Usually a 21st birthday is something that everyone gets excited about. The sparkly crowns, cute inscribed barf buckets and even the occasional limousine ride to the bar at midnight.

Well guess whom your 21st birthday bash extravaganza is not fun for? Your bartender.

I am a bartender in the local area around California Lutheran University. From personal experience I can tell you that young people new to the bar scene stick out like a sore thumb.

If you are wondering how young bar goers are viewed on their “bar etiquette” by their bartenders and other more experienced bar attendees keep one thing in mind.

They suck and have no bar etiquette.

The website “Bars and Bartending” defines bar etiquette in a simple way, “Bar etiquette can be described as the way a bar goer should act while out enjoying themselves at a club or at a bar. Just as there is a certain way of ordering drinks in a bar, there’s a certain way of behaving yourself while in a bar.”

Something that a fresh face bar goer can work on is the type of drinks they order.

You don’t have to be wearing a princess sash for me to be able to tell that you are going to try an order some sort of a wine cooler from me.

Not that wine coolers are not super classy and everything, but it is honestly a little embarrassing to drink in a bar.

Study your grown up drinks the next time you sit at a bar top if you want to be taken seriously.

Taki’s Magazine stated that the number one rule in bar etiquette is bringing cash.

According to takimag.com “You’re not only wasting the bartender’s time and delaying his tip by at least a week, you’re slowing [things] down for the rest of us. Go to an ATM and pay the fee they charge you to not waste everyone else’s money.”

While I agree with Taki Magazine that bringing cash to a bar is a huge part in getting your bartender on your side, I have a different idea on the most important part of bar etiquette.

For the love of everything holy do not throw up at the bar.

Take it outside, take it to your cab ride home, I don’t care, just take it elsewhere.

If a customer throws up in the bar you do not have to worry the bartender will remember exactly who you are, forever.

Kellie Dade, another bartender in the local area, said the young people-puking phenomenon is something that she often worries about.

“The 21-year-old girls that come in asking for wine coolers; you know they’re just going to get ‘white girl wasted’ and throw up on my bar top,” Dade said.

Wine coolers and puking just may go hand in hand. Don’t be that stigma.

There is another stigma that new bar goers should stay away from if they are looking to earn a permanent barstool.

Just don’t be creepy.

Don’t be the guy that orders a drink for a girl on the other side of the bar and makes the bartender bring it to them.

I know this might seem surprising, but your bartender has more important things going on than to do your flirting for you.

It makes your bartender uncomfortable and chances are they are just doing it to increase the price of your bill so you will tip them more.

At the end of the day the most important thing to remember is to not be too obnoxious. Everyone in the bar is trying to relax and have a good time so just enjoy the environment and behave yourself.

It also wouldn’t hurt to use a coaster. I promise it won’t kill you.

Your bartender can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

The choice is yours.

Heather Tomaszewski
Staff Writer
Published October 21st, 2015