American teens

[nrmetson]

I believe that in the USA you have to be over 21 to drink, so say if you was a 19 year old where would you go partying? Any clubs, bars or raves available for the 19 yr old age group?

[charliepanorama]

My house.
Heh.
And kidding.
Partying being a favorite former pastime of mine I feel compelled to remark.
The answer depends on whether your teens are living in a rural, urban or sub-urban community. I think that's likely the best way to break it down for starters.

Urban kids can almost always find parties to go to- house parties, apartment parties, college parties and underground parties like raves and/or underground clubs.
Note, raves don't really exist here in the states as they did a few years ago. The feds are creating/created a criminal liability for promotors of raves -holding them responsible for the drug use at them. (Just another step along the fascist road we're presently on.) But there are low- key, "underground" types of raves: no light shows, no smoke machines, just some speakers and an amp and turntables. In NYC there are what's called "crews" which run these. The venue changes and the word goes out via email lists. Crews are largely just groups of friends who like a genre of music. I was at a party like this a few weeks ago run by a kid and located at a semi-underground location. THey were letting anyone in and serving beer etc. It surprised me that they were so doing it so openly, so it was no surprise when it got broken up by cops; about four of the people running it were arrested. -that surprised me (the arrests).

Kids in rural settings still get the occasional house party etc. when someone's parents leave. I'm not too in the know with this setting anymore, but when I was out there in the boons (10y ago) we had "woodsies". Those are parties out in teh middle of nowhere: in the woods or in the fields in which someone manages to get a few kegs of beer and cups and everyone shows up. Pretty much folks just hang out, get drunk, smoke or do whatever. See Dazed and Confused for more on this matter.

Kids in suburbs can have it both ways, pretty much. But they tend to be a bit isolated from the "underground" stuff in the urban centers. In some cities the laws allow venues to let kids over 18 in but not drink; sometimes 17. There are a few dance clubs (not really bars) like that scattered about, but they're "above the ground" type places, and when i was that age, I felt it was just a boring time. Maybe it's changed. The authorities watch those places like hawks and generally close them down in a heartbeat -once again, the "rave laws".

When I was 19 the best parties were college parties or parties at friends places -houses/apartments. I didn't go out to venues often unless a band was playing.
An hour later..
hope this helps. cp

[nrmetson]

Thanks man, big help. I think il go for the house/apartment party.

[DorothyG]

I think it's not too hard to get someone to buy for you and then go someone's house. Or a lot of times, you can just waltz right in and buy it.

[zuzuspetals]

In Michigan, 19 year olds drive across the bridge to Windsor. (It's ever-so-bright, driving across an international border-- a bridge, no less-- to get drunk in another country and then drive back again. At least it's safer than Detroit...??) Could make for some messy adventures, though.

If your characters are on the US/Canadian border, that's an option. There's Buffalo/Niagra Falls... Burlington VT and some small town... they could road trip to Montreal.

It USED to be, before they changed the law, that some states had people grandfathered in. People from Michigan also used to go to Ohio, for example. Toledo. I don't know when they changed it-- I missed out.

Back to my jello shots now. ;)

[whistlelock]

When I was 19, I had a fake id. But I was in the Army then.

Before that we just partied at our apartment. Less driving that way. There's always someone who's 'legal' looking for an excuss to drink. Especially if there's girls there.

[Ravenlocks01]

In the suburbs, where I grew up, house or apartment parties were (presumably still are) the way to go. Every Friday word would be passed around in the appropriate social group about who would be hosting the party, usually because their parents were away. Someone would secure a keg, and the party was ready.

The aftermath, of course, included cleaning up before the parents returned and getting someone to take the trash bags full of beer cans out to a dumpster somewhere. There might also be one or two people who crashed at the house and never made it home (what they said to their parents when they finally did get home, I have no idea).

After much propagandizing, the idea of designated drivers was catching on when I was in high school. In case you don't know what that is, it's when one person in a group opts not to drink that night so he can take the rest home safely.

[nrmetson]

Quality info there guys.

I did a bit of erm "research" last night and went to a house party over here in England. Wow! Havent been to one like that since i was at school.

Felt a tad sick this morning when i had to goto work at 8:30am -5:30am.

But it was well worth it.

:x