Turning 21 is undoubtedly a milestone in life; it is one of the few birthdays we consider to be a crowning moment of adulthood and maturity.

This special day came for me on Friday, the 7,670th day of my existence. It was a sunny, clear day with only an ounce of school work to do and a pound of fun to have. My idea of fun has sometimes been defined as atypical, however, especially for a 21st birthday! In spite of being on a college campus known for partying, alcohol was never part of the plans.

My girlfriend Michelle and ten of my friends went to Chili’s, a landmark of downtown Penn State. We had a great time and everyone enjoyed the food. Instead of my usual milkshake, I ordered a Strawberry Daiquiri (non-alcoholic, of course) just to try something new! It was delicious After dinner, Michelle and I went to a Christmas party with friends from church. We watched Elf, hung out, ate snacks, and talked about various things. We left around eleven and had just enough time to watch an episode of Family Guy (my favorite TV show) before the day was over. As a last present to myself, I didn’t set an alarm for the morning and slept until my heart desired…a full ten hours! What a lovely birthday! I didn’t even need a wild party or record number of kegs; I had a great day with people who I am lucky to have in my life, and that’s all I wanted