Turning 21 signifies more than drinking legally

Dec. 6 marks my 21st birthday and I couldn't be more excited. As Pearl Harbor Day is Dec. 7, I hopefully won't be recognizing this important milestone while recovering from a hangover that will "live in infamy."

Although the 21st birthday is supposed to be one of the most (or least) memorable events of your life, is it really that great?

I've been doing some thinking, and I'm pretty sure Sunday will be the last birthday I'll ever look forward to. That is unless I'm real lucky and hang around long enough to have my name read by Willard Scott's successor on The Today Show. Sure, it'll be awesome to share my "first" beer with all of my college buddies, but why all the hype for a day that's only notable for one reason?

Maybe the 21st birthday actually does afford you something other than the freedom to consume alcohol with other over-21 year olds. Perhaps it's a symbol of independence and a cautionary reminder of all the future responsibilities you'll have. At 21, you may still feel like a kid, but I'd imagine it's hard to ignore the changes looming on the horizon.

While aging frightens the hell out of me, I'd like to think it doesn't just go downhill from here on in. Next semester I'll be "studying" abroad in Italy (where the legal age to be served alcohol in public is 16), and I feel very fortunate to have this special opportunity. After that, I'll embark on my farewell tour at SU, and I'm fully expecting my senior year to be my best at this fine institution. Then comes graduation, where the journey from college fantasyland to real life begins. With all of the effort I've put towards academics and other valuable endeavors during my youth, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fired up for the challenges of striving to reach my potential in the working world. While I'd love to be a college student forever, I want to see the culmination of all I've done and who I've become thus far in life.

Still, the 21st birthday is a great reminder to take things easy. Your life's dreams can wait. A great family friend always tells me "college is the best four years of your life." I'm too young and happy to dispute his assertion, so I'll make sure to soak (or drink... responsibly of course) everything up while I still can. Now that I'll soon be legal, I'll be sure to enjoy my time spent at Marshall Street's world-class drinking establishments (sarcasm intended). I'll savor every minute waiting in line behind packs of leather jacket and UGG wearing female regulars, and I'll be sure to give a shout out (for all of you under-21ers) to the almighty gate-keepers checking my ID at the doors.

I've waited a while for my 21st birthday, and I can't believe it's finally here. While this year's celebration will surely be quite different from earlier ones (I used to throw some crazy rollerblading parties at Long Island's United Skates of America), I'm confident it'll be a great time. I hope I can say the same about the first day of year 22.

Andrew Bank is a junior television, radio and film major. His columns appear occasionally. He can be reached at ajbank@syr.edu