Everyone has one day of the year that is dedicated to celebrating them: their birthday. I have always had a love-hate relationship with my birthday. On one hand, I love getting older. On the other hand, I hate the attention. But there has always been one birthday I looked forward to the most: my 21st birthday.
I just love going out, meeting new people and hanging out with friends; however, as myself and others my age are finally hitting the legal drinking age, club culture is dying.
Being in college and attending Ohio University means going out, and party culture is very much still alive. However, if people were to look outside of college life, increasingly more people are choosing a night in rather than a night out. Drinking amongst Generation Z is also down, which means some people may not find it appealing to go out when they do not drink.
More people in Gen Z are homebodies than in previous generations. The going out environment is loud and chaotic, while more people within Gen Z prefer a quiet, home life environment to enjoy a drink. However, Gen Z is also more nostalgic for club culture, but is not contributing to its growth. While not drinking as much and being homebodies are two major factors in the dying culture of club life, they are not the only reasons.
Clubbing and nightlife culture became popular in the 1980s and 1990s, along with the rise of techno and house music. Currently, electronic music is once again on the rise, which one can assume means the rise of clubbing, but that is not the case. One of the reasons is that people are no longer dancing at clubs. People are spending more time on their phones recording the night out, rather than enjoying the night. There is also the fear of embarrassment, but what is the point of a night out if you are too scared to go out and dance?
Of course, one of the biggest factors as to why people aren’t going out is the cost. When planning for a responsible night out in a city, you have to account for transportation, either public or Uber, to and from the venue or venues if you’re club hopping. Then paying the cover to get into the club and the costs of drinks. People no longer have the money to spend on a night out.
Club culture and going out are always going to be popular within bigger cities like New York, but elsewhere, clubs are closing and late-night events are on the decline.
I pictured my early 20s filled with wild nights out with my friends, like depicted in “The Hangover” or “Project X.” The shift from club culture to more of a bar or brewery scene amongst Gen Z is disappointing to me. A chill night at the local brewery or happy hour is good every once in a while. However, I have just turned 21 and I want to experience those unforgettable nights that my parents had when they were young.
Cassie is a senior studying communications at Ohio University. Please note the views and opinions expressed in this column do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Cassie? Email her at cb086021@ohio.edu.
