Sure, your friends might have hilarious stories to tell you from that night (which you definitely don’t remember), but that’s pretty much the extent of the benefits reaped from this traditional celebration.
For those of us who are forced (or choose!) to forgo a night of revelry, fear not! There are so many other ways to ring in your 21st year of life. Here are a few of the ways I’ll be celebrating the big 2-1:
Make a list of 21…anything! Here are the ones I plan on making:
- 21 things I’m grateful for
- 21 reasons to celebrate being 21
- 21 places I want to travel
- 21 new things I want to try in the next year
Run 21 miles. I started this tradition last year on my 20th birthday and plan on pushing myself the extra mile this year J. But hear me out: if this is intimidating, modify it! Bike for 21 minutes, do a weight-lifting session with sets of 21 repetitions, complete a circuit of 21 sit-ups, pushups and squats, etc. I promise that you’ll find yourself smiling during the even toughest part of your birthday workout, simply because it’s your special day!
Contact 21 of your favorite people. According to the Mayo Clinic, a strong social network can reduce stress and improve your mood. But you don’t have to while away your day on the phone to feel warm and fuzzy inside: leave a video on your best friend from high school’s Facebook wall, shoot your cousin a quick text or e-mail someone you worked with this summer to reconnect.
Write a letter to yourself.Do it the old-fashioned way on a piece of gorgeous stationary and seal it in an envelope to be opened next year on this date. Or, if you’re one of our tech-savvy readers, check out the website FutureMe, where you can write a letter to your future self and have it delivered directly to your inbox on a date of your choosing. Write about whatever you want in this letter: goals, where you hope to be in a year, who you want your friends to be, books you want to have read, etc. It’ll be a great reminder of what you felt like on your 21st birthday, as you look ahead to another fabulous year of 20-something-dom.
Every birthday is special, but you do only turn 21 once. However you have celebrated or plan to celebrate yours, here’s to filling it with friends, family, laughter, surprises and moments to be remembered for years to come!