To all the British Escapists

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

To all the brits on the Escapist, I have a question. Just yesterday I turned 21 and my grandmother says that in Britain the 21st birthday is important, so yeah I was just wondering if it is actually important and how it is?

Yes and no. There's nothing special legally with 21 (all of that stuff kicking in at 16 and 18) but it is kinda informally considered the age when you're supposed to stop dicking about and knuckle down with your adult life. Or it used to be. No-one really bothers with it nowadays. 18 is the real biggie.

 

[Sigma Van Lockheart]

nooo the important birthday is 18 after that you can do anything

 

[richard misiak]

As above, the 21st b-day is when you're considered a full adult. You can drink in pubs (with a meal) at 14, have a fuck at 16, drive a car at 17, buy anything at 18, and get a decent job at 21.

buy anything except knives from poundland

 

[hutchy27]

Uh, never really heard of 21 being important here in Britain. The important ones are really 16 (you can leave school), 18 (you're an adult) and 20 (out of your teens).

In a couple of years you won't be able to leave school and get a job or something when your 16, because you need to go on to higher education starting in the next 2 years or something.

I would say 18 and 21 are important birthdays.

 

[hoov]

Has anyone who's posted in this thread read any of the previous posts?

Almost all of you are saying the exact same thing in slightly different words.

 

[Kekkles]

21 is the REAL age of adulthood in most social aspects, my friends (that are much older than me) say they can't wait for my 21st to see how bladdered they can get me but seeing as it's still 2 years away I'm sure I'll have times they can get me just as fucked.

Other than that I always thought 18 was the age of becoming an adult, everything is legally able to be bought/gained. Though when I was 17 I had a serious beard growin and didn't have to wait so long to start getting into pubs etc.

 

[Woodsey]

Nope, 18's the big one. Never met anyone from here who gave a shit about their 21st (beyond, "woohoo, they'll probably stop ID'ing me soon!").

 

[beniki]

It used to be more important, but it's a lot less so these days. Usually at 21 you've finished off a 3 year Bachelors at uni, so you're supposed to be a fully fledged adult at that point. But what with the Bachelors being cheapened by saturation (thanks Labour btw... I love that my hard earned Physics degree from the best science uni in the country is worth the same as an 'Event Planning' degree from some attic in Essex), gap years and such, it's less of the milestone it used to be.

Still nice to know you can get hammered in the USA legally though.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

To all the brits on the Escapist, I have a question. Just yesterday I turned 21 and my grandmother says that in Britain the 21st birthday is important, so yeah I was just wondering if it is actually important and how it is?

It's not really important. Just named. 21 is "The Key To The Door", and also a Bingo call. It's just what used to be the point where all age limits cease - but it's not even that anymore.

 

[Quellist]

21 used to be the beginning of adulthood in the UK but things gradually worked their way down to 16 and 18 for most things.

Back in my grandparents time 21 used to be called 'the Key to the Door' the Door supposedly being adult life and responsibility

 

[mega48man]

every birthday should be important, because your birthday is the celebration of your life. And for your friends and family, it's the day they all tell you how much they love you being alive and well if they don't do that everyday all ready.

but it's 21st birthday that's the real shit, just avoid the 21 shots tradition. as fun as that sounds it should normally lead to certain death via alcohol poisoning (21 shots of 40% alcohol, seriously, think that one through, can one normally handle 10? imagine 21, it'll replace a quarter of your bloodstream). but take your time enjoy at most 8 or 9 shots with your chums, 7 if i did my guesstimation math wrong. it's all based on how big you are. the bigger you are, the more you can handle at a linear scale (that's important, linear scale, not exponential scale)

 

[AngryMongoose]

As someone who was born and lives in Britain, this is news to me. I guess you finish Uni at 21? 18 is when we put most of our legal age things (with sex and marriage at 16). Can't think of a single one at 21.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

buy anything except knives from poundland

It's worse than that...

I HAVE to check you for ID if you look under 25 for
Alcohol, Eggs/Flour(Co-op), Christmas Crackers, Knives, long Scissors, Scalpels, any solvents, Spray Paint, Pallette Knives, Chinese Lanterns and Tippex.

If I don't, there's a possible £5000 fine and a Gross Misconduct on me.

 

[Robert Ewing]

It's because it's when you are taken seriously as an adult. Although officially you are an adult at the age of 18, but you have a high chance of still being in education, and starting your first job. So basically, think of being 18 as a 'level 1 adult.' The noob of the adults, if you will. 21 years of age will see you level up to a more respectable and more 'suitable' adult.

 

[Quellist]

It used to be more important, but it's a lot less so these days. Usually at 21 you've finished off a 3 year Bachelors at uni, so you're supposed to be a fully fledged adult at that point. But what with the Bachelors being cheapened by saturation (thanks Labour btw... I love that my hard earned Physics degree from the best science uni in the country is worth the same as an 'Event Planning' degree from some attic in Essex), gap years and such, it's less of the milestone it used to be.

Still nice to know you can get hammered in the USA legally though.

Labour Government=Syndrome IMO

'When everyone is special, no-one will be special' the rise of mediocrity

 

[Byr0m]

I would say it is imporant (being British) but now that I think about it, I don't know why :S Maybe it's because that's when you're most likely out of education (3 year uni course)

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Sex, driving, smoking (and marriage?) at 16.

Drinking and buying smokes at 18.

Legally renting a car overseas at 25.

21 doesn't mean anything in a legal sense, it's more of a finish-schooling/childhood, move into work/adulthood marker.

 

[Ouroboros0977]

21 means that you can officially be a part of (or start) a political party... on an somewhat unrelated note, who is up for supporting the party party?

 

[DEATHROAD]

To all the brits on the Escapist, I have a question. Just yesterday I turned 21 and my grandmother says that in Britain the 21st birthday is important, so yeah I was just wondering if it is actually important and how it is?

Only thing im aware of at 21 over here is that you finally get paid as much as everyone else, but 17 and 18 are the big ones by most peoples standards.

 

[ultimateownage]

My brother had his 21st, and it was treated really important. I'm not sure why, exactly. You gain all of your adult rights and abilities at 18, so I always thought 21 was only important in America.

I think it's tradition from when 21 was recognised as adulthood, instead of 18. It's treated like a special event and there are loads of 21 cards, but at the end of the day no one really gives a shit about their 21st.

When I saw the title, I assumed this was going to be another one of those hypocritical threads where someone complains about a different country or culture.