How To Properly Turn 21 (Fun Edition)
We will cover advice for sign nights, what to expect on your 21st birthday, and fun alternatives if a sign night is not your jam. We will go over the terminology of “shotbooks” and expectations for your special night, as well as fun bars to get everyone around Tuscaloosa to celebrate after your sign reveal!
Kara’s 21st birthday party ideas and breakdown:
Turning twenty-one can be exciting. The stress of hosting sign night may be not quite as exciting. I am here to give you a run down on how to eliminate that stress with early planning. But where do you start? Making a list of everyone who is coming to your twenty-first sign night is vital so you can invite them to a GroupMe. Label it “Your name’s sign night” and pick a date. Make a poll on who can attend to get an idea of what your set date should be.
Coming up with the bars and who is making your sign.
Think about the places that make you happy. Where would you like to spend your twenty-first with your sign on your neck? Think about the atmosphere, and where you and your friends will enjoy great music and fun activities to do.What do you want on your sign?
Create a notes document of all of the things you love and are passionate about. You can start with your hobbies, fun passions, your aspiring mood boards, and favorite TV shows. Ask your friends what they also think as well to get some second opinions.What should you wear?
Wear a color that you love! Make sure to tell whoever is planning your sign what dress or outfit you are wearing so that your sign will match.What is a shotbook?
A shotbook is a big persisting twenty-one pages. Each of your friends is dedicated to making one page of pictures and memories of you together.
Jayden’s Post-Sign Night Ideas
After a sign night the party’s not over. Now it is time to go out to your favorite bars and show off your birthday sign. Let’s talk about a few ways I would approach going out after a sign night.
Sign Night Birthday Trail Paths:
Bar Hopping
Nice Dinner with Drinks
Don’t Go Out
Bar Hopping
I would say bar hopping after a 21st birthday sign night is a classic. Most college kids will have a sign night or birthday party at their home and then move the party downtown or a strip of bars. If you are a college kid attending The University of Alabama, I want to share some places you may want to stop based off your vibe.
Rhythm: This is a country themed bar/honky-tonk that I would recommend to country music fans. Rhythm tends to provide live bands that perform country and sometimes classic rock for people to dance to. If dancing isn’t your speed, you can also shoot pool or ride an electric bull.
Innisfree Pub: Innis is a good stop if you want to be where the casual party is. On weekends it tends to be packed and full of life. They tend to have popular music playing and they have an outdoor area. If you are looking for less of a dance spot and more of a good vibe with friends’ spot this is for you.
Rounders: Rounders will take you back to freshman year. Everything from the DJ music and lighting to the crowd will deliver you college club vibes. This is where you come to dance the night away and wait in line to get to the Boom Boom Room. Jokes aside, this can be a very fun stop on your 21st birthday bar crawl. Just be ready to listen to pop club mixes and bump into people you have in your classes.
Twelve25: Twelve is for all the rap and hip-hop fans out there. This is also a great place to get into with no cover on most Saturday nights for ladies, because ladies are free. There are great upbeat vibes, and they have a packed dance floor. Twelve can fill up fast so keep that in mind when choosing where to go first on your bar crawl.
Unique: If you are looking to sit down and have a drink to catch your breath on your bar hop, I’d stop at Unique. You can normally find a spot to chill and have a drink while resting your feet. This is a hole in the wall but it’s where you can reset before continuing your bar trail.
Gallettes: The holy grail of all 21st birthday bar hops. Everyone patiently waits to turn 21 to go to Gallettes. I highly recommend making a stop even just for one Yellow Hammer to Gallettes on your 21st birthday bar crawl. You will find two outdoor areas and a good bit of dance floor space. There tends to be a DJ, and this keeps the party lively.
Houndstooth: Don’t hate me for what I am about to say. I find Houndstooth to sometimes be overrated. I think this bar does best during football season. If your 21st birthday is during football season, then make the stop. If your birthday is not during football season maybe skip it. I find more guys like to hang out there, so I’d recommend it for men looking for a good place to drink for their 21st birthday with the boys.
The Standard: The Standard is new to Tuscaloosa. They have a bar above the pizza area of the building. I think this is a good middle of the crawl stop. I believe this because you can grab a snack while waiting in line to get into the bar area. This will revive you during the bar crawl. The bar area is also nice and new so you can get a good drink and hangout with no worries.
Those are just a few of the bars we have in Tuscaloosa, but I hope that helps you plan out where you will stop on your 21st birthday bar hop.
Nice Dinner with Drinks
Getting a nice dinner with drinks is a great option after a sign night. Maybe staying up late and going to bars is not your speed, going to dinner is a great alternative. You can have a fun sign night that may require the attendees to dress up to prepare everyone for going to a classy dinner. I would suggest maybe getting a large Uber, car service van, or limo to take everyone at once to dinner after the sign night. There are so many great options in Tuscaloosa like Chuck’s Fish, Five, Half Shell, River, Evangeline’s, and so many others. Get a reservation and have an earlier sign reveal. You get the best of both worlds: a sign night party and a slower-paced dinner with friends.
Don’t Go Out
Don’t feel pressured to go out after your sign night. You can simply have a nice party at your house or other venue without going out after. This can save people a lot of time, stress, and money. You can have games at your party that allow you to hang out with friends instead of going to the bars. This can also be more fun if you have a theme. You can lean into a theme that gets people to dress up to celebrate your special day. I think if you don’t enjoy going out don’t force it and staying in with friends can be just as fun.
Sierra’s Turning 21 on the “DL” (Down-low 21st)
Celebrating a 21st birthday doesn’t have to be limited to a traditional sign night party. There are plenty of alternate options to make your day memorable and unique.
Weekend Getaway
One idea could be a weekend getaway with your close friends or family to a destination you have always wanted to visit. Some options could be a beach trip, an adventure in
the mountains, or a city escape. A weekend away creates lots of memories.
Dinner Party/Wine Tasting
For those who prefer a more intimate gathering, a themed dinner party at your favorite restaurant with your close friends and family can be fun. For a relaxed yet classy affair, a wine or whiskey tasting event can be fun.
Adventure
If you’re an adventure-seeker you might opt for a day of outdoor activities like hiking, camping, or a beach bonfire. Another idea is a day trip to explore nearby attractions like a theme park or.
Volunteering
Alternatively, volunteering for a cause or organizing a charity event can add something extra to the celebration, by spreading joy to others on this special day. Whether it’s an adventure-packed day or a cozy evening with loved ones, there are endless ways to celebrate your 21st beyond the traditional sign night party.
