Why Bars?

just one example of a bar, or the only example of a bar?

It's a question that's bugged me since I started drinking, really. What is the upside of going out to drink?

Well, let's first consider the whole reason we drink. There may be a myriad of reasons, but I'd argue the most consistent one throughout our personal history is that it gives us a reason to get together and to bond with friends. I was at a house party last night, and while the primary reason of our attending the house party was good ol' Ed's birthday, the main activity we partook in was imbibing.

Okay, so can you do that at a bar? Yes and no. There's been plenty of times where we've been to McNally's on a Sunday night, and it's empty and it's just our friends and we all hang out and be merry and have a great fucking time. But there's also been times when McNally's is bumping on a Friday night, and it's crowded and loud as shit and you can't have a conversation with more than one person at a time because the DJ is fucking BLASTING "Wobble Baby" yet again.

I think a lot of the whole idea of going to bars is the idea that We Should Get Out More™. I guess it would be uncouth to just hang out in someone's basement every weekend. If you did that and chilled with the same people all the time, you might find yourself becoming socially stunted. It's nice to go out to a pub and have the chance to see an old acquaintance, someone you haven't seen in a while, or someone completely random who brings a smile to your face. You don't get that staying in with friends.

But then, you don't get that lightweight wallet if you stay in either. I guess this is a well-known fact at this point, but I'll say it anyway—going out is fucking expensive. Even McNally's starts to add up at $2 a beer during Phillies games. If you drink ten beers and tip a dollar on each one, you're still dropping $30 a night. And this is a dirt cheap bar. Go to an upscale establishment, and you're looking at $5-6 a beer, plus tip, and your bank account is fucked. Compare this to a case of cheap beer—$15 to $20 on average for a 30-bird, and we'll call it a weekend.

But then again, we're young, and there's still a certain novelty in going to the bar, even three years after reaching that legal age. It's great discovering a new bar, and having a good time going out. It's nice gathering friends at a local pub.

So really, I guess the main point is, like most things in life, it's all about balance. It sucks going out all the goddamn time, but then again, it sucks staying in and doing the same shit all the time too. Pick and choose those nights, folks. Don't waste your life away in a basement with three other dudes, but don't piss it away at Bleu Martini either. Find those nights, those bars, those moments, when and where you can gather friends and drink and enjoy life.