The only time I didn't have a drink in my hand was when I was riding a bull.
Hey! My name's Morgan, and I write about Black culture and all things entertainment for a living. But I want to take a break from that by telling you a story of how my birthday quickly turned into a lesson learned.
I grew up on the East Coast, specifically New Jersey, and a lot of us were introduced to clubbing at a really young age. Whether it was the middle school "teen nights," the lounges that were open for 14+-year-olds, or venturing off to NYC on random nights, we had a time! So, when it came to finally getting into the real clubs at 21, I was fully prepared.
Despite all the commentary on social media about aging, the idea of turning 30 never really scared me. In fact, I was really excited to embrace this new decade of my life. But after recently turning 34, I noticed a few changes.
I can't hang like I used to! Mixing alcohol? Forget it. Partying from sun up to sun down without a nap? Ha! Meg knees? Girl, where?! Now, let's be clear: I don't consider myself old at all, but I do know when my body is telling me to relax. Hangovers would last a couple of hours max back in the day. Nowadays, they last the entire day.
I usually celebrate my birthday out of the country (shoutout to last year's trip to Greece. Mykonos, you owe me nothing), but this year I stayed local and made my way down to a staple in the Garden State: the Jersey Shore (a popular region in Jersey filled with beautiful beaches, endless boardwalks, amusem*nt parks, and waterparks). Despite MTV popularizing the area on a global level, the reality series only accounts for a small subsection of what it's really like.
But that's another reason why I wanted to put myself to the test. Here's what happened when I tried to relive myyouthfor my birthday by partying like I was 21 again...or, at least, attempting to: