I wonder what it would be like to do age 21 over again?

Here is my imagined re-do of my 21st year. It was largely a good year, but there are a few things I would change (written in bold italics). See footnotes below for what actually happened in place of my edits.

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I turned 21 at the end of 1999. **I had a blowout bash where I gathered my high school friends from California, college friends from the Midwest, and a few others I’d met in life along the way, and we all went to Vegas. I won a thousand bucks gambling and bought everyone’s drinks all weekend. My parents were sort of nervous about it but I told them TOO BAD!**

I started my senior year a few days later. I worked on finishing up classes, and also had several small part time jobs, so I could save up money for travels I had planned. It was hard work, but a lot of fun, too. I really enjoyed my theatre work and my friends. In February of my 21st year, I flew on a plane to Australia. &&It was a direct flight from LA to Sydney, my final destination.&& I was met at the airport by my boyfriend. ##I walked right past him into a taxi, ignoring his shouts, and sped off to the university where I would finish up school, dating freely and enjoying myself after a loooong semester of working every free hour and saving every penny.##

At the end of my studies, I bought a car and drove up the coast, exploring, meeting new people, and maturing. I snorkeled at the Great Barrier Reef. I hiked to the Byron Bay Lighthouse. I walked through tropical rainforests, sunned myself on beaches, and @@lost ten pounds from all the activity. @@ I made lifelong friends in the hostels.

I returned to Sydney and got a job under the table at a coffee bar. I flew home briefly during this period to walk in my college graduation - the plane tickets were a gift from a friend, a gift I will always treasure. I went to several Olympics events. ++I skipped work the night of the Opening Ceremonies and went to a mate’s house to watch it together, cheering and drinking all night.++ I went to the Closing Ceremony fireworks at the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and joined thousands upon thousands of visitors celebrating downtown.

$$I spent my 22nd birthday in Bali, having saved enough money to take the short flight over there and explore some of Asia.$$ I knew I had 3 months left in Australia, and knew that after my trip was over and I returned home, the world was my oyster.

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** I WAS AT MY PARENTS’ NEW HOUSE IN A NEW STATE. THEY WERE AFRAID TO MENTION ALCOHOL. IT WAS CUTE, AND ALSO LAAAAAME.**

&&I FLEW FROM CINCINNATI TO DETROIT. DETROIT TO SAN FRANCISCO. SAN FRANCISCO TO LA. LA TO AMSTERDAM. AMSTERDAM TO TOKYO. TOKYO TO MALAYSIA, WHERE I SPENT A 24 HOUR LAYOVER. MALAYSIA TO BRISBANE. BRISBANE TO SYDNEY. IT TOOK ME 55 HOURS. $300 WOULD HAVE BOUGHT ME A DIRECT FLIGHT. SILLY, SILLY ME.&&

##I KISSED HIM HELLO, AND THEN TOOK ALL MY HARD-EARNED MONEY OUT OF MY BANK AND LIT IT ON FIRE.##

@@GAINED TWENTY POUNDS FROM ALL THE BEER AND MCDONALDS.@@

++ I WORKED, HE WENT TO THE PARTY. OHHHH, HE WAS A BASTARD.++

$$I WANTED TO SPEND MY 22nd BIRTHDAY IN BALI, BUT SPENT THE MONEY ON BUYING HIZ ROYAL LAZINESS A PLANE TICKET HOME. INSTEAD, I WAS – YOU GUESSED IT – WORKING.$$

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In closing – I loved my 21st year. I would go back and tell my younger self to kick that man to the curb, but other than that, I wouldn’t change a thing! And I still enjoyed my travels in spite of Hiz Royal Laziness. We all make mistakes. Australia though – Australia was not a mistake. Not in the least. No, 21 was a pretty good year for me. How about you?

Peace and Love to those of us coming up to the 8th/9th/10th anniversary of our 21st birthdays - G