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Dear Upcoming Twenty-One-Year Olds,

In this letter, I am going to offer some advice to those of you who are ready to hit the big “two one.” As you eagerly count down the days and mark exes on your calendar until your 21st birthday, do keep in mind that your life is officially about to begin. For the last 20 years, you’ve been limited to the places you can go, the people you can potentially meet, and to the amazing experiences that individuals only 21 and up endure. Your adulthood is ready for take off after you’ve listened to and implemented my three suggestions! The goal of this letter is to help you become a successful 21-year-old as you partake in future adult endeavors.

First, before your 21st birthday shenanigans, be sure that you understand the importance of appearance. Do yourself a favor and go shopping. Change up your style and dress to impress! Since you are now entering official adulthood, you will probably begin to attend nice bars and clubs. With this comes meeting new people. Do you want to be looked at as a young 20-year-old kid again with no style? I’m sure you don’t! For my 21st birthday, I went straight to the mall and spoiled myself with some new attire. I dressed in the nicest and classiest clothes and made sure I always had a fresh haircut and shaved face. I am 26 years old now, and although I haven’t maintained this “hip” style, I must admit that it helped me tremendously when I was in my early twenties. Dressing to impress will boost your confidence, make others think highly of you, and will give you the courage to meet potential partners.

Secondly, turning 21 means that you will now have the legal ability to purchase alcoholic beverages in any establishment in the U.S. and beyond—that is, of course, if you compose yourself as a young, yet mature, adult should. My next piece of advice is to monitor your drinking. It is always fun, for many, to go out to the bars or any social gathering and have a couple of drinks to relax and socialize; however, believe me when I say this: nobody likes a sloppy drunk! Drinking in moderation will help you maintain your image as a respectable and responsible person and will lessen the chances of you looking like a drunken mess out in public. As I was lying on the bathroom floor back when I was four months in of being 21—room spinning and regretting my life decisions—I realized that maybe I shouldn’t have had that much to drink. Had I been monitoring my alcohol consumption, I could’ve avoided throwing up all over the bathroom that night. Moreover, sipping on a glass of water between each alcoholic drink you consume will most definitely prevent not only hangovers and trips to the toilet, but most importantly, acting foolishly around friends, family, and in public.

Finally, and most importantly, my last piece of advice for you upcoming 21-year-olds is to never get behind the wheel of a car if you have consumed any alcoholic beverage. Drinking alcohol will impair one's cognitive and physical ability, which is why it is extremely important not to operate any vehicle after drinking. In 2014 alone, close to 10,000 people were killed in alcohol-related driving incidents in the U.S., accounting for a third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths. As you can see, it is morally unacceptable to ever drive under the influence and risk the possibility of killing yourself or innocent people around you. No one should have to suffer the consequences of being tragically taken away from their families for a senseless and avoidable act. Nowadays, Uber and Lyft are incredibly useful and popular for those who choose to go out and drink. Download either app to your mobile device and be sure to utilize these amazing services to prevent unfortunate alcohol-related events such as DUI’s or tragedies. I use Lyft almost every weekend when I want to spend a night out on the town. I’d much rather pay the price for a Lyft ride as opposed to paying the price of losing my life or risking the lives of innocent people around me.

In conclusion, these are three suggestions I found most relevant to my life when I turned 21. First, always remember that the way in which you present yourself is crucial in maintaining or gaining status, so dress to impress. Next, now that you are able to legally drink alcohol, it is recommended that you monitor your drinking so that you don’t make a fool out of yourself or other people. Remember, drinking water between alcoholic drinks is a must, considering you have to stay hydrated. Lastly, drinking and driving is never okay! Utilize apps such as Uber and Lyft; it will save lives. Hopefully after reading this, you are now ready to embark on your journey of being 21. Be safe, responsible, cautious, and simply enjoy being young! Tim