When you’re in college, there’s nothing quite as exhilarating as going to the club. It’s where all the coolest kids go, where all the edgy magazine-level hot guys are, and of course, where all the drama seems to happen. But there comes a time when you have to grow up. It might have been fun at first, but eventually you realize you’re over it.
- You’re nearly a decade older than anyone else there. Different clubs attract different clientele, so this isn’t always a dealbreaker. If you’re in a lounge filled with other 30-year-olds, you might be in an OK spot. If you’re 30 and dealing with a bunch of 18-year-olds, then you might be a bit too old for your scene.
- Getting dressed up is becoming a hassle. This happens to everyone at one point or another. Work becomes tiring to the point that you no longer have the energy to trek out to the next banger. You don’t even miss the concert, because you already know the stuff that will go down.
- You’re not really friends with the people you club with. When you get to a certain age, you start to realize that there are “club friends” and then there are real friends, and the two are rarely the same. After one too many betrayals or overhearing your “friends” gossip about you, you’ll wonder why you’re wasting your time with those people. This is a sign that you outgrew your scene friends, and that’s actually a good thing.
- The drinking and drugs are getting old. Sure, it’s nice to have party memories happen, but there’s a certain point where swilling cheap beer and smoking pot gets old. Whether it’s because you can’t deal with the drug-induced stupidity, the risk of arrest, or the fallout from whatever happens, there’s a certain point where getting wasted just loses its appeal. Once you’ve hit that point, it’s safe to say that the majority of your interest in partying has faded.
- You’re starting to see just how superficial the whole scene is. There are cat fights, cliques, and the fact that you’re spending 80 percent of your weekly budget on buying rounds every weekend. None of it’s necessary, and it’s ruining your life. When you realize that they’re being ridiculously immature, you’ve probably outgrown the scene.
- You now understand why so many club promoters and DJs are single. The job might be glamorous, but who could put up with their crap behavior? Meanwhile, that one tax adjuster you met… that guy is a cutie!
- You can think of 50 different things you’d rather be doing. Cooking, cleaning, studying, hiking… It all seems less expensive and more rewarding than getting dressed up and hitting the club.
- You’re sick of emptying your bank account every weekend. When you were younger, dropping $25 on entry seemed reasonable. Dropping $40 on drinks also seemed fine. Now that you’re paying rent and saving for a house, it’s no longer reasonable. You’d rather just buy beer, turn up tunes on your computer, and save the money for something more important.
- You realize that some of the things you’ve dealt with are just plain insane. When you begin to realize how much crap you put up with from club friends, it can be a shock to your system. It didn’t strike you as strange that you had to deal with holding your club friend’s hair while they puked their guts out on a Tuesday night? Once you realize the full damage, you won’t want anything to do with those people again.
- Most of your friends already stopped clubbing. This is one of the most telling signs, especially if the friends in question were famous in the local club scene. When your real friends stop caring about the club and start caring more about chilling at home or at restaurants, you’re too old for the club drama that you’ve been dealing with. Sit back and enjoy life with your real friends — they’re the ones that count!
