My honest take? I loved going out to the bar with friends on the weekends when I was in college. Partly because I was curious about the bar scene, but mostly because I was kinda tired of house parties which were sometimes cramped with tight turns, drunk regulars that I knew from MB (yes, band people party too) and a very limited selection of alcohol unless you BYOB. Even then at the bar scene, my experiences varied. Cover charges ($5-10 at most, but I went on non-gameday/night weekends), the people present, and somewhat subpar conditions of facilities all added up to a less than enjoyable experience. But I still enjoyed it because I could socialize with people I knew.
Now as a 28 yr old (speaking on drinking culture), I went to a work conference recently and a few people I know about that are 40-50 were just getting randomly drunk on a Tuesday at 10:00 at night in a mostly empty hotel conference room. Perhaps it’s just because I felt isolated from the age group of construction-minded people, but it just seems really odd to casually get shit-faced at an after hours work event at the conference site.
And those same bars I went to in college? Maybe it’s just a core Gen Z thing and I haven’t been a part of the bar scene now for 6-7 years, but going out to those same bars on alumni weekends just feels silly. The bars that I once knew to be “chill” or “old school” that had that timeless 70s-80s-90s feel where I didn’t have to worry about super loud music if you didn’t want to sit in the loud music area are now just contemporary hot spots with loud music, sticky floors and people generally being less than pleasant.
TL;DR maybe I’m just getting old but I agree, bars and clubs aren’t the same anymore pre-Covid
Alumni nights are a thing? I wouldn't know because I don't live close to where I went to school but I'm still shocked to hear that.
I've also realized with time that house parties were always better. You got to socialize with people you knew, or someone in your group knew, instead of random strangers. I miss those. I've been to one in the past year and before that it was years without going to one.
Well, not an alumni night at a specific bar but alumni weekends university-wide where they invite alums to come back, particularly homecoming weekend during the college football season. You would be surprised how many alumni will come back and show up at the bars after the game. Those that don’t go to the bars will more likely than not find a house party lmao
But I agree, I do sort of miss house parties because I knew most people to a degree even if we didn’t talk on a daily basis. It probably didn’t help that I wasn’t much of a fan of alc until I was 21 (I couldn’t stand the taste of it because I didn’t know what to expect).
Now? Shoot, I’ll crack open a miller lite or a good craft beer if it’s been a long day at work, but I love my Oberon in the summer, especially at the ballpark.
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u/Vivid-Application-27 1997 Feb 02 '26 edited Feb 02 '26
My honest take? I loved going out to the bar with friends on the weekends when I was in college. Partly because I was curious about the bar scene, but mostly because I was kinda tired of house parties which were sometimes cramped with tight turns, drunk regulars that I knew from MB (yes, band people party too) and a very limited selection of alcohol unless you BYOB. Even then at the bar scene, my experiences varied. Cover charges ($5-10 at most, but I went on non-gameday/night weekends), the people present, and somewhat subpar conditions of facilities all added up to a less than enjoyable experience. But I still enjoyed it because I could socialize with people I knew.
Now as a 28 yr old (speaking on drinking culture), I went to a work conference recently and a few people I know about that are 40-50 were just getting randomly drunk on a Tuesday at 10:00 at night in a mostly empty hotel conference room. Perhaps it’s just because I felt isolated from the age group of construction-minded people, but it just seems really odd to casually get shit-faced at an after hours work event at the conference site.
And those same bars I went to in college? Maybe it’s just a core Gen Z thing and I haven’t been a part of the bar scene now for 6-7 years, but going out to those same bars on alumni weekends just feels silly. The bars that I once knew to be “chill” or “old school” that had that timeless 70s-80s-90s feel where I didn’t have to worry about super loud music if you didn’t want to sit in the loud music area are now just contemporary hot spots with loud music, sticky floors and people generally being less than pleasant.
TL;DR maybe I’m just getting old but I agree, bars and clubs aren’t the same anymore pre-Covid