I remember my college graduation like it was yesterday. After a group of my friends threw an open bar graduation party for family and friends the night before, I woke up graduation morning hungover, naked and confused about  my whereabouts. I rolled over to find myself lying next to the first college friend I made at orientation.

“Fitting,” I thought to myself. Then I grabbed my clothes (all but one shoe…which I told myself I could live without) and ran out the door. If I didn’t get home soon, I would be late for graduation.

I hailed a cab on the corner of the street and hopped in. On the short ride back to my house, I passed families all dressed up for the great moment that was their son/daughter/grandchild/cousin/brother/sister’s graduation. I looked down at the clothes I wore the night before and the unidentified scars that can only come from a night of heavy drinking on someone else’s tab.

“Fitting,” I thought to myself again. Read More »

Dear Engaged Friends,

So, congratulations! Have you picked a date? Done the dress shopping? Gone cake tasting? Picked the esteemed members of your bridal party? Great! So if we could take a minute to shift the focus over to me? Yeah.

You’re freaking me out.

Early, early, early 20s are not a time when the general “you” should be worried about marriage, especially when I can’t even decide whether I want to go to grad school or work or what. And yet, you’re kind of making me think I should be worried. I mean, isn’t everybody in the dating game right now, yourselves excluded? Aren’t most pople our age single? Don’t you know that marriage is supposed to be forever and divorces are really expensive and, frankly, so are weddings (especially on the east coast—eep)?

And also, are you going to get all judgy all of a sudden? I’m still the delinquent “single friend” who can’t land a boyfriend for more than a couple months at a shot, I have no life direction as yet (but we’re hoping, any day now, for an epiphany)… Are you going to keep giving me that “I’m judging you without trying to seem that way” look while continually asking how my dating life is going? Because I can tell you already: I’m really not going to meet anyone anytime soon. I’m pretty sure I’m bad at the dating game and I probably can’t even find someone to commit to being my date at your wedding to keep me from looking as alone and pathetic as I apparently am…

No, it’s fine. I’ll be at the bar, don’t worry about it.

Wait; you are having an open bar, aren’t you? Read More »

Hangovers blow.  Depending on how much you drink the night before, they can either blow just a little, or blow so hard they put Gustav to shame.  Hangovers also make most of us decide we will never drink again — at least until they’re giving out free shots with a school ID at our favorite local college bar.

The third thing hangovers do?  Propel us toward every unhealthy food that has ever been invented.

Read More »

Like any good twenty-something, I’m on several random email lists, usually of the happy hour variety. When one of my favorite haunts in lower Manhattan emailed me about an open bar next Monday, I did a cartoon-style double-take.

Not because I’m that excited about an open bar, but because in the subject line, this one was exclusively for supporters of Barack Obama.

I opened said email instead of deleting immediately and read that the “suggested donation” was $25 per person, but more would be greatly appreciated, and that the proceeds would go directly to Obama’s campaign.

Maybe I should’ve been disgusted. Instead, I was intrigued. A politician’s supporters realize a great way to get the twenty-to-thirty demographic to donate… give them booze in exchange for the donation. Unlimited alcohol—and sushi!—for four hours, even.

Considering drinks are between $7 and $10 apiece in the city, and sushi will cost you at least $5 a roll-order… why, you’ve got dinner and a buzz in the name of being politically active. Read More »

After just returning home from my older brother’s wedding over the weekend, I am feeling the physical repercussions, which can only mean I had a kick-ass time: two tired feet, a bunch of sore muscles and one hell of a hangover. And get this: I didn’t even have a date.

Being that this was my first real wedding experience and I was a bridesmaid, I got to see what really goes on behind the scenes of a twenty-something wedding. I realized many things about love and relationships and the craziness that is planning for such an occasion.

Weddings are special because they allow you to bond with family, as you all witness together, the bond between husband and wife become sacred and, hopefully, one that actually sticks in the end.

But I was already aware of that mushy stuff much going into it, and, sure, I wanted to bring along my own special someone to share it with.What I didn’t know is just how much weddings make for fabulous places to party, meet members of the opposite sex and opportunities to better appreciate life as a single girl! Woohooo! Let’s make some memories, people. Read More »